Disorientation floods through me as I try to gauge how long I've been unconscious. My head throbs mercilessly, each pulse sending a fresh wave of dizziness.
Slowly, I attempt to sit up, but the movement sends my head spinning even more violently. I grit my teeth against the nausea rising in my throat.
Come on,Dani, get it together.You can't afford to be weak right now.RhylandandErikneed you.Lucianneeds you. The realms need you.
With a deep breath, I force myself to focus past the pain and dizziness—one step at a time. First, assess the situation. Then, find a way out of this mess. I hope I haven't been out for too long. Every moment counts, and I can't let this setback cost us everything.
"How long—?"
"A day." The Captain quickly answers. "Now, answer me."
I lift my head, meeting his piercing gaze with what little strength I have left. "There's so much to explain. Something terrible is coming."
The Captain's eyes widen as he notices my hands, free from their bonds. "How in the blazes did you get your hands untied, lass? What kind of witchcraft are you playing at?"
I resist the urge to roll my eyes, even as the room spins around me. "It's a long story, Captain, and one I don't have the energy to tell right now. But please—just listen to me."
He crouches down to my level, his eyes searching mine. "And why should I trust a single word you say? Strangers appear outta nowhere on me ship, and you expect me to believe you ain't a threat?"
"Because we were trying to protect everyone," I say, my voice cracking with emotion. "We're fighting to keep a dark force from entering our worlds. We must stop it, or everyone—including you—willsuffer."
The Captain studies me, the skepticism in his eyes wavering just slightly.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself and gather my thoughts. "I know this all sounds crazy. But I swear to you, it's all true.I need the stone to stop it."
The Captain strokes his beard, his expression thoughtful. "And what, exactly, does this have to do with me and my crew, lass? We're pirates, not heroes. We don't go around saving the world from ancient evils."
I can't help but laugh at that, even as the action sends a fresh wave of dizziness washing over me. "Believe me, Captain, I'm no hero either. I'm just a girl caught up in something bigger than herself. But, like it or not, we're all in this together now—if the darkness succeeds, it won't matter if you're a pirate, queen, or lowly deckhand. All our asses are doomed."
The Captain is silent for a long moment, his eyes searching mine as if trying to gauge the truth of my words. "I’ll consider yer words. You’ll remain here until I decide what to do with you."
He stands and heads for the door, leaving me hopeful we can still turn this around.
"Wait, where are my friends?"
The Captain looks over his shoulder, "They've been detained."
Shit.What will they do to Erik and Rhyland? My thoughts spin out of control.
The door slams shut with a resounding thud, trapping me back in the darkness of the ship's hold. But a little thing like this won't keep this girl down for long.
As exhaustion tugs at my eyelids, I can't help but smirk at the thought of these so-called pirates, thinking they can hold me captive. They clearly haven't met the right kind of stubborn yet.
A frustrated sigh escapes my lips. As soon as my power decides to grace me with its presence again, these pirates are in for a rude awakening. They have no idea what kind of force they're dealing with.
Reaching out with everything I have, I call toRhylandthrough our bond."Rhyland...talk to me…"
At first, nothing but an eerie silence hangs heavy in the air. But then, like a flickering candle flame, I feel the barest whisper of his presence brushing against my consciousness. He's there, somewhere close, and he's trying to connect back to me. Relief washes over me, knowing he's still fighting, even in his drained state courtesy of that wretched witch.
If I can find a way to recharge and tap into that inner wellspring of power again, maybe I can escape this dank hellhole and find Rhyland—get Lucian. And then, God help anyone who gets between me and saving the realms.
A part of me clings to the hope that the Captain might listen to reason and grant us a chance at freedom. Ireallydon't want things to get ugly.
Exhaustion is weighing me down like an anchor, demanding I give in and catch some shut-eye. As much as I'd love to fight it, my body's screaming at me for more sleep. So I'm surrendering, letting my eyes drift closed as I desperately cling to that tiny flicker of a chance we can wiggle out of this pirate pickle.
Danica
2
