“Feeding the sharks,” Thorne said.
They tied ropes around Petrina’s ankles and wrists. Nearby, a plank creaked and groaned into place across the rail, a crude gangway to nowhere.
“Listen to me,” Selene said, her breath coming in harsh rasps, “I don’t know what she’s done, but?—”
“How many others should I expect to find sneaking around my ship?” Thorne ignored Petrina’s death stroll. “The truth, Selene.”
“I didn’t knowshewas on board.”
“Walk her out,” he ordered.
Two men shuffled sideways down the gangplank with Petrina hanging by the arms between them.
Thorne dipped toward Selene’s ear and whispered, “You’re running out of time, Selene.”
“I don’t know why she’s here. We don’t even know each other.”
“I’m supposed to believe that? She helped you fight in the marketplace.”
And now Selene owed her a debt—not that she could watch her die, regardless. “She used to be one of Princess Alexandra’s sycophants. That’s all I know.”
From atop the gangplank, Petrina said, “Fuck that vile bitch. I will spit on her grave.”
Deep chuckles rumbled across the decks.
“Last chance,” Thorne said. “How many others are aboard?”
Selene shook her head. “She was alone in the market. I don’t know.”
“Drop her.”
Selene was already moving before they pushed Petrina off the edge. Months of training stole through her limbs and emptied her mind of anything but her destination. She ducked and spun the reaching hands, twisted and pushed.
She bound onto the railing like a clumsy child, a shin scraping the hard edge.
Down in the turbulent sea, Petrina’s head sank beneath the surface?—
Selene’s heels left the wood. Wind slapped her face. Then she cracked through the icy surface where the cold swallowed her whole.
And immediately realized her mistake—she didn’t have enough air.
Time wasn’t on her side.
But maybe the gods were. Petrina was within sight, writhing as she sank, struggling to free her binds.
Selene arced her arms wide through the water. Her shoulders ached, and her legs burned. The sea wasn’t just cold—it was vicious, gnashing, and yanking from all directions.
But Petrina had risked her life for her and her people. Whatever her reasons, Petrina had at least proved she wasn’t like Alexandra. She deserved a chance to live. For that reason alone, Selene wouldn’t give up.
She finally reached Petrina and hooked her around the waist. Petrina relaxed into her hold, until they surfaced with great gasps, the roiling surface splashing their faces. Petrina was immediately wracked with coughs.
Selene worked on Petrina’s ropes one-handed, holding them both above water with only her kicking feet. Exhaustion threatened to take her under any second.
“You should have let me drown,” Petrina said as her wrists came free. “Now he’ll kill us both.”
“Staying wasn’t going to end in me sitting down to tea with a warm towel, either.”
Miles away, the ship had slowed, and several rowboats were being lowered into the water. Selene, again, searched for land to no avail. “We can try taking one of the boats when they get here.”
