Adela straightened slightly. The trembling in her body lessened. Ice coated her wounds, fusing with Eira’s fingers.
A mighty shattering had Eira’s eyes snapping open. But it wasn’t from the ice overhead. That was as thick as ever. Instead, the ice that had been trying to hold back the boat explodedunder an up-churning of currents. It splintered, fragmenting into thousands of pieces that fell like snow.
“Eira.” Adela had never said her name with such warmth. “Help me guide us out of here. TheStormfrostis not far.”
Freeing her left hand from Adela’s front, Eira slowly lifted her palm. The rain slowed around her fingertips, hovering midair. Currents churned within her, breaking up the internal ice that had held her in stasis. Power tingled from the middle of her chest, radiating outward. It danced like the snow with the rain.
She could feel every drop of water. Every lap of the sea against the hull of the boat. The world was hers once more and she welcomed it with open arms.
The boat lurched forward and half the deck staggered; some of the crew fell to their knees. They began to speed ahead only to be pulled back with a sudden jerk. Through the changes in the rain, Eira could feel the last hook pulled taut on their stern.
“Go,” Adela encouraged. “I’ll be fine.”
Eira didn’t object or fight. She pulled her hand from Adela’s and eased away from Cullen to run over to Noelle, helping her friend up. Noelle’s right side was coated in small cuts and shrapnel. Whatever battle they had endured while Eira was working on the portcullis was severe indeed.
But there was no time to waste. “I need you.”
“Good to see you,” Noelle said sincerely.
Eira smiled and nodded, heading toward the back of the boat. Noelle’s injuries either weren’t that severe, or she was doing an incredible job of working through the pain. Unfortunately, Eira’s gut leaned toward the latter.
None of them were escaping this without scars.
They reached the back of the boat in time to see the Pillars and guards readying another hook and chain. While Eira hadbeen getting Noelle, she’d turned the rain hammering the chain holding them into a thick layer of ice.
“As soon as I shatter the ice, blast as much fire as you can—just past the boat, where the flames won’t catch us,” Eira instructed. Noelle shifted her feet, bracing herself. “Ready?” Noelle nodded. “Now!”
Eira swept a hand through the air, savoring the way the ice turned to water instantly, dropping off the chain. A ball of fire exploded. White hot. All the water and rain evaporated and the metal groaned, snapping from the sudden change in temperature.
The moment they were free of the tether, Eira shifted her magic and her focus. The sea rose to push them along the crest of a mighty wave of Eira’s making. They were well out of reach of the other hook as it flew toward them.
Ducot and Alyss ran over, working on patching the ship. At this point, it was probably held together more by sorcery than construction. But all that mattered was that they were still afloat.
The ice that had been holding up the portcullis and archway finally shattered. It all came crumbling down, crashing into the sea and sending more waves that helped them slip farther and farther into the dark night.
Eira’s breath hitched. She grabbed Alyss’s elbow. “Adela is hurt.”
18
They raced back to the bow of the ship where Adela lay. Puck was already at her side, glyphs of light spinning underneath his palm as he moved it above her, murmuring Lightspinning words under his breath. Eira slowed, both her feet and her heart, as she saw that Adela’s eyes were open.
Those frosty eyes turned to her. “You look worried.”
“You looked almost dead.” Eira knelt at her opposite side.
“Do you need any help?” Alyss asked Puck.
He shook his head. “But if you don’t mind helping with the rest of the crew?”
“Not at all.”
“Thank you,” Puck said with a warm smile in Alyss’s direction. “We wouldn’t have made it without you.”
“I know.” Alyss grinned, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her shoulders were slumped as she went to attend to the other sailors. Exhaustion weighed heavily on all of them.
“It’ll take a lot more than that to kill me,” Adela said, and Eira’s focus returned to her. “Better people have tried.”
“I’m sure.” Eira rested her hand on Adela’s shoulder.
