Vivienne seized the opening. She kicked him square in the chest, knocking him back into the waves. He flailed, cursing, before vanishing beneath the tide.
"Get in the damn boat!" Florence yelled.
Cirrus hoisted himself up, tumbling onto the wooden planks with a breathless grunt. "Row!" he yelled, grabbing an oar.
Another man grabbed the back of the boat, attempting to haul himself over.
Lewis reacted first. With a wild, desperate yell, he swung his own oar like a club. It cracked against the sailor’s fingers, and he let out a strangled cry, releasing his hold.
"Not today!" Lewis gasped, shaking out his own stinging hands. “No. More. Cardio.”
"Keep pushing!" Owen barked, muscles straining as he rowed.
The longboat surged forward, the tide finally pulling them free of the shallows. On the shore, Enyo’s men clambered into the water, but it was too late.
The longboat was out of their reach.
For several heartbeats, no one spoke. They only exchanged glances of shock and disbelief.
Vivienne slumped back against the boat’s wooden side, her pulse still hammering in her ears.
Cirrus met her gaze, his eyes dark with lingering adrenaline. His chest rose and fell in quick, shallow breaths. "We made it," he rasped.
"Barely," Vivienne muttered, her grip still tight on the oar.
Owen exhaled a shaky laugh, his head tilting back. "I’ll take barely over not at all."
Lewis groaned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Here’s to not getting eaten or stabbed."
Florence lifted an invisible glass, deadpan. "I’ll drink to that."
Their laughter was strained but real.
Vivienne turned back to the darkened shore, unease coiling deep in her gut.
This wasn’t over.
Not by a long shot.
50
Ahigh-pitched whistle sang through the night air as the longboat neared the Zephyrus. Figures rushed to the edge of the deck, their silhouettes leaning over the railing, straining to catch sight of their returning crew. Lanterns swung from their hooks, casting shifting pools of light over the ship’s hull, illuminating the worn, rough faces below. With a clatter, the rope ladder unraveled down the ship’s side, the final bridge to safety.
At the forefront of the gathered crew stood Captain Garrett and Melodie, their expressions taut, searching for damage, for missing faces, for answers. A voice rang out from above. Laverna, the ship’s purser, peered down at them.
"How nice of you to join us," she quipped, though the relief threading through her words was unmistakable.
Vivienne pressed her lips together, working her throat to push back her rising emotions, grasping the coarse rope. Her muscles screamed in protest, exhaustion clawing at her every motion, but she climbed. Every pull, every inch closer, lightened something heavy inside her. When she finally reached the top, strong hands grasped hers, hauling her over the railing.
"It’s about time you lot showed up," Garrett said, his grizzled features easing as he steadied her.
"Miss us, captain?" Vivienne asked, breathless.
Garrett let out a low chuckle, the tension in his shoulders releasing. "More than I’d care to admit." He engulfed her in a firm, comforting embrace.
"Vivienne!" Melodie exclaimed, pulling her from Garrett’s and holding her at arm’s length to assess her for injuries. "Are you hurt?"
"A few scrapes and bruises," Vivienne admitted, brushing damp strands of hair from her face. "I’m fine." Her voice wavered, shifting into concern. "But… Gus?"
