Onis’s interference had been enough; the Illucian ship had us.
As the ropes retracted, the wood groaned and the space between the ships closed. The rolling waves tossed us together, turning theAizelso we ran parallel to Malkin’s ship. His mercenary crew stood along the topsails. Some held a hooked board to create a walkway. As the board fell, linking us together, and the mercenaries leapt from the sails with rope in hand to swing across the roiling sea, my eyes found one figure among the rest.
Razel stood a mere few feet away. The edges of her moonblades stretched from her shoulders like wings. She met my gaze and smiled.
Then everything erupted into chaos.
* * *
The battle spilled across the deck. Illucian soldiers and Malkin’s men clashed with Samra’s crew as rain poured incessantly. I spotted the copper hair of Malkin among them. His eyes were set on Caylus even as he dueled a sailor.
Something struck wood behind me. The next moment, Kiva threw me to the deck. Another arrow whizzed over my head, lodging in the railing between Res’s claws. He screeched and leapt from the railing, taking to the sky just as a third one landed beside the second.
I wrenched my bow off my back. Fighting back to my feet, I used the wheel as a shield. With the archer’s attention on Res, I nocked an arrow, stepped to the side, and loosed.
It struck the archer in the shoulder, and he dropped his bow.
At the edge of the ship, Razel had approached the plank, preparing to cross.
Res! The board!
Res swept low, a funnel of wind at his back. It slammed into the board, knocking it free a second before Razel could cross. The smallest relief flickered, and then I saw the smile on her face.
She took a step back, and another. Then she sprinted full force at the ship’s edge. She jumped, one foot striking the railing, and leapt. She sailed across the open ocean, clearing theAizel’s railing with ease, and landed in a roll, springing to her feet with the litheness of a jungle cat.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Kiva growled, hefting Sinvarra.
Razel grinned. “Hello, Thia dear.”
I nocked an arrow and fired. She dove to the side, and the arrow lodged in the deck where she’d been. Back on her feet, she drew her moonblades, the curved, dome-shaped blades glinting. Behind her, Malkin had downed his opponent and now advanced upon Caylus, who backed warily toward the bowsprit.
Indecision rooted me to the spot. Razel wanted me alive; she wouldn’t kill me, which granted me an advantage. I was safe. My friends were not.
I sprinted down to the main deck. Nocking an arrow, I drew up short and released it into the nearest Illucian soldier’s leg. He cried out and dropped to one knee. Then a flash of red was before him, and Talon drove the butt of his blade into the man’s temple. The soldier crumpled.
“Watch out!” I screamed. Talon turned, too slow. Razel was on him, her moonblade swinging in a low arc. It slashed across his thigh. He screamed, his knee buckling, and Razel lifted her other blade to cut his throat.
The snap of my bowstring was all the warning she had. With a twist, she knocked my arrow aside, continuing her momentum through with a swift kick to Talon’s head. He sprawled across the deck, unmoving.
“Talon!” I lurched for him, but Razel stepped between us. The wind whipped loose pieces of blond hair around her face, her bright eyes two chips of ice ringed in kohl. The rain tracked black tears down her pale skin. Behind her, Malkin had reached Caylus, who stood frozen as if before a demon, his back pressed against the forecastle.
“You’ve been busy.” Razel shifted, eyes angling toward Caylus and Malkin. “What a delightful enemy you’ve made. He was quite motivated to hunt you down again.”
Malkin held a coiled whip. Caylus’s chest rose and fell, his eyes filled with the fear of a trapped animal.
“I promised him he could have your friend in exchange for information.” Razel’s voice cut through the storm. “You won’t believe the story he spun about a crow that can do more than he should. A weapon like that might actually be able to stand against me.” She lifted her moonblades. “Why don’t you call down your pet?” she hissed.
Malkin unfurled the whip. I seized an arrow, but Razel launched herself at me. I caught her moonblade with the black gold limb of my bow. She swung through with her other blade, knocking the bow from my hands. I stumbled back. Malkin lifted his hand as Caylus slumped to the floor.
“Caylus!” I screamed, but a howling wind carried the word away. The gust flung Malkin aside and pushed Razel back. A piercing screech ripped through the air. Then Res was on the deck, his wings flared wide, the funnel of wind still barreling from his body. It pinned Malkin to the side of the ship and shoved Razel back inch by inch. She raised her hands to protect her face and, through sheer strength, forced a step forward.
I turned for Res and shoved a foot into a stirrup, swinging onto his back.
“Let me show you what Malkin saw,” I growled.
Res leapt onto the ship railing, then took off.
The storm swelled around us as if welcoming an old friend. Res banked hard and came back at Razel’s ship, and like a rolling thundercloud, an ocean wave rode with him. It grew and grew, rising above the other ship a moment before it slammed into it.
