“Not on the beach. Your arms,” Theo demanded.
She stalled on the ladder. “A few soldiers jumped me,” she continued, ignoring him. When it was all over, she would have to tell him who hurt her, who cut up her arms and scarred her. “I don’t know how it was possible, but the longboats pulled into the bay without a sound. They thumped me on the back of the head. They thought they knocked me out, but I faked it and managed to knock out two of theirs. One of them got a good shot atmy nose before he fell.”
“What about your ribs?”
“Courtesy of their friends. They didn’t appreciate how I outsmarted them and threw me in that cell and got a good kick to my side. They only stopped because she ordered them to.”
“Who?”
“The captain,” she snipped before ascending to the next deck.
Esaias struggled against Theo as he attempted to get him up the ladder. He often grew angry when he hadn’t eaten in a while. They moved faster, pausing around each corner, ducking behind barrels to avoid a fight.
“One more and we’ll be on the main deck,” Amaris whispered to them.
Esaias slowly lifted his brows, giving Theo a dazed look before his head rolled onto his shoulder. With Amaris’s and Adelaide’s assistance, they got Esaias up the ladder and laid him on the deck.
Theo kneeled beside him, attempting to rouse him for the last few minutes of their escape, but he only groaned as Theo pinched his shoulder.
“Watch out!”
Theo whirled, but a boot kicked him in the chest. He hit the deck hard. A blade was drawn, and he rolled, narrowly missing its vicious swipe. He wiped the rain from his eyes. Adelaide drew her sword against Sephardi, who spun hers then lunged with a fury. A second sword was strapped to her back, and her twin pistols were sheathed at her sides.
Theo startled. What was Sephardi doing?
Adelaide strained against her attacks, but she blocked each of her hits. The clash of their blades rivaled the thunder’s call. Not only was Adelaide defending herself against one of Theo’s most-skilled soldiers, but she did so with a smug persistence. Theo could’ve sworn a smirk graced her lips.
The scars littering her arms were a testament to her strength, her fight. He didn’t know what had become of the person who dared cut her up, but knowing Adelaide, they’d gotten what they deserved.
Theo eyed his bulging knee, but Adelaide’s quick breaths had himpushing through. Amaris leaned over Esaias, attempting to rouse him.
“Get him out of here,” he shouted to her.
Theo turned from Amaris and her fearful expression. He couldn’t let his mind wander to the shrinking oceans as her irises filled with darkness. He stood, palming his sword. Theo charged, blocking Sephardi’s next strike.
“What are you doing?” Theo pulled back, and she readied her stance.
He stood by Adelaide’s side, both angling their swords and waiting for Sephardi’s next move.
She scoffed and jerked her head to flip the short strands out of her eyes. “What should’ve been done the moment you found her.”
This was about Amaris.
She pulled her second sword from its sheath and lunged. It was a mix of blades and arms as the three of them battled across the deck. Theo pressed forward and further drew their fight from Amaris and Esaias.
He didn’t allow himself to think of the soldiers lurking below or Amaris dragging Esaias across the deck. All he thought about were Sephardi’s next moves and anticipating where she’d strike. Nothing made sense. Theo aimed for Sephardi’s weaker side, but she parried, gritting her teeth against his blade.
Why was she doing this? His mind thought back to the tower with Esaias and Adelaide. They’d said Sephardi had been working Gris’s sentry duty. Had she been the one to tell his father of Amaris’s escape attempt?
Theo stepped between Adelaide and Sephardi. “Help Amaris get Esaias out of here.”
Adelaide opened her mouth to protest but spied them unarmed and unguarded on the deck. They needed her. With Adelaide at their side, he knew they would get safely off the ship.
Theo threw himself into his next swing. “You were the one to poison her!”
“Should’ve known a bit of herix wouldn’t have been enough to kill her,” Sephardi seethed. Her next series of strikes hit hard and strong, weakening Theo’s stance. This wasn’t her.
The grip he held to keep the beast at bay was weakening. He felt the creature begging to show itself. “Why?” He took a breath and a chance. He twisted his sword and disarmed her of one of her weapons.
