Josephine’s chest tightened as she caught the faint scent of smoke.
“We need to get out of here.” Samantha’s words came out in an urgent whisper. Before Josephine could respond, a door to their side slammed open with a crash, and another pirate charged into the hallway.
Josephine leapt to the side as the man barreled into them. Samantha’s rapier flashed in a blur of silver, the steel catching the low light.With a sharp twist of her body, she drove the blade toward the pirate’s chest. He parried, and her sword moved in quick, decisive arcs. With each swipe, she pushed him farther toward the wall, her eyes focused, determined.
The pirate snarled and lunged, grazing Samantha’s side. She stumbled and he swung again.No. Josephine gripped her sword tight and launched herself from the wall. She drove the blade forward with everything she had. For a heartbeat, time stood still. Then it came—the awful give of flesh, the jarring resistance of bone. It sank into his side with a sickening jolt. He let out a guttural scream, twisting violently. The hilt tore from her grip as he dropped to his knees, clutching at the steel buried in his flesh.
Josephine froze, her breath caught in her throat. Horror twisted through her, cold and biting—but beneath it burned something else. Something fierce. Wild.
Samantha grabbed her arm. “Well done. Now, let’s get out.”
Josephine nodded, swallowing hard. Her eyes watered as acrid fumes burned her nostrils. The thick, suffocating haze clung to the ceiling like a dark shroud. An ominous orange glow pulsed from the side of the foyer, where flames licked greedily at the wallpaper and thick smoke obscured the front door. Heat surged down the hall like a living thing, pressing against them in warning.
Their feet pounded against wooden floorboards as they raced down the hall. Smoke chased them, stinging and smothering. The house groaned around them, timbers popping behind them.
It seemed an eternity passed before she flung the back door open and the two of them stumbled into the night, gasping for breath. The door slammed behind them, muffling the growing chaos within. They rushed down the back steps, wood slick with humidity. The night air hit her like a slap, damp and heavy—but gloriously breathable. Josephine gulped it in, her lungs screaming as she doubled over, hands braced on her knees.
Samantha was already scanning the yard, sword still in hand, shoulders tense. “Let’s get away from the house, into the shadows.”
Josephine nodded, her heart slowing as the night began to calm her. The cool air. The sound of crickets still chirping beyond the edge of the chaos. The faint flicker of firelight reflecting in the windows.
And then—
Her eyes lifted toward the second floor. Abigail’s room. The curtains billowed faintly, a thin wisp of smoke curling toward the sky.
A violent jolt struck through Josephine’s chest.
“Lola!” Panic clawed at her gut. “She’s still in there.”
With a cry, she staggered back toward the house, but Samantha caught her arm. “Are you insane? Look how fast the fire is spreading. You can’t go back in.”
Flames already fanned from some of the bottom windows.
Josephine’s eyes scanned the dark windows on the second floor. No flames. No glow. The fire hadn’t spread upstairs yet.
With a jerk, she yanked her arm free and sprinted back up the steps.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“You again?” Thorne’svoice came in a growl, as he stepped forward, the blade of his sword gleaming in the moonlight. “You should really learn to back down.”
Isaac deflected the blow just in time, the sharp clash of steel ringing through the air. The force of the impact reverberated through his arm, but he didn’t falter. “You’ll find backing down isn’t in my nature.”
“So you seem so eager to prove.” The pirate’s eyes darkened, the tip of his sword flicking dangerously close to Isaac’s ribs. “Unfortunately for you, my patience has run out.”
He jabbed with a low, slicing cut aimed at Isaac’s legs. His chest heaved as he darted back and adjusted his position, sweat beading on his brow as they circled. Every muscle screamed for more speed, more precision, but Thorne’s movements were smooth and fluid—a seasoned predator waiting for his moment. The pirate came at him with a series of quick, calculated slashes. Isaac parried each one, blade ringing, arms burning. They were evenly matched, each dodge, each block, a dangerous game of inches. Isaac’s heart pounded as he found his rhythm, countering with a heavy thrust that made Thorne step back with narrowed eyes.
“Time to end this. I’ve more pressing business than you.” With a sudden, deceptive shift, the captain brought his sword down in a wide arc.
Isaac threw all his strength into the block. The impact sent a shockwave of pain through his arms, his feet sliding in the dirt as hestruggled to keep his balance. Thorne took advantage of the opening, stepping in close and driving forward with a swift thrust toward his ribs. Isaac deflected the blow at the last second, but the momentum left him exposed. The captain’s sword danced around Isaac’s guard, and with a precise flick of the wrist, he disarmed him, sending his blade clattering to the ground.
Thorne leveled his blade at him, drawing his arm back to deliver a death blow. Isaac didn’t move. He had nothing left. Muscles trembling, lungs burning, he stared at the shining edge of the blade. So, this was it. He closed his eyes.
Steel rang against steel.
The strike never landed.
Christian lunged from the smoke with a roar, his blade driving Thorne’s sword wide. Sparks flew as the weapons clashed, and the pirate staggered back a step, eyes darkening with sudden fury.
