“You ready?” I pat her neck.
She neighs in response, a high-pitched echo moving around us, telling me all I need to know. She is as terrified as I am.
I take a long, deep breath, looking at the edge before us. With a solid kick, my feet press into her sides, and she bounds forward.
Another loud crack rattles in the night, and I glance behind me to see the second mast splinter, falling our way. Myah’s hooves echo on the deck as she nears the edge of the boat. With only a moment left, we leap over the edge. Time seems to pause, and the screams of the storm become muffled. We crash into the darkness below, and I gulp a mouthful of water. Panic floods me, and I cough, desperately trying to catch my breath.
The ripping black water surges above my head, but I hold a firm grip on the rope. For a moment, I'm unsure which way to turn. I break the surface of the water, glancing in all directions. The current tore me from Myah, but I pull on the leather straps still in my hands.
Myah treads water near me as I shout, “This way.”
The crashing waves blind me, stinging my eyes, but I swim away from the sinking ship through the choppy water, pushing my body as hard as I can toward the rocky shore.
In the distance, the smaller ship approaches, with another one waiting nearby. A crash shakes the cliff to our right, and our ship shatters like glass against the rocky surface, the final mast tumbling into the water, barely missing us.
In the distance, I hear the shouts of people as the boat approaches, but the tumultuous waves begin to pull me down. My mind travels back to the second trial—the Serpyndens. My swimming becomes frantic as I’m desperate to leave the dark water.
“Myah!” I shout behind me. “This way, girl.”
The horse keeps swimming, struggling as her head bobs up and down with the blinding waves. As the boat nears, my nerves tighten as the size of the ship grows like the black waves. I desperately scream toward the boat, and right now, I don’t care if the enemy has found me. I need to get Myah out of this water quickly. I can deal with whatever's ahead once she’s safe.
The ship slows as it approaches.
“There she is,” Silas screams. “Fuck. She has Myah, too.”
He disappears over the edge of the ship. Instant relief floods me, knowing they are safe.
The lightning starts to diminish as the rain ceases above. My vision sharpens, and I spot Maines waving frantically from the ship's deck. As the waves begin to calm, I guide Myah toward arocky bank, no longer in fear of the jagged edges shredding us. She needs to rest almost as urgently as I do.
I cling to one of the flat rocks and push Myah to follow, ensuring I get her on solid ground first. Her strong legs find a shallow patch as she begins to push herself onto the pebbly bank. Myah immediately drops her head, taking a moment to rest, while I crawl up the rocks beside her, breathless. I lie on my back with my hand still clenched to the lead rope, and my heart feels like it’s seconds from exploding.
Silas shifts next to us on the rocky shore, but I don’t move. My chest rises and falls rapidly, and my lungs burn like a blazing fire.
“Are you okay?” He scoops me into his arms.
“I’m…fine.” I cough, the taste of salt still in my mouth.
“You did it.” He kisses me. “You fucking did it.”
I relax in his arms. “I couldn’t let you lose them both.”
He smiles, presses my body harder against his chest, and glances at the horse. Water pours off her body, but she lifts her head, as if telling him she’s okay, too.
Exhaustion weighs heavily on me. “How are we going to get Myah on the ship?” I nudge him toward the horse.
“I think we can shift her safely with a few of us. I have a few men standing by in case we need them.” He scans our surroundings. “Top commanders from Andorwood.”
My eyes shoot up to meet his, and I cough. “Andorwood?”
My chest caves in as I still try to regain my breath.
“Yes,” he responds. “Whose ship do you think this is? I told you people aren’t very welcoming in Andorwood.” He hugs me tighter, refusing to let me go. “Someone surveying the storm spotted us coming toward the cliffs and sent a ship out. Lucky for us, my army just saved our lives.”
Silas isn’t wearing his old clothes. He leans over me, dressed in black armor darker than the night around us, showing off hisperfectly muscled physique. The armor has ornate snakes on the chest. The Prince of Darkness is back in his familiar setting.
“The others are on this ship and the one in the distance—we got everyone off safely.”
He whistles into the night air, and a moment later, a few men shift to the rocky bank within seconds. Myah snorts at their abrupt arrival.
