This time, Cameron’s body did react to whatever was out there. Her wings sprang from her back and unfurled. Iridescent in the faint light, they appeared to breathe. Pushing herself to her feet, she turned around, slowly, looking for the threat, and half expecting said threat to come at them through the very boards of the ship. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time such a thing had happened.
Indeed, threats such as that had become rather common for them since the gate had fallen.
But there was nothing evident.
The ship quieted and righted itself with an eeriness that was even more frightening than that unexpected attack.
Still, something was here. Creeping through the shadows and air. Every part of her being felt an insidious chill that defied explanation. It skipped up her spine and caused the hairs on her neck to stand up.
The silence was deafening. Listless. Wandering.
Whispering.
Whatever had come aboard was searching for them.…
Slithering and seeking.
Kalder lifted his head and tensed as he felt a presence he hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
Nay… can’t be.
Those have been dispatched. None should be left anywhere in this realm.
You’re dreaming. Imagining things…
He met Cameron’s wary gaze, then Bart’s. “Keep them here.” He turned his attention to his old friend. “Tally… guard them with your life.” He had to go and check to see if he were correct with his assumption. To see if his gut were lying.
His heart hammering while they straightened themselves, Kalder wrenched open the door and ran for the deck, where he prayed he was wrong about the premonitions torturing him. But with every step, he was more and more certain that hell had frozen over, and that his nightmare was reality.
Shite…
Outside, the smell of the acid and sulphur was unmistakable. It hung in his throat and burned on his tongue.
The sea around the ship appeared to boil. This was a specific kind of attack that his brother had once led for his father against ancient navies. One from which their enemies had never survived.
They couldn’t.
Suddenly, Mara appeared as an apparition on the deck beside him. “What are those, Mr. Dupree? Why can’t I outrun them?”
Because those creatures weren’t fed by the wind or sails.
They ran on the emotions of the crew they frightened. Negative emotions such as fear, dread, even anger made them stronger. Faster.
Invincible.
“In short, my lady, utter destruction.”
There was a reason why his father had dubbed them “Dread Waters.” It was how they functioned and what made them work.
What made them lethal.
And right now, those Dread Waters began to percolate and dance harder against their hull. Higher. A rhythmic, hypnotizing beat. He could hear them in his head like a second heartbeat that caused his own to synch up to it. Louder and more demanding. They struck against the ship more insistently, causing Mara to solidify and stumble on deck beside him.
Devyl materialized out of thin air to catch her in his arms before she fell. He cast a furious glower to Kalder that said he knew exactly who and what they were facing, and that he was no more thrilled by the threat than Kalder was.
“Mr. Death!” he shouted. “Ready the mages! Strixa, if you’re hungry, lass, I won’t stop your buffet.”
A happy screech sounded, quickly followed by the blurred sight of their resident water witch in the form of a black owl taking flight so that she could attack this newest threat. It wasn’t often Bane allowed her to feed unimpeded.
