When the rope was secure we set to the rigging, lowering the sails as the sky darkened with each passing minute. My focus stayed locked onthe tasks Antoni set me to, but each flash of bright lightning that lit the sky had me jumping in fright. The howling of the wind grew to be so loud, I could hardly hear the man over the chaos as the waves grew to monstrous heights, crashing across the deck in icy blasts.
I was sure bruises would litter my body tomorrow as the frigid water smashed me against the masts, the siding, the floor—any surface that my body could hit.
It wasn’t long before a bucket was in my hand and we were bailing water overboard, a feat that seemed never ending as my limbs grew heavy and the cold locked my muscles, my bones aching. I was sure I’d have frozen ten times over if it wasn’t for the adrenaline pumping wildly through my heart. My eyes burned against the slashing of the freezing water, hardly able to see a foot in front of me as the rain and sea water melded into one.
My throat burned as I let out a curse, my body slamming against the siding as we rode yet another turbulent wave. The ship cut down across the swell at an angle, my body slipping on the wood of the frozen deck and stumbling. Yet still the pain was little compared to the fear.
Lightning flashed once more, cutting through the water all around, as my eyes landed on Kairen. He was holding Rena tightly, shaking her as her head lolled back.
The sky went dark as my heart plummeted to the sea below. I moved quickly, as quickly as I could as my body flung to and fro with the chaos.
A flash. Lightning again.
A wave hit from behind, wiping my feet from under me, tearing across the deck. The rope cut and tore into me, but still it held—kept me from being swept overboard and lost to the vengeful sea. I glanced up once more as lightning hit again, just in time to see the flash of gold as thePrince went overboard. Rena laid still upon the deck floor, eyes lolled back into her head.
Bile rose in my throat as I crawled, clawing my way to the Healer.Please, no. Please.
The shadows circled in my mind, vultures waiting to dive upon me and rip apart the remaining shreds of my sanity.
Golden gaze, golden crown.
Do not wear such a pretty frown.
A dead Soliel is the only good Soliel.
Do you think gold can float, little shadow?
Or shall it sink and sink and sink down to the dark depths below?
How fitting that a Prince of Sun and Flame should meet his end in the darkness of the Moon Goddesses waters.
“Roan!”
My scream was lost to the wind, rain, and horrid waves. Not even I could hear my own voice, but he was water-blessed, a man born to the sea.
“Roan, Kairen went overboard with the wave.”
The storm was so loud now I thought I might never be able to hear again after it passed.
My eyes searched desperately and as lightning arced through the sky once more, I caught the white hair that streaked across the deck, my attention fixing to where his hands tore at the rope tied to his waist. My breath caught, panic gripping me and as my scream met the howling wind, Roan Delmar dove overboard.
Chapter Thirty Five
“No!”
Panic. The thump of my heart, I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.
The storm was everywhere and suddenly I was at the siding of the ship, my gaze searching and searching. Frozen gloved fingers clawing at the rope tight around my waist.
Where is he?
Strong arms wrapped around me from behind, lips close to my ear.
“Get a hold of yourself!”
My struggles were fruitless, the arms a banding of steel holding me back.
One. A breath.
