Trap.This was a trap.
The attackingScylla’sshield finally cracked with a deafeningrip. The elven mages below deck wasted no time firing cannonballs into the side of the ship.
The elven captain of theCenturionturned his attention to the three approaching ships closing in, forcing us to stand and fight or attempt to flee.
“Port cannons!” he called to the mages below deck.
Flames erupted from the sails on theScyllaas the elves peppered them with blazing arrows. The pirates scrambled to put out the fires as the ship slowly retreated from us.
Attention turned to the three approaching ships as they rocked their own cannons at us, but Carina’s shield held, unwavering.
Astraeus’s ship, theHydra, cut across the path ahead of us as the remaining two Marisarma ships approached from the right, forcing us to sail directly to the coast of the Death Dunes. Carinajerked her head to the side as the crew of theScyllashouted their pleas and dove overboard as flames engulfed the ship. Screams echoed over the water as she flung a hand behind her and sent a current of lilac-scented wind to the shatteringScylla.
Her wind snaked around the crumbling ship and snatched up the main mast as it snapped. The blazing mast and sails soared through the air and crashed into the Marisarma ship nearest us. TheCetus’sshield shuttered before a following blast of cannons ripped through it.
Nerissa glanced at her cousin. Carina’s wind slammed more flaming debris at the defenseless ship. The second Marisarma ship went up in flames.
Two down.
Ahead of us, theHydraturned sharply, angling its bowsprit at us.
“What in gods’ names—” Ronan yelled, motioning to the monstrous figurehead of theHydra.
The jaws of one of theHydra’sscaled, serpent-like beasts opened, and a wide, iron tube extended from its throat.
“Get down!” Vulcan screamed as a glowing red cannonball soared toward our ship.
Carina flew backward, body cracking against the main mast as the strange cannonball ripped through her magic, shattering her shield as it smashed through the chest of Queen Antares’s figurehead and into the hull. A blast of icy cold air filled the space left behind by the shield as chaos erupted.
TheHydraandKrakenflanked us. Their crews readied grappling hooks as they neared our ship through icy waves, their eyes dancing with wild murder. Kresida paced like a wolf behind the front line of elves, flipping her blade between her hands, eager for bloodshed. Nerissa and Ronan rushed to the starboard side, positioning themselves beside her.
Flaming arrows hit our sails, and I ran to the stairs, shouting for Vienah. She sprinted with me above deck, where she sent small streams of water into our blazing sails. A mast cracked overhead as fire ripped through it. I spied Carina’s body through the chaos and scooted past the soldiers running about.
Carina was pale. I lifted her head and slapped her cheek to wake her.
“Get up, Carina,” I urged, still reeling at the display of magic she’d shown. It came close to her mother’s. Amystic…
Carina groaned.
“Get up,” I yelled, shaking her shoulders.
Another crack overhead, this time from directly above. My heart thundered in panic, and I gripped her under the arms and heaved. My boots slipped on the deck, slick from the water Vienah desperately spread throughout the sails.
I scrambled, lifting Carina by the torso and throwing us both to the side as the crow’s nest crashed down in flames. I slid Carina against a stack of crates before Vulcan’s shout drew my attention back to the fight.
He signaled to Aquila, picking off the remaining soldiers clinging to floating debris from the destroyed ships. Aquila banked, angling toward us when he let out a panicked shriek of warning.
A spine-tingling bay sounded from deep beneath the waves as grappling hooks flew from both sides of the ship. Soldiers from the two remaining Marisarma ships boarded ours as their lethal-looking hooks latched onto the ledge and remaining masts. Only two, I realized, as our Lotrennian ship began to shatter.
The metallic scent of blood filled the air as battle broke out on board theCenturion, hurling me back to those horrendous hours in Odessa. Adrenaline, driven by self-preservation, curbed the dread, and I unsheathed two blades, ready to launch intoan attack, not trusting the small bit of aim I’d gained with the Obscura power. Too many lives here… I shook my head. I wouldn’t let this be Odessa.
I launched into the chaos as that deep baying groaned once more, this time closer. I reached Vienah, ready to guard her back as she put out the flames, when the milky white jaws of a massive sea beast yawned out of the dark sea. They closed around theCenturion’shull, sending elves screaming.
My jaw dropped at the monstrosity emerging from the depths, but as I prepared to summon my own darkness, I was in Lotrennia.
