Page 61 of Of Song and Darkness

“No one can defeat the Dark Hydra!” Morgana spat as her lip curled.

“Prove me wrong.” Kai shrugged his shoulders.

I heard the wicked smile in his voice.

Morgana threw her hand in the air, releasing what looked like black sand. A bubble appeared in a puff of smoke, taking the viewers to a different part of the ocean. I stared at the scene of the Mariana Trench. It was peaceful, calm, and without evidence that the Dark Hydra had ever littered the waters with its evil.

Morgana shook from her head to the tips of her muscled tentacles. The scream that left her lungs would have shattered windows. I threw my hands to my ears to ward off the deafening sound.

“You will die for this! An agonizing death,” Morgana threatened.

Kai stood taller, and my skin prickled with goosebumps as the two eminent, vital forces faced off. “Do your worst, witch.”

Kai used his body to press me back as Morgana dove over the railing, hurling her body into the water and disappearing beneath the glistening waves.

A swirl of inky darkness polluted the sea where she landed.

“Kai, what have you done?” My voice shook as he faced me.

“There was no delaying this. I broke our deal.” He reached up, cupping my face in his palm. “I just wish I had enough time to return you to your home before she attacks.”

Words of argument hovered on the tip of my tongue, but Morgana reappeared, breaking through the surface, and snatched them from my mouth. The world ground to a halt as Morgana transformed into a monstrous figure, ballooning to ten times her original size. Her eyes emitted an eerie, piercing shade of purple, locking onto Kai and me. The ship, at the mercy of her slightest movements in the water, pitched and lurched as though caught in a fierce maelstrom.

“She’s a kraken.” The words of disbelief barely left my lips before Kai shoved me out of the way as a massive tentacle came crashing down.

My body protested loudly as it collided with the deck, barely missing the sea witch’s fatal blow. My deck, however, was not as lucky. The boards made of the bones of the leviathan cracked under the force.

I was on my feet in seconds, pulling Rhea along behind me as I went for the helm.

“I’ll visit worse than death on you for damaging my ship!” I thundered, gripping the wheel in my sweaty palms. “Beat to quarters! Fighting trim! Clew up the main!”

The men scattered, each moving in perfect rhythm to the beat of my commands. Ropes strung through the air, and the sails shifted.

“Harpooners, tie off the darts! Run out the long spears!” I shifted at the helm, and the crew’s eyes glistened with a hint of fear and excitement. This was what we lived for. The exhilaration of the chase hummed within me like a fine tune. I wouldn’t feel guilty for this sea creature’s death. The sea witch was anything but innocent. She wanted Rhea dead. Therefore I would use my last ragged breath ensuring that I sent her to Davy Jones’s locker—or I’d die trying.

I glanced back at Rhea, half expecting to see her quaking in fear. My thunderous heart skidded to a halt when I saw she was no longer behind me. I gripped the wheel until my knuckles blanched white. A flash of auburn caught my attention below, and I breathed a sigh of relief as she dashed across the deck, helping the men prepare the cannons. Pride bubbled in my chest, and I had to shove aside the smirk that tugged at my lips. I shook my head, momentarily breaking the ever-present trance I seemed to be under whenever Rhea was around.

“Heave way!” I bellowed as another tentacle flew through the air, aiming for our main mast. The Wraith was swift, gliding through the water with haunting speed. A massive wave formed beneath the sea witch’s arm as it crashed into the water, missing its mark.

“Brace!” Cael yelled as the wave hit us hard, tossing the men about like dice in a gambler’s hand. Several of my men gripped Rhea, helping her stay upright. Siren or not, she was now a part of this crew, and my men aimed to prove that.

“Gunners! Make ready! Hit her with plenty of fire and load the carcass shots!” My voice carried swiftly on the wind as the men loaded the cannons with a unique concoction meant to rip holes through the worst of beasts. “Fire!”

The ship jolted beneath our feet as the cannons exploded in unison. Our aim was dead to right, but they barely put a dent in the monstrosity that swarmed in the water. She roared, spewing a heavy rain of seawater across the deck, drenching us all.

“The ocean has sent us its worst, and we’re going to send it right back!” I boomed. “Ready the spears!” All eyes turned to me when the weapon was ready. “Fire!”

Massive spears with ropes tied off at the ends thrust forth from the ship’s broadside, sinking deep into the sea witch’s hide. She screeched, ducking beneath the water in an attempt to flee.

Rhea bounded up the stairs, eyes wide. I grabbed her and pulled her in front of me, wedging her body between mine and the wheel. The ship jarred and moaned in protest as the sea witch took off, taking us for a rough ride through the water.

“We’ve got her hooked. Now we’ll wear her down,” I whispered in Rhea’s ear, enticing a twinkle of excitement in her eyes, even amidst the face of danger.

“Full sail!” I roared over the wail of the wind. “We’ll make her fight the very wind until she has no more fight left in her.”

The sail snapped into place, forcing the sea witch to slow her breakneck speed. I pulled Rhea tighter to my chest as the sea witch fought against our hold, lurching the ship forward. “Not so fun when your prey fights back, is it, witch?”

A shot of agony snaked through my chest, causing me to grit my teeth. The pain was so great it had the potential to bring me to my knees, but I refused to yield to it. Rhea turned in my arms, somehow sensing my hurt. Her gaze swiftly fixed on my bare chest, exposed as the wind violently ripped open my shirt. Her face flooded with concern, and I didn’t have to look down to know that Dark Water was mere inches from my heart. Swallowing concern for myself, I instead focused on the imminent threat. I would see this sea witch in hell before I died. I refused to leave my crew and Rhea to face her alone.

---