Page 62 of High Seas

“What’s her name?” I asked Enoch, who furrowed his brows at my question. “Your ship,” I clarified. “What’s her name?”

He swallowed, then answered, “Eve’s Curse.”

My brows ticked up as Titus snickered beside me. “That’s a name that would strike fear in the hearts of most men,” he chuckled, earning an elbow from me.

“Ouch,” he grumped, rubbing his rib.

“You deserved it.”

“Climb to the crow’s nest and stay there, Abram,” Enoch ordered. Abram, a distraught puppet who loathed the man working his strings, cursed but followed his command.

Titus ticked his head toward Enoch. “You have one minute.” He started to climb a few feet below Abram.

Terah joined Asa and bounced on the balls of her heels as she watched her hunter climb, while Asa was fixated on Abram. Asa would kill Abram if he could catch him alone. Without Enoch to stop him, he would kill us all.

Enoch pulled me close. “In America… I will find you. When you land, find Kael Frost and do whatever it takes to persuade him to help you.”

I nodded, unable to speak.

“I will find you,” he repeated. “Even if I have to send an army to save you.”

He would. He’d already sent a messenger. I just didn’t understand it at the time. The vamp in the loading dock was sent to tell me he was coming for me. And I’d killed him, even though Enoch had told him I wouldn’t hurt him. Guilt settled heavy on my chest. “I know you will.”

Abram and Titus waited above in the crow’s nest, their tech suits flaring brightly. Titus examined his hand tech and waved me up. “Time to go!” he shouted.

Enoch’s teeth ground together.

“I’ll wait for you,” I told Enoch, pulling away from him.

As I climbed the rope netting that lined the mast, the wind whipped back and forth. Titus gave me his hand near the top as my muscles weakened. I just hoped I could survive the jump home.

“You ready?” he asked, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

I looked at Enoch below. “No, but we have to do this.”

Titus nodded and shouted down to Enoch, “Tell him to climb onto the edge and lock arms with me.”

Enoch gave the order and Abram, Titus, and I climbed onto the thick edge lining the crow’s nest together, the wood cutting into the middle of our feet as we tried to keep our knees soft and our weight balanced. The ship bobbed beneath us as the three Nephilim watched expectantly.

“Tell him to jump!” Titus yelled.

Enoch hesitated.

“Enoch—tell him to—”

“Abram… Jump!” Enoch finally shouted.

Titus and I jumped with him, our arms locked at the elbows in a human chain. I kept my eyes on Enoch as we fell faster and faster. A scream tore from my throat as our suits flared with the force of our momentum, and just before we slammed into the deck, everything went black.

Chapter Eighteen

Enoch

Asa rubbed his hands together excitedly. “So, where are we going?”

“Going?” I asked.

“Yes. There’s clearly not enough food on the island, and I wish to see more of the world.”

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