Page 23 of The Twisted Throne

James didn’t fight her when she adjusted course. The strongmuscles of his body strained to keep the ship from fleeing the onslaught, his ragged breath hot against her temple. Thunder roared overhead, lightning illuminating the whitecapped seas all around them.

Boom!

“The Amaridian ship on our tail was hit!” someone shouted. “It’s sinking!”

One down.

Ahnna clenched her teeth, debating whether to hold the course. Her instincts screamed to stand strong, but below, she could see that the crew was floundering with the incessant deluge of rain and sea. With the other ships having sailed farther south, she could chance giving the crew some respite. “We’ll ease southeast!” she shouted. “Then tack north when we reach the edge of the storm.”

The stubble on James’s chin brushed her temple as he nodded, and inch by painful inch, Ahnna eased the wheel around, screaming orders to the crew to adjust the sails. Mouths moved as her orders were relayed, sailors struggling across the decks to obey.

Crack!

Ahnna’s eyes snapped up to the rigging in time to see a piece of sail go flying into the darkness, lines swinging and pieces of rigging falling.

“Get down!” James let go of the wheel to pull on her shoulders, but Ahnna held on, knowing that if she lost control of the ship, it would break apart when she tried to force it back on course.

A line swung toward her, a piece of broken timber twisted around it. Ahnna leaned sideways, feeling it pass her ear—

Right as a wave swamped the deck, taking her feet out from under her.

Ahnna slid down the tilted deck, clawing at the wood forpurchase. She screamed as she hit the railing, her body toppling overboard.

Only for her fingers to close around the rail.

Terror flooded her veins as her eyes fixed on the sea below her feet, for if she fell in, there would be no surviving.

“Ahnna!”

James’s voice reached over the wind.

“Hold the course!” she screamed. “Hold it!”

Because if he didn’t, they’d all be lost.

The ship steadied, groaning as though it felt the pain of the damage the storm had inflicted, but it did not swing farther south.

A wave rolled over the deck, slamming into her, but Ahnna clung fast to the railing. Choking on seawater, she slung a leg over the edge, hooking her booted ankle against the wood even as she was struck again and again.

She was desperate for air, but the sea gave her no respite, seemingly intent on drowning everyone aboard if it could not sink them.

Hold on!she silently screamed.Get over the rail!

As she tried to pull herself over, the ship jerked, and her ankle slipped. Another shriek tore from her lips as she fell, dangling from one hand, the waves kissing the bottoms of her boots. Begging her to let go and allow the Tempest Seas to claim her.

Not yet,she told the sea even as her fingers slipped.I’m not ready.

A callused hand closed around her wrist.

“I got you,” Jor shouted. “Pull!”

Ahnna heaved, toppling over the railing to land in a heap. Coughing, she fought to get air in her lungs as another wave struck.

But the storm’s ferocity was easing.

As she blinked salt from her eyes, it was to find James still at the helm, Taryn guiding him on the course.

Toward a horizon that gleamed with stars.

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