Page 45 of Voice of the Ocean

Raiden joined them and was halfway across the plank before a member of the other crew disentangled himself from the battle and saw him. The two made eye contact, and Celeste could swear recognition dawned in the crew member’s eyes. Panicked, the man ran to the plank and pushed. Raiden leaped backward as the plank gave a great lurch. As the crew member pushed again, Raiden heaved a great sigh, turned, and sprinted back toward theRed Revenge, leaping just as the plank slipped from the cargo ship’s railing and fell into the water below. Raiden hit the deck, rolling to avoid the impact. Beside him he saw Celeste, who alternated between sticking her head over the railing to watch the action and ducking to avoid stray bullets.

“You,” Raiden said, peeling himself off the ground and getting to his feet. He leaped upon the railing of the ship, pulling a rope into his hand. After a tug to make sure it was secure, he extended a hand toward her. “Come with me. Unless you have something better to do than help your crew.”

It was the first time he had spoken to her all day. She scowled and looked at his hand. But thankfully she did not recoil. With a steadying breath, Celeste took his hand and allowed him to hoist her onto the banister beside him. Raiden wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her tightly into his chest. The feeling wasn’t pleasant, but she did not tremble as she had before. Perhaps these days at sea had helped somewhat. Even the bruises had begun to fade.

“Hold on tight,” he said, and Celeste begrudgingly wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt utterly ridiculous being carried into battle by ahuman man. The fabric of her dress, a light blue one she had borrowed from her room, flapped like a sail in the breeze.

“Jump,” he said.

And together, they leaped.

The rope creaked as the two went careening through the air. If it weren’t for Raiden’s arms around her, she would have enjoyed the feeling. They passed over the gap between the two ships in an arc. But as they neared the farthest point the rope would reach, Celeste realized with a lurch that it was still shy of the other ship’s deck.

“Jump!” he shouted.

There is nothing to jump off!She wanted to scream at him.

Raiden let go of the rope. He wrapped his now free arm around her as their bodies continued to move, sailing through the air toward the banister of the cargo ship. Celeste pulled her arms away from Raiden’s neck, reaching them toward the ship as she fell. They wouldn’t make it. They weren’t close enough.

But at least I know how to swim.

Their bodies smacked against the side of the ship, but they didn’t fall. Dazed, Celeste blinked up into the smiling face of Nasir. The tree of a man towered over them, holding Raiden by the back of his coat. Celeste let out a sigh of relief.

“I got us over here in one piece, didn’t I?” Raiden grinned.

As the words left his lips, a sword raised over Nasir’s shoulder. Celeste sucked in a breath, but before she could cry out, a familiar axe came sailing into view.

“You get away from my husband, ya lobcock!”

It hit its target handle first, sending the man and his sword stumbling backward. With one swift movement, Nasir hoisted Celeste and Raiden over the side of the ship, depositing them on the floor. He turned, pulling his cutlass from his hip, to join his husband. Together, the two made quick work of the man and his sword.

Celeste got to her feet. The clanging of metal rang out around her as swords collided again and again. It was barbaric. It was violent. It was—exciting. Unlike the last skirmish Celeste had found herself in, this seemed much more an even fight. Although the reason for their fight still remained a mystery.

“Look out!” Oakes cried from behind. Celeste unsheathed her sword and turned just in time. Her blade collided with another, interrupting a blow aimed for her back. She grinned. This sword was very different from her spear... but at leastsomethings remained the same.

“Aren’t you pretty.” The man’s one beady eye roamed her body while the other remained hidden beneath a black patch. When he grinned, he bared rotting teeth, one of which was missing.

Celeste grunted and thrust the sword toward his heart. He knocked it out of the way.

“Why are all the pretty ones so angry?” He laughed.

Sailors like him were why she suspected many women weren’t on ships. She swung her sword again, aiming for his neck, letting all her anger and pain roar to life within her.

He blocked it, but barely. The smile slid off his face, and he lunged. She tried to block, but the handle of the blade was strange in her hand. The sword flew from her hands. She tried to run after it but stopped when a blade touched her throat.

“Maybe I’ll keep you as a pet,” he said, his rancid breath hot against her face.

Celeste grimaced and kicked. She intended to hurt him, even throw him off-balance. What she hadn’t expected was for him to double over, crying in pain and holding his crotch in his hands. Humans, apparently, had a weak spot.

Retrieving her sword, Celeste found Raiden before her. The wind tousled his dark hair and played with his billowing white shirt. He looked every inch the fearsome prince.

“You make a better pirate than I thought,” he said.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

Pirate.

A pirate?

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