Page 30 of Children of Anguish and Anarchy

“Hurry!” Inan’s amber eyes grow wide. I feel the heat of the Skull’s glowing axe. I reach Inan’s chained hands and turn as the Skull’s blade barrels down.

“Now!” Inan orders. I dive to the side. The Skull’s axe strikes through Inan’s chains. His glowing axe cuts my brother free.

Inan leaps from his cage, driving his elbow into the Skull’s temple. His attack catches the Skull off guard. But before he can strike again, a giant wave rams into the ship’s side.

With a violent lurch, the entire floor tilts. Our feet fly out from under us. The Skull crashes into the wall, and his axe drops to the floor. The Skull’s frame begins to shrink as seawater slides over his axe’s tarnished brass.

I lunge for the hilt, but the glowing metal burns my hands. Tendrils of smoke rise from my palms.

It’s as if the weapon is bonded to its owner.

“Don’t touch it!” Inan tries to warn me. He goes for the axe instead. But before he can try to pick it up, the Skull clubs him over the head.

“Inan!” I cry out as my brother falls to the floor. I try to reach for him, but the Skull doesn’t give me the chance. His meaty palm grabs me by the hair. Another wraps around my neck. The Skull lifts me up, squeezing the air from my lungs.

My eyes sting as I fight for breath. I kick. I thrash. I claw. But no matter what I do, I can’t break free. My throat burns as death wraps around me.

Not like this, I think to myself.Not when we’re so close.

That’s when I see it—the animal-skin pouch with a rope strapped to the Skull’s belt.

I think back to the Skull who attacked Nâo’s cell. When he pulled the rope, flames erupted in a single breath. If Kenyon hadn’t stopped him, the bomb would have gone off. It would have blown through our cell.

As white spots fill my vision, I don’t give myself time to think. With the last of my strength, I reach down, ripping the rope free.

“Nei!” the Skull roars at my attack. Sparks start to fly. Flames erupt down the rope. The Skull drops me, reaching for the bomb.

Inan rises from the water. With an unsteady start, he shoves the Skull forward. The warrior falls into Inan’s open cage. Inan works fast, using the right key to lock the man inside.

“Hurry!” I say.

Inan grabs my arm. A burning scent fills the hold. My heartbeat spikes as we run up the stairs.

We push to make it to the deck before the bomb ignites.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

TZAIN

HOLDINGZÉLIE IN MYarms, I don’t ever want to let go. For an instant, the ship fades away. The fallen Skulls and freed ryders vanish into thin air.

I feel every time my sister’s been ripped away from me. Every time I thought I would never see her again. When she ran after Mama. When she was tortured by King Saran. When she disappeared in the caves of Ibadan, forced to survive the toxic clouds of gas.

Never again.My body shakes with the words I hold back.No more mistakes. Whatever it takes to keep her safe.

“You’rehere,” Zélie finally whispers. Her soft words bring me back. Outside the ship, the storm rages around us. The cries of the fighting maji travel through the ryder pen.

Zélie’s hot tears spill onto my neck, and I tighten my grip.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I whisper back. “I promise.”

Behind us, Nailah roars. Despite everything, I smile. I reach through the cage and lay my hand on her golden head. I never thought I’d see our lionaire again.

A crude muzzle is tied around her snout. Patches of fur have withered away where her body meets the bars. Her rib cage protrudes from her skin. She looks like she’s suffered just as much as we have.

“Can you break her out?” Zélie asks. I glance back at the foreign axe.I think of the way its power surged through me before. All the Skulls I cut out of my path.

A part of me doesn’t ever want to feel what I feel when I grab on to its hilt. But its power is the only reason I got to Zélie in time. It’s the only thing that will keep her safe.

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