Page 41 of Whispers and Warriors
Liam met her gaze, his blue eyes filled with a mixture of determination and concern. “We’ll find North, Emma. Expert navigator, remember? But we need to hug the coast, or we’ll risk worse timing than we already have. We’re probably going to arrive a day later than planned as it is.”
Emma nodded, her heart sinking at the thought of the delays they’d already faced. Every moment they spent on the water felt like a gamble, a dangerous roll of the dice in a world where the odds were never in their favor.
She couldn’t tell the difference between the rain and the water from the ocean, but she knew if they didn’t warm up soon, they’d catch something.
The rhythmic paddling of the oars filled the air, a steady drumbeat that seemed to echo the pounding of Emma’s heart. In the distance, the sounds of the ship they’d left behind grew fainter, a haunting melody that spoke of the horrors they’d narrowly escaped.
Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on anything but the vast expanse and the worry the ship would just come run them over. Fear coiled in her gut, a serpent that threatened to suffocate her with its poisonous whispers. What if they never found the sanctuary they sought? What if the world beyond the waves proved even more treacherous than the one they’d left behind?
But even as the doubts assailed her, Emma clung to the fragile thread of hope that had sustained her through so many trials. She thought of the love she shared with her men, the unbreakable bond that had been forged in the crucible of this shattered world. Together, they had faced down death and despair, had carved out a life amidst the ruins of civilization. Surely, that love could guide them through whatever storms lay ahead.
As the boat rocked gently beneath her, Emma allowed herself to imagine a future beyond the endless struggle for survival. A future where they could build a home, a family, a life together. It was a dream that seemed impossibly distant, a mirage shimmering on the horizon of a world gone mad. But it was a dream worth fighting for, worth risking everything to achieve.
Emma opened her eyes, her gaze drifting over the faces of her companions. In their eyes, she saw the same fierce determination that burned within her own heart. They were warriors, survivors, bound together by a love that defied the very laws of this broken world. And as long as they had each other, Emma knew that no force on earth could stand against them.
The pale lightof dawn seeped through the thick veil of clouds, casting a ghostly glow over the endless expanse of water. The rain stopped, but the weather was barely any better. William blinked away the tendrils of sleep clawing at him, his eyes gritty and his mind foggy from the long hours of paddling. He straightened his aching back, wincing as his muscles protested the movement.
With the exception of Chris, the others slept, leaving him and Chris to row. He wondered if he looked like this Chris, his face faces drawn and haggard in the rising light. They had been rowing for hours, driven by a desperate urgency to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the ship they had left behind. But the toll of their escape was etched in every line of their bodies, in the dark shadows beneath their eyes.
They’d left in the middle of the night and had not made it to where they needed to be, but had pulled into a few docks to check. It was nearly thirty-six hours from when they fled, and William knew they were all growing tired and hungry in the small boat.
William’s stomach growled, a hollow reminder of the hunger that gnawed at his insides. He reached for their meager supplies, hoping to find something to quell the ache, but his hand came away empty. A quick inventory revealed the grim truth, they were running low on food and water because they’d only taken enough for a small time so not to overload the lifeboat.
“We need to ration what we have left,” he said, his voice rough with thirst and exhaustion. “Make it last as long as possible.”
Chris nodded, his jaw tight with worry. “We’ll take turns eating and drinking. Conserve our strength.”
William looked away, his gaze drawn to the horizon. The vast expanse of the ocean stretched out before them, a seemingly endless barrier between them and their destination. A flicker of doubt tapped him on the shoulder, a cold whisper of fear that they might never reach the sanctuary they sought.
But he pushed the thought away, refusing to give in to despair. They had come too far, suffered too much, to let his resolve waver now. He thought of Emma, of the love that bound her with all of them, and felt a surge of determination. They would make it, somehow. They had to.
As the boat surged forward, propelled by the relentless rhythm of their paddling, William fixed his eyes on the horizon and willed the currents to carry them to safety. The sun climbed higher in the sky, its light filtering through the clouds in pale shafts that danced across the water. And with each passing hour, the distant shore drew ever closer, a tantalizing promise of hope in a world gone mad.
Everything he’d done since answering Emma’s radio call was either the biggest mistake of his life, or the greatest adventure. Looking at her, asleep and curled against Liam and Alex, he had to believe it was the latter because he refused to ever think of her as anything other than their world.
William squinted against the glare of the sun, his eyes straining to make out the shapes on the horizon. At first, he thought it was just a trick of the light, a mirage conjured by his exhausted mind. But as the boat drew closer, the shapes resolved into the unmistakable outlines of a dock and a ship.
His heart leaped in his chest, a sudden surge of hope that left him breathless. “Chris,” he croaked, his voice hoarse with disbelief. “I think I see it. The ship we’re looking for.”
Chris looked up, his eyes narrowing as he followed William’s gaze. “Are you sure?”
William nodded, his hands trembling as he pointed toward the distant shore. “Look, there’s the dock. And the ship... it has the right name on the side. It’s really there.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke, as if they were afraid to believe it. Then Chris stood up, his voice ringing out. “He’s right. That’s our ticket out of here. Liam! Bash! Alex! Get your damn asses up and look at that ship.”
All three men opened their eyes, more than used to having to rise and be with it quickly.
“What?” Liam cracked his neck, carefully moving Emma so she lay only on the bench.
“Emma,” William whispered, his heart thumping like a jack rabbit with his excitement. “Emma, we’re almost there.”
She stirred while Chris and Liam continued to talk, her lips slightly too blue for his liking, but smiling just the same.
“Help me out. That ship, you read the name?”
“Holy, shit!” Liam damn near tipped the boat as he jumped. “Horizon’s Edge. No fucking way. Just over a day and we’re here? We were already late, but she’s still sitting there?”
A sudden, collective cheer erupted from the others, their voices mingling in a chorus of relief and pure joy.
