Page 104 of The Sky Pirate's Stowaway
I wanted to follow her, I wanted to insist she go below deck and wait this fight out, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to pull her away. And I had a different mission in mind, so I rushed for the ladder again.
I raised my sword, aiming for the kraken’s arm that came crashing down on the deck right in front of me. Ropes and sails were torn apart, and part of the railing splintered and broke away.
The massive tentacle was blocking my path, so I chopped at it, but my sword didn’t do nearly enough damage. The thing was so quick, its arm was gone before I could try again.
How something so big moved so quickly, I’d never understand.
It must’ve learned its lesson.
Another arm came down, just barely missing the mainmast. Yet another tentacle crept up the side of the ship and wrapped itself around the railing. Another one curled around the mizzenmast.
Something slinked around my waist, startling me, and I screamed as I was yanked backward. Another tentacle dropped heavily onto the deck right where I’d been a second before.
Pain shot up my side from the pressure on my wound, making me cry out again. I was afraid a tentacle had gotten me, but then Moonie yelled into my ear, “It’s just me!”
I sagged against them for half a beat, then stood and yelled, “Thanks!”
They grunted and dove back into the fray without another word. They’d saved my life without a second thought.
The tentacles were blocking my pathway to the ladder again, and even more were making their way onto the ship.
Just how many legs did this thing have?
Someone screamed out in pain, and I flinched and glanced around.
Pirates were still shooting cannonballs and bullets at the thing, everyone was using anything they had—swords, knives, axes, bows—and we weren’t making any headway at all. The kraken’s legs almost seemed to be multiplying.
They were everywhere.
The sand kraken was about to have control of the ship.
My stomach dropped. I was too late. I’d waited too long to act, and now, we were all dead. I’d never make it to the engine room now.
“Ghost!” a voice yelled, and I turned, almost crying in relief when I found Max running for me.
“M-Reaper!” I yelled.
“Are you okay?” He stopped and chopped off the end of a tentacle that was in his way. “You almost got squished.”
If we weren’t in mortal danger, I’d think it was sweet that he’d been keeping an eye on me and wanted to make sure I was alright. But I had no time for any of that.
I waved him off and did my best not to bring my side injury to attention. Max had other things he needed to worry about right now… although… “I’m fine, but I need to get to the engine room. Can you help me?”
“There’s nothing we can do. The stones are dead.”
“I can help. Trust me, Reaper, I can help.”
He stared at me for a few seconds, and I could see his confusion. But I could also see his trust.
Before he could answer, he leapt forward, pushed me out of the way, and swung his sword at an incoming tentacle. It took him two swings to slice through it—much better than me, which probably meant I needed to sharpen my sword—but he moved so fast and with such strength that the tentacle didn’t stand a chance.
Greybeard shouted a war cry as he ran past us and swung an axe right into one of the kraken’s arms. The beast made a sound of distress, and I realized we were actually hurting the damn thing.Good.
I glanced around and saw several severed tentacles lying about, and every single pirate—minus Viper—was fighting this horrible monster.
Maybe… maybe we really could get out of this.
“Get me to the ladder!”
