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I snapped back to the present as the ship smacked into a swell. I had to clear my head so I could focus on the open ocean in front of me. The waters were rough, and the winds weren’t in our favor. I couldn’t keep zoning out like that.
We were still two days at least from Puerto Rico, and maybe longer if we couldn’t speed up. I needed Katrina back at the stern, propelling us forward with her power. I knew she was pissed off at me for locking her mom’s door. But she’d have to swallow her pride and move past it, because from what I’d calculated in my lonely time at the wheel, in the time it was taking us, Milo had already been trapped in his time for almost a year.
I asked Noah to take the wheel for me as I hurried down to find Katrina. She was just leaving her mom’s room, and the look on her face told me all that I needed to know.
“Don’t be mad,” I leaned on the wall in the tiny, cramped aisle way of the ship. “You’d think by now you’d come to expect this sort of thing from a pirate.”
“You could have at least told me the truth when I asked you.”
“I said she was in her room, didn’t I? Omitting part of the truth isn’t lying, lass. Not in this world. It’s not all black and white. Sometimes it’s the gray that saves your ass.”
With a roll of her eyes, she turned to go, but I jumped in front of her to block her exit. “Did you forget you have a post on my ship?” I smirked.
“Okay now you’re just being annoying,” she scoffed.
“Am I?” I tilted my head. “Or am I just trying to help you get back your dear beloved? You’re all rested up now, so I need you back there doing your magic water thing.”
With a groan, she crossed her arms, accepting defeat. “I’m still mad at you for the time being.”
“Good.” I patted her on the shoulder as she slid past me. “Use that to fuel your energy.”
Just seconds later I felt a violent jolt forward in the boat that knocked me off my feet, probably meant for me. I smiled, picking myself up off the floor. Now we were moving.
17
La Fuente
Bellamy
There she was. Puerto Rico. I remembered it as a wild coast of new discovery and lush beaches, but now it was infiltrated with sky-high buildings and resorts lining the shores. I asked Noah to take the wheel for a minute while I went to my room to prepare.
Walking over to the bedside table in my room, I opened the drawer and looked down. A loaded handgun rested there, nestled in an otherwise empty drawer. I’d noticed it here when we first boarded, but kept it to myself. But I certainly wasn’t about to leave it behind when we were about to face Bastian. I picked it up, feeling its weight as I ran my thumb along the barrel. Not quite the same as the pistols I was used to using, but maybe that was a good thing. I tucked it away hidden in my belt beneath my shirt and turned to go back up on deck.
Before long, we reached the port of San Juan. The grand fort jutted out from the mainland, towering just as formidably as it did centuries ago. I moored our ship a half mile from shore, where we were least likely to be noticed. We didn’t have time to sail around to the bay harbor and trek all the way back to the location of the coordinates. If they were correct, it wasn’t far from the coast.
I called for Noah to drop anchor and help get the dinghy in the water. McKenzie and Katrina joined, untying ropes and securing our things on board. Grace followed in tow behind Katrina, still looking like a nervous wreck.
“So who’s staying behind this time?” I propped an elbow on the hull.
“We’re all coming,” I couldn’t believe my ears. I straightened to glance up at Katrina’s mother, who had spoken. I waited for a response from Katrina as she swayed next to her.
“I won’t leave her here alone. And it’s not fair for McKenzie to stay on this boat any longer.”
“Then one of you stay with her.” I gestured to both Katrina and Noah.
Noah met me with a dead stare. “You think I want to be responsible if Katrina’s mom jumps overboard and swims off like a fish? Absolutely not what I signed up for. You want me to trek through the jungle? Fine. Fight a horde of pirates? Sure. Steal an ancient relic from this pirate king guy? I’m there. But I’m not staying here alone with her.”
“She’ll stay with McKenzie and Noah on the mainland. It’s just safer for her to be there than being on a ship surrounded by water on all sides. There’s less...temptation...if her siren side comes back.” Katrina explained, her mom nodding in agreement. “You and I will look for Bastian and if we need their help, then...then we’ll deal with it then.”
I clenched my jaw and rubbed the back of my neck. I didn’t like this idea one damn bit. “I’d argue with you if I thought we had time,” I groaned. “But where Milo is won’t wait for us. Get in the boat.”
“The dinghy only seats 4,” Noah pressed his lips together.
“Of course it does,” I smiled mockingly, “Then you four meet me ashore.”
My eyes shifted to a jet ski that sat covered on the deck near the bow. Without another word I marched to it and tore away the tarp over it. Controlling the lever to direct the pulley it was attached to over the edge.
As it lowered into the water, I ignored the stares of everyone else. Sure, it would’ve made more sense for Katrina to just swim there, but I wasn’t giving anyone else the option. I needed this for me, just a minute away from everyone to collect my thoughts. And to be honest, I just wanted a reason to do something fun for once. I was tired of the pressure.
