Teeth clenched, Rónánhauled her up.
Wind moaned as she lay against the deck, gasping for breath. “Thank God, for a moment…” Against the pain she struggled to her feet, kept her balance, refusing to further ponder her fate. “There is a huge slice in the bow!”
“And a large chunk missing in the stern.” Rónán frowned.“Can you walk?”
“Aye.”
“Help me shove the raft over the side before the ship sinks.”
As they fought their way across the deck, another huge, white-tipped swellrammed the cog.
Lathir lurched forward.
Rónánsteadied her, then holding Lathir’s hand, forged through the whip of rain toward the raft, the abating wave exposing the jagged rocks below.
With his free hand, Rónán grabbed the splintered piece of the mast as the ship dropped. “Hold on!”
Timbers shattered with a violent screech as the vessel was impaledon the rocks.
Their raft broke free, slid across the deck, and plummeted into the raging seas.
The cogbegan to list.
“Saint’s breath, we are too late!” she gasped.
“Lathir!” Rónán demanded. “Look at me!”
Wind-driven rain hurled past as gray eyes dark with fear wereriveted on him.
“We can do this, but only if wework together.”
She closed her eyes briefly, then gave a shaky nod.
“The cog is listing toward the rocks,” he yelled above the roar of the wind, “which is to our benefit. The next wave will ground it. Then we can climb to the other side of the deck and jump to safety.”
What little color in her face fled, but he saw her visually soldier herself for the challenge ahead.
The next surge of water bashed the hull, hurling the fractured vessel higher against the rocks.
Her body jerked; he tightened his grip. Once he’d secured the rope to the rail, he handed her part of the woven hemp. “Use the line to climb down to the rail.”
She nodded.
Icy rain battered him as he guided her into position. “Stay close!”
“I will.”
“Now!” With the cog angled sideways and slowly sinking into the churning sea, the rope taut in his hands, Rónán propelled down the incline, Lathiron his heels.
The groan of wood and splinter of timbers filled the air as another wave slammed the cog as they were halfway down.
“Hold on!” he bellowed.
“The ship canna take much more,”Lathir called.
“Aye!” Braided hemp scraped his hands as he dropped and braced himself on the rickety deck. He caught her waist as she reached him.
Another large swell rose from the depths, whitecaps topping the blackenedchurn of water.
