Mentally shaking myself, I take in the sight before me.
Broken and splintered wood, singed sails, thick red caked throughout the planks. Stray pieces of guts and limbs strewn across railings and beams.
In short, its a fucking mess.
With a deep sigh, I dismount and tie up the horse before climbing up the gangplank. I need to witness this chaos and devastation first hand before commencing on clean up.
Jude’s waiting up on the top deck, a grimace plastered on her face. “Cyrus.”
With a nod I reply, “Jude.”
Together we look over the ship. “It’s a fucking dump, isn’t it?”
I sigh, long and hard. “Get any crew that aren’t injured up here. We’ll remove the bodies first, then split the crew to deal with the blood and the damaged wood and repairs.”
“It’s going to be a bitch to fix. This whole deck is going to need pulling up and re-laying, this blood is too soaked in. And thick.” Jude flings her hands around as if I can’t see the blood soaked wood directly in front of me. And behind me. And under me. “And you’ll need to talk to Tally about where to put the bodies. There’s so many, we can’t dig that many graves. We’ll have to have a mass burn up.”
My spine stiffens at the mention of Tally’s name.
Fuck.
Having to talk to her will be torturous after last night. I can’t believe I fucked myself over like this. There’s a reason Idon’t fuck about with people, why I don’t let people see behind the carefully curated walls I’ve built. I can’t do the jobs that are required of me when I do.
Panic is radiating beneath my skin, but from the outside you wouldn’t know. I’ve had too many years of practicing hiding my emotions and feelings. From the moment my village went up in flames, I had to be the one to protect those around me. To not let on that panic is my basic setting. Throughout years of practice I’ve been able to become a statue, allowing no one to see behind the facade. I’ve become perfect at this game.
Yet these last however many hours have put this perfection into ruin.
Fuck it all.
“Let’s just get this goddamn mess cleaned up.”
Chapter Nine
TALLY
I wake to sunbeams warming my front, but a deep coolness to my back.
Without opening my eyes I know Cyrus has left this room.Left me.
I should have known the second she woke she would bolt. I was a fool for thinking she’d stick around long enough for me to wake up.
I peered through the walls that surround her heart last night, saw what she shows no one else. I expect, when she woke up, it was easier to run than face the person that knows your weaknesses. Who you truly are beneath the surface.
Knowing that if I peeped through once, I can do so again.
Unfortunately for her, I don’t give up easily.
And she’s onmyisland, meaning she can’t just escape me. Not until she officially tells me to leave her alone.
With a groan, I stretch across the bed, trying not to think about how cold her side is. How long ago she must have left. And where she has gone since.
That last one is easy to answer; if she isn’t with herCaptain, she’ll be on the ship. I know she’s first mate, meaning she’ll take over everything from Amara whilst she’s still injured. And if I know her, she’ll take that responsibility to the extreme.
Speaking of responsibilities, I have my own to get to.
Forcing my aching bones upright, I slide out of bed. Walking over to the window I let the sun’s rays warm my face and the chirps of birds and ocean breeze calm my senses. It’s something I try to do each morning, breathe in nature and the land. To become a part of it.
In the distance, smoke still rises along the shore line.
