Page 58 of Valour

“Septimus!”

No answer came.

Was he hurt?

Or worse?

She ran down the steps, panting, fear wrapping her heart in its grip. And it wasn’t that heady lick of fear she got when he was fuming with her.

She could hardly think, hardly breathe, like ropes had banded around her ribcage. The ship groaned around her, screaming its death.

She sprinted down the corridor. “Septimus! What are you doing?”

He stood in the galley, a harpoon gun in either hand, a pistol tucked in his belt. “Finishing it.”

She sucked a breath through her teeth. “Now who’s insane?! You have to get out. Come with me. Now!” The ceiling splintered, showering them with wood and iron nails. “Come on.” She lunged forwards and grabbed his wrist. “What did you think you could do?”

“I will go down with my ship and kill the fucking thing.”

Hester blanched. She had to get him out of there. He would be no match for the orca. “Please. Please, you have to come. This is madness. You will die.”

He pointed the harpoon at her head. “Go. Leave me.”

She knew he wouldn’t shoot her. But the betrayal of it sent her knees buckling. “And what of your crew, if you are gone?”

He hesitated. “It destroyed my ship. YOU destroyed my ship.” His face twisted.

“You cannot leave them alone on the ice. Please, Septimus. See reason. Come with me.” She held out her hand, grappling with the idea of life without him in it. “Life would be hopelessly dull without you.”

“I should kill you too. You make my life miserable.” He narrowed his eyes, the harpoon pointing at her heart.

She hissed, face contorting in a snarl. “You take me from my crew and I will haunt you for all eternity. I will make your eternity miserable.”

The galley floor juddered and dropped, almost sending her to the planked floor.

“Then go, go before I do it. Leave me.”

Hester shook her head. There was a deafening crash from above. “You saved me. I owe you a life debt. Come with me. Back to your crew. Your dogs. Come. Before we both die.”

“The world might be a better place without me in it. Without you in it.”

He didn’t mean that. Couldn’t mean that. Hester dropped to her knees, running out of ideas, running out of time. She clasped her hands in front of her. “I beg you. The beast is my foe. It came here for me. And it is mine to kill as well as yours. Let us end it together, but not like this. A ship can be replaced. You cannot be replaced.”

He remained where he was, unmoved.

“Your mother!” she cried, the idea coming to her suddenly. Knew they were close. “What of her?”

Septimus tensed, his lips parting, and Hester knew she had him by the throat.

“How would she fare if you never came home? Come on. Let us fight the orca together from the ice, not the sea.”

He lowered the harpoon, and she sprang forwards and grasped his wrist, tugging him to the door. They raced upwards towards the deck, the floorboards creaking and moaning, some snapping under the pressure.

Out on the deck the whole of the rig had collapsed, and Hester scrambled over and under the spars to reach the ramp, Septimus behind her, sprinting down it.

When her feet hit the ice she whirled, checking he was still there.

His face was like thunder as he stalked towards her. “I HATE you, Orn.”