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Ainsley peeked down and frowned as she took in the sight below. "Then he must have been misinformed."
I leaned closer, pushing harder against her blade. She gritted her teeth at me, and still, she held her weapon, engaged.
"Ahem." A throat cleared next to us as we were locked in closely, our breaths escaping more chaotically. "Shall I get you two a room?"
"No!" I bellowed, as Ainsley shouted indignantly, "What?"
She drew away from our friendly duel, and I glared at Rek for his intrusion. Ainsley backed away from me and moved to the bow of the ship. I watched her staring out toward the horizon.
“Was that necessary?”
Rek shrugged. “You’re sending us on a suicide mission for money? I don’t think so. You’re drawn to her.”
When I didn’t respond, he continued, “I just hope you can keep a level head with whatever finding Silverthorne means, not just you, but all of us.”
Rek strode away and I hung my head. I’d been worried about the danger, of course. But I hadn’t thought of my crew. If it came down to it, I’d protect them the way I had my brother. The way I would Ainsley. It was in my nature, logic be damned.
I glanced back toward the maddening woman, who was now carelessly leaning over the edge of the ship. I shook my head, about to warn her that she was in the air after all, when a bolt of lightning shot across the sky.
It stole my attention completely. Massive storm clouds rolled through the heavens, pooling in the distance as though they were being created from pure magic.
I frowned.
“Killian!” Ainsley screeched over the sound of clapping thunder. Her arm was outstretched, pointing to a small vessel in the distance, coming in with the clouds. As she turned to shout my name, she lost her footing.
“Ainsley!” I didn’t think. Ainsley’s body tumbled forward over the rail of the bridge, and she flipped, screaming as she clung to the ledge for her life.
I brought my sword down hard on the rigging closest to me and grabbed a hold of the weathered rope. I was flung up into the air and forward at an alarming speed.
As Ainsley continued to scream, the rope finally gave a bit of slack, and I whisked toward her, over the deck and the bow of the ship.
Her scream halted immediately as I swung into her, grasping her around the waist as I clutched her to my chest.
Rek and a few other crew members were immediately on the scene and helped bring us up. The rain had begun, making the deck slick, as well as the rope I was desperately clinging to in order to save our lives.
Ainsley was still holding onto me as our feet hit the deck. She tilted her head up to me. “I think it’s Gretta. The ship in the distance,” she whispered so that no one heard but me.
But it only took a second for a loud bellow to sound out from the crow’s nest for all the crew to hear.
“Ship’s a’ comin’ off the port bow. Ready the cannons!”
I stared down at Ainsley and saw fear in her eyes. I told her I’d protect her, and I was about to make good on that promise. Even if she didn’t like what was coming next.
