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“Man your battle stations!” I heard Killian shout. “We are under attack. I repeat: Man your battle stations.”
I hunched over, gaping like a fish and trembling.
A hand touched my back. “Ainsley, love, calm your body.”
Lifting my head, I felt droplets of rain begin falling on me. I shuddered again, inhaling a small breath.
Killian cupped my face with his hands, and then they ran over the back of my neck, down my sides, legs—everywhere—as though he were searching.
I swatted his hand away and he snapped his attention to my face.
Another breath came to me. I only had the wind knocked out of me, I told myself. I’m all right.
“What are you doing?” I said hoarsely.
Killian leaned back and narrowed his eyes at me. “If I were eager to get a proper feel of your body, mi’lady, I’ve had you in the palm of my hands many times.” He arched a challenging brow. “You flew across the entire ship after a cannon exploded in front of you. I’m ensuring there are no external injuries.”
I inclined my head, choosing to ignore his “palm of my hands” statement,” finally inhaling a full breath, as the rain I had felt on my face slightly dissipated.
“Your powers are growing stronger, and your magic is in tune to every emotion. Sit and continue to take calm and even breaths, while I figure out who the hell is blasting my ship.” He kissed the top of my head and rose, storming across the deck as though he would kill the first person who stepped in his way.
“Where did that cannon hail from?” he called out to Rek who was steering the ship. “How did you miss an attack of any sort? Especially of this magnitude? They’ve struck our bloody ship!”
Rek’s stammering and frantic searching about the skies was new for me to witness. The man was at a loss for words, and his brow grew harder as he stared Killian down. “Portside. They must be hiding in the clouds, Captain.”
Rek slammed the wheel hard to the left as another cannon narrowly missed where Killian was standing.
“Killian!” I shrieked, finding my footing as I bolted toward him.
“Stay down,” he ordered. “You are not to be cannon fodder.” And with that statement, he ran toward Rek to discern whatever it was his first mate could see approaching in the clouds.
I jerked my head in the direction where Jo had been. She was lying face-down on the deck.
My heart thundered in my chest. “Jo,” I called out, shifting all of my attention to her unmoving figure. “Jo!”
My knees buckled as I crashed upon the deck next to her, sending a jolt of pain up the entirety of my spine, but I ignored it. I placed my hands on Jo’s back, using every bit of my weight in my attempt at rolling her over.
Her head flopped to the side as I performed the same actions Killian had just done on me, running my hands along her body to ensure she wasn’t bleeding from any major extremities. Not that the sight of blood would render her unconsciousness any better.
My gaze shot across the deck to Killian and Rek, who were in a heated argument. Killian was shouting steering instructions as Rek grew visibly more worried. Killian’s gaze met my own as he rushed to Jo’s body.
“Who is it?” I shouted across the deck.
Rek’s eyes flicked to Killian, and no one answered me. Clearly, they hadn’t a clue, either.
“Jo, come on,” I said, directing my attention back to her. I held my fingers to her neck. Her pulse was solid and strong. Perhaps it was only the blow that had knocked her out—at best. At worst. No, I would not think of the worst.
I touched her head once more before rising and facing the direction Killian and Rek appeared to be most focused on.
Inhaling a deep breath, I concentrated on the tingling sensations that were raging inside of me. My magic wished to react to my emotions? Let us see how it handled my current emotions… toward an unknown enemy who could have killed us.
Slowly, my hands rose as the thunder crept ever closer in the distance. I made a fist and called a bolt of lightning, watching as it crackled across the sky in front of our ship.
Let this be a warning.
But my display did not seem to matter. The ship jostled again, this time shifting to the right as another cannon slammed into the side of the deck. Its crash matched that of my thunder and the thought only spurred me on further.
The crew was shouting as they sought to secure the damage and ensure the sails remained taut. Rek and Killian were barking orders. Killian moved toward the edge of the ship and brought out a spyglass, turning in several different directions as he struggled to find where on earth he could aim the site.
