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“My job is to bring Ainsley home. Surely, whatever needs to be done can be handled by Killian’s rag-tag team of pirates.” Jackson plastered a grin on what was about to be wiped onto the deck of this ship if I had anything to say about it. “Besides, Ainsley is safest with us.”
I snorted, not bothering to hide my disgust at such a ridiculous statement. “The lady knows where she’s safest in this world.”
“I could have blown your little ship to bits from the sky, and then where would Ainsley be now?”
“And whose fault would that lie with? Attacking ships without even making visual contact with them first? Your grandstand flying almost cost you your life.”
“The lady being discussed is right here, gentleman. And perfectly capable of not only speaking for herself, but for making up her own mind.” Ainsley’s shoulders were rising and falling as quickly as she was expelling her breath. “Now, if you Neanderthals are quite done, we can discuss what our moves shall be—civilly.”
“Ainsley, we’re making good time. Adding additional crew, or an entire additional airship will not only be more difficult to keep our movements quiet if anyone talks, but it will also give up our advantage of stealth.”
She blinked at me, and I couldn’t quite tell if she was processing what I was saying or attempting not to fire a lightning bolt at my head. Likely the latter.
“Couldn’t you leave them to finish what you've started, Ains?” Jackson said, taking her hand tenderly. I bit my tongue, hard. “The duchess needs you. Rookhallow Proper needs you. To rebuild.”
Ainsley’s eyes widened at the mention of her mother, and every bit of willpower I had left snapped. “Watch yourself, young man. That’s a low-fired shot you’re exploiting.”
Jackson’s heated glare was no match for the annoyance rising in my gut. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, pirate.”
He dropped Ainsley’s hands and stepped toward me. I heard booted footsteps thudding on the deck behind me and caught Rek standing with his hand near his blade, listening in on our now-agitated conversation.
Ainsley backed away, ambling to the edge of the ship. She moved slowly, tilting her head and straining her neck.
“Ainsley,” I called. When she didn’t respond, I held my hand to Jackson’s chest as he hurled further stupidity at me. “Ainsley, love.”
“And that’s another thing—it is highly inappropriate to call Lady Lilstrum…” I blocked out his ridiculous blathering completely when I noticed Jo had moved in the same direction as Ainsley.
I tensed.
She turned, her face scrunched up and scanned the deck until her eyes fell to Jo. “What is that?”
“Bloody hell,” a shout from the starboard side boomed.
Immediately, we pivoted to the man’s cry to see him pointing. I couldn’t even get my bearings before waves of water crashed atop Jackson’s ship.
The crew cried out, screaming, and a current swirled around me, driving my entire body under water.
“We’re in the bloody skies. What is this Hell?” Jasper’s cry was the first thing I heard when my head broke through the surface.
The ship was falling now, and any moment, my stomach told me we were going to free-fall. Another massive onslaught of water hailed from an unknown source, and I looked to the edge just as Ainsley’s body disappeared over the side of the now-plummeting ship.
