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I have my sword on my hip and daggers at my back and in my boot. Aika’s voice is in my head, teasing me about having only three blades on me.
I grit my teeth, but it’s a welcome reminder that she is skilled. Strong. For all the hell I’ve given her about the things she’s done, I have never been more grateful for who she is than I am right now.
At her core, she is a survivor.
And I desperately need her to survive.
CHAPTERSIXTY-SIX
AIKA
It takes longer than I would like for me to work my way out of the shackles. Every second stretches on into eternity, knowing that it brings us closer to Madame returning todeal with usas we grow farther and farther from the shore.
I have no idea what waits for us on the deck. If we’ll be able to make our way to a nearby ship. Even a slaver ship bound for the Southern Continent would be preferable to what Madame has in mind for us.
At least we could fight off the slavers.
Then again, one of those ships might be Remy and Einar. A cold dread pools in my stomach. When I told Zaina that Einar would come for her, I meant on Delphine.
Surely they know better than to try to follow Madame on the open seas.
Remy’s words from the dungeons echo in my mind.I would do anything to keep her safe.
Including risking his life on a rescue mission. Between him and Einar, I have no doubt that they could track Madame. They might even be able to find a way to get us off this ship.
Or they might not. They might die trying. Either way, I don’t plan on waiting around to be rescued.
A single deep breath in, and I get to my feet.
“How fast can this ship sail?” I whisper as I start to pick the locks on Zaina’s shackles.
She thinks about it for a few seconds before answering. “No more than five nautical miles an hour, but for this size ship, it’s probably closer to four. Why?”
“And we’ve been sailing for half an hour?” I estimate.
Her eyes narrow in suspicion. “Around that, I assume. Why?”
“Just curious,” I lie.
Two and a half miles. It’s not an impossible distance, especially with a flotation device.
But we’ve just barely gotten into spring. The water is still freezing and filled with sharks.
Then again, the brig is cold, too, and about to be filled with sociopaths.
So, it’s a coin toss, really.
We make our way quietly up to the deck. Adrenaline has stamped out my panic, leaving me wholly focused like I am during a mission. Zaina is silent as the grave next to me and just as deadly.
We hide when we can, but we do have to take out two of Madame’s men. Without weapons, it’s a more gruesome task.
The first is easy enough. He has a skinny neck, easily snapped. The second requires a precise hit to his temple, one Zaina delivers with unrelenting accuracy. Then we’re dragging their bodies into the brig before moving on.
We keep to the shadows at the top of the stairs, peering through the entryway to the deck. Open water is all around us as far as we can see with our limited scope. There’s a cork block, too, big enough for us to both cling to.
So we’re just back to the matter of the icy waters, sea monsters, and my sister’s debilitating fear of drowning.
Just as I’m debating whether there’s any chance in hell of convincing Zaina to take that risk, a sailor on his way to the crow’s nest spots us. He shouts a warning before I can silence him.
