Page 104 of The Sea Witch
Her magic had been taxed to its limits, yet Alys joined her crew as she called upon the strongest winds to fill the sails of theSea Witchand theAjax.They roused them from every corner of the Caribbean, all the breezes and gales and gusts. Anything that could help them flee promised destruction.
Winds gathered, filling theSea Witch’s andAjax’s sails with a surge. Propelled by the blasts of air, the two ships cut through the sea and away from each other. It was as though they had been shot from a cannon. Distance grew between themselves and the naval flagship. A quarter mile, a half mile. A mile.
TheAjaxsailed off on its own course.
Only when theJupiterand the creatures disappeared over the horizon did Alys permit herself to exhale. Pain from her wound returned in a rush, coupled with her exhaustion in the wake of using so much magic. She gripped the rail to keepherself upright. Around her, witches sank down to the deck, while other members of the crew nursed wounds sustained in the battle.
Fatima led a group of crew members to mend injuries for some, and balance others with food and gentle, careful touch.
Alys pulled off her coat, then tore the sleeve of her shirt into a long strip. She bound the fabric around her wounded thigh. Blood immediately soaked through the linen.
When Fatima approached Alys, she waved the doctor off. “Others need more attention.”
“I suppose this blood on your thigh and dripping onto the deck belongs to someone else,” Fatima said.
“The crew first,” Alys growled. When the doctor looked as though she might argue, Alys added, “Don’t make today the first time you disobey a direct order.”
Fatima shook her head, but moved on to attend to the rest of the company.
A moment later, Stasia was at Alys’s side. “I have unfortunate news.”
Alys braced herself. “Tell me.”
“Josephine left to join Olachi,” Stasia said somberly. “We are going to need another cook.”
A ragged laugh escaped Alys. “You’re always saying that no one here can brew decent coffee. Now’s your chance to take the tiller.”
“Coffee is the extent of my talent in the kitchen. It is one of the reasons why I left my village. I would rather sail a ship than roll grape leaves to make dolmades. Do not put too much weight on your leg.”
“I have to.” Alys groaned as she limped toward the companionway. “There’s something I must do.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Her second-in-command knew when it was a fool’s errand to argue. Stasia let her go as Alys slowly, awkwardly, climbed down the companionway, and then went lower into the ship. She hobbled to the brig, where Ben stood, gripping the bars of the cage.
His gaze shot from her face, which was surely ashen, to the dark crimson stain on the bandage around her thigh.
“Where’s your damned doctor?” he demanded. “Get her here immediately.”
“Fatima’s busy.”
“The captain’s health should be her priority.”
“I decide what’s important on my ship.” She pointed a finger at him. “How many more sea creatures is the navy adding to their arsenal?”
“I...” His brow furrowed.
“A leviathananda kraken,” she said through gritted teeth. “With theJupiter. A hell of a surprise.”
“Damn,” Ben muttered. “Warne spoke the truth.”
“No surprise for you, it seems.” She kept her weight off her leg as much as she was able, but she refused to hold the bars of the brig to support herself. “You said nothing.”
“TheJupiter’s mage and I are not friendly. When he speaks,I never know what to believe. Distorting the truth is one of his favorite games.”
She clenched her jaw to keep from crying out in pain. “Letting us know we might be facing two creatures instead of one would’ve been somewhat helpful. Annihilation was very likely.”
“When was I supposed to tell you? En route to you throwing me into the brig? I only knew which ship you planned on commandeering when I spotted theAjaxthrough the porthole. The same for theJupiter. I’d no knowledge of them sailing to theAjax’s aid. How could I?”
