Page 158 of The Sea Witch
And sailing toward the island was the HMSFearless. Yet it wasn’t alone. Accompanying the ship was another enormous kraken. It was just as Alys had told him in their dream.
Its guns boomed as it fired on theSea Witch.
Ben’s blood chilled as the chains burned into him.
Then theSea Witchturned. As winds filled its sails, the ship headed out of the bay. Yet a jolly boat sped toward the island slightly obscured by a fog. Even through the haze, Alys’s bright hair was visible in the back of the boat. Ben’s already icy blood froze solid with terror.
A naval cutter was close behind, full of nearly three dozen armed marines. Oliver was with them, his cutlass already drawn.
The sleet in his veins turned to fire as he pulled on the manacles. Agony coursed up his arms as the bands of iron glowed hotly and seared his flesh. His markings spread from the pain. They climbed up his wrists and the back of his hands the more he yanked on the chain linking his manacles.
“What the bloody hell?” The seaman gaped at him. “Them tattoos weren’t on you afore. Here now, stop that. Leave them manacles alone.” The guard jabbed him again with his bayonet.
Maddened by fury and fear, Ben pulled harder on his manacles. He smelled his own flesh searing.
With a snap, the chain broke apart, freeing his hands. Ben reached down for the chain between the shackles. He pulled, uncaring that his hands were charred by the magic-imbued metal. The chain broke with a gratifying snap.
The guard stared, his eyes wide and his face chalky. Ben’s hand snapped out through the bars to grab the sailor’s neckcloth. He slammed the guard against the iron of the cage and the sailor collapsed.
Gritting his teeth, groaning, Ben struggled to force the bars apart. Finally, they bent wide enough for him to shove his body through the opening.
Ben stepped over the unconscious guard before ripping at the hole in the hull. Wood splintered and dug into his skin. At last, the opening was big enough.
He pulled himself through the hole and dove into the water. The brine against the wounds on his wrists and hands burned like hellfire. He had to reach Alys, and if it meant destroying his body to do so, then so be it.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Alys and her crew dragged the boat just onto the sand and charged onto the beach. Dense forest lay fifty feet beyond the beach.
“What is it we are looking for?” Stasia asked. Eris flapped on her shoulder.
“No idea,” Alys replied. “Little George wouldn’t have us dance such a merry jig, only to drop whatever it is we’re hunting right in our laps.”
“Whatever we are after,” Susannah said tightly, her gaze fixed behind Alys, “they want it as well.”
A cutter boat loaded with fully armed marines sped toward them, with an officer riding at the rear of the boat. He’d already drawn his cutlass, and even from a distance, she could see his eyes glitter with eagerness for the fight to come.
Alys quickly counted over thirty marines in the cutter, plus half a dozen seamen rowing, outnumbering her own forces six to one.
At least theSea Witchhad sailed away to safety.
“Are you ready, my beauties?” she cried to her crew as she pulled her cutlass from its sheath. She summoned a fiery magical shield on her free arm.
“Ready,” her crew shouted back. Each woman bared her teeth and took a wide stance as they prepared themselves forthe fight of their lives. They drew their blades, shimmering with magic, and summoned shields, while Stasia, Susannah, and Thérèse raised glowing hands.
As the cutter neared, a line of marines raised their long guns, pointing them at Alys and her crew.
“A wall of stone, now!” she shouted to the other witches.
They threw up a gleaming barrier, sturdy as granite. At the same time, the marines fired.
The bullets pinged off the wall.
“Now, a wave,” Alys cried.
She joined the witches as they shoved against the water. It formed a wave that knocked sideways into the cutter with enormous force. A handful of marines fell overboard and disappeared beneath the surface.
The cutter drew closer and a second group of marines shouldered their guns, preparing to fire.
