Hey guys...I live! I'm really sorry about the unplanned hiatus. When I started writing this I had a job, then I got laid off and was unemployed for a month, then I got a new job at a library and needless to say...libraries are crazy during the summer. I've also been working hard on school and the original fiction that I write so I haven't gotten back to this story. Anyway, that being said...Shout out to for messaging me and asking for more...even if it was three months later. So remember that character death I warned you about in chapter 1? Yeah, this is where it happens. Word of warning now so that no one gets triggered at the end. Love you all and thank you for sticking with me. As always, please don't flame. Any and all flames will be used to warm up my home cause it's currently freezing.
Cinder paced the quarter deck. She was already angry about being pulled from the precious little sleep she got, and then to find out that Kai, Thorne and Wolf had snuck overboard. Now, she was livid.
"When did they leave?" She snapped at Scarlet who stood at the helm with her arms folded.
"I don't know, Cinder. I told Kai to get back to his post. He disappeared, next thing I know Winter is scrambling down the mast talking about a ship in the distance."
Cinder bit back a growl of irritation, it was going to be a long night. "All hands on deck, I want to be sure we can fend off an attack if need be."
"Aye, Captain." Scarlet nodded.
One of the crew members stepped up to take the helm while her first mate disappeared below deck to rally the crew.
"Cinder, there's a boat rowing up next to us." Iko scurried to Cinder's side.
She set her jaw. "Who?"
"Queen Levana's aide, Aimery Park. He's requesting permission to come aboard."
A shudder of revulsion passed over Cinder. Aimery was her aunt's most devoted lapdog, always ready to jump in and do Levana's bidding. "Grant permission, but keep weapons trained on him."
Iko left her side giving instructions on the way to keep Aimery in sight. She'd heard the superstitions among sailors that it was bad luck to have a woman onboard a ship. She was starting to believe the opposite was true. She'd had no end of trouble ever since she brought those men on.
I should have just let them drift along with the rest of their crew.
Aimery bowed when he set food on deck. "Captain Linh, good to see you again." His voice was still as honey smooth as it was the day she left Artemisia for good.
"Aimery … what do you want?" She planted her feet in a wide stance to make her slight frame look more intimidating.
He tucked his hands into the sleeves of his coat. "We found some stowaways on our ship, I'm sure you'd like to have them back."
"Then why didn't you send them over, so we could be done with it?"
"My queen would like to speak with you."
"I would like proof that I'm not walking into a trap." Cinder narrowed her eyes at the man.
His face twisted into a smug expression. "Her Majesty thought as much and would invite you to look through your spyglass."
Cinder looked out over the water. The darkness did little to help her see. Aimery's hands on hers pointed her in the right direction. Sure enough, Kai and Thorne knelt before Levana, both with knives held to their throats.
She lowered her spyglass. "I swear to you, if you harm them in any way you will not make it back to Artemisia alive."
"Of course not. Shall we?"
Cinder wanted to shove her prosthetic hand down his throat, but she took a deep breath and steadied herself. "Iko, with me. Scarlet, if we're not back by sunrise, initiate operation Lunar Gift."
Scarlet nodded as Cinder and Iko moved toward Aimery's boat.
Thorne hung his head. This is it. I'm going to die at the age of twenty, because I follow my friends.
He'd never shied away from challenging authority. The only reason he followed Kai's orders for so long is because his captain had a good head on his shoulders. Now, he wasn't so sure he'd made the right choice.
The queen's aide boarded the ship, followed by Cinder and Iko. Cinder shook her head at Kai, disappointment in her eyes.
"If that's her thanking us for saving her skin, I don't want to see her angry." Thorne muttered.
"Thanks … such a help. Captain." Kai nearly growled.
"You were serious about that promotion?"
"What? No, just—" Kai let out a breath. "Shut it, Thorne."
The women followed the queen into one of the cabins on the main deck. Thorne's knees hurt. It had to be well into the middle watch by now. Granted, he was supposed to be on duty, but there wasn't anything he could do about that now. Still they were forced to wait.
Time passed and neither the queen nor Cinder appeared on deck again. The horizon lightened, pale pink at first but growing brighter as the sun climbed. Once the sun was fully in the sky, a shout rang out from the Luna.
"What was that?" The knife at Thorne's throat cut into his skin.
"No idea. But I have a feeling that it won't end well for Artemisia."
The Luna moved across the water with unrecognizable speed. Soon the crew flooded AR-Prime's deck and disarmed the crew. Scarlet stormed through the melee to where Thorne and Kai were held, a pistol in each hand.
Thorne closed his eyes, afraid their actions might be worthy of death. Two shots were followed by a thud behind them. Not dead. He opened his eyes.
"Of all the stupid, idiotic things to do!" She shouted at Kai as she cut the ropes off his wrists.
Thorne grinned when she moved behind him. "Good to see you too, Scarlet."
"Where is Ze'ev?"
"They took him below deck, no idea where. Cinder is in with the queen."
Scarlet reloaded her pistols, irritation on her face. "Help subdue the rest of Artemisia's crew while I find him."
Thorne and Kai nodded, took the knives from their captors, and jumped into the melee. They cut down any of the royal guard who stood in their way, which ended up at approximately half. Once the guards realized that the Luna's crew had no qualms about killing them, they were much more cooperative.
Thorne and Kai gathered what remained of AR-Prime's crew around the mast and tied them there. Scarlet reappeared with Wolf who looked worse for wear. Scarlet was bleeding from a cut on her cheek and had an annoyed expression on her face, but otherwise she looked fine.
"Well, it looks like you two aren't completely useless after all." She nodded.
"Hear that Cap? We're worth something!" Thorne grinned.
Scarlet's face turned the color of her hair. "That's not what I—oh forget it. Still no sign of the Captain?"
Kai shook his head. "Should we try to force their hand?"
"Yes, and the sooner the better. She needs to be stopped … permanently." Wolf growled, glaring at the queen's cabin door.
Thorne shot a look at Kai and Scarlet, who shook her head. What had they done to him? Wolf, despite his intimidating size, was a teddy bear. For him to want to kill someone, they had to have done something terrible.
"Let's get her attention then. Thorne, will you do the honors?" Kai grinned, handing him a belaying pin. It was common practice among the sailing community to warn a captain of impending mutiny by dropping a belaying pin on the roof of their cabin, a task Thorne was all too happy to perform.
"What is the meaning of this?" Levana shrieked as she emerged from her cabin followed by Aimery, Cinder and Iko.
"You're out numbered." Scarlet pulled her pistols out of her belt. "I suggest you surrender."
"Aimery! Kill them!"
A crack echoed across the deck as Aimery slumped to the ground, lifeless.
Wolf stood behind him, a wild look in his eyes. "Your reign is over, Levana."
Cinder folded her arms over her chest, a smile working its way across her face. "What was that about a rag tag bunch of misfits, Auntie?"
"You—you miserable, insignificant, little blight of a person!" Levana reached for Cinder's, her fingers curled into claws.
Scarlet cocked her gun. "Step away from my Captain."
Levana dropped her arms, clearly angry that she was overpowered. "Get off my ship."
"Captain?" Kai asked nodding to Cinder. "What should we do with them?"
"Set them adrift. I will show you mercy, Aunt Levana, where you showed none to me. But, so help me, if you try to overtake us again, I will not be so merciful." Cinder glowered at her. "Wolf, if you'll raise the anchor and meet us back on the Luna?"
"I'll give you a hand." Thorne moved to the capstan. Together the two men raised the anchor that would allow AR-Prime to sail away and hopefully forever.
"If I never see another Artemisian ship, it will be all too soon." Wolf grunted as he stepped onto the gangway between the ships.
"I agree. Let's get out of here." Thorne nodded. There was something about the situation that seemed almost too easy. Almost like Levana was letting them win. He shook his head. You're being paranoid. That's when he heard it.
Footsteps pounded across the wooden planks of the deck.
Before he could turn, pain blossomed in his side.
His breath caught.
He tried to push the attacker away.
Wolf rushed back to him, prying him away from the person.
His vision swam. Wolf's arm supported him.
Thorne's hand dropped to his side, something stuck out at an odd angle, a knife. He dared a look down, horrified to find a crimson stain spreading across his shirt. His hand closed around the hilt. When it moved, he thought his insides had caught fire.
"Leave it." Wolf ordered, grabbing his hand. "Cress! Help!"
Thorne's knees gave out, black spots swimming in his vision. The movement jostled the knife and another wave of agony washed over him. His eyes shut in an attempt to block everything out.
When he opened them again, Cress looked down on him. Her forehead scrunched from worry.
"What happened?" Her fingers flying as she checked him for other injuries.
"Levana stabbed him when we were leaving the ship." Wolf answered kneeling by Thorne's head.
"That woman has hurt more people—"
Thorne coughed. "She went overboard."
"How do you know that?" Cinder and Kai joined their group, standing over Cress' shoulder.
"I heard a splash."
Why couldn't he catch his breath? It was taking more and more effort to fill his lungs. A spasm racked his body, pulling his knees to his chest.
"Easy Thorne." Cress eased him onto his back. "I need to you to relax, okay?"
"Anything for you gorgeous." He tried to wink at her, but the knife moved and it turned into a grimace. He took as deep a breath as he could manage, which admittedly wasn't much.
"Cinder." Cress' voice sounded small.
Thorne forced his eyes to open. Cress and Cinder stood a distance away. Cress' arms were folded, like she was trying to appear smaller than she already was. Cinder's head was bowed, a hand rubbing her neck. He looked to Kai, who now knelt beside him. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know, exactly, but it's not good." Kai's face was drawn.
Thorne nodded, took a breath, and pulled the knife from his side, groaning as the blade cleared his flesh. He grabbed Kai's hand and held it to his chest. "It's been an honor sailing with you, Captain."
"Don't you dare give up." Kai squeezed Thorne's hand, the bones protesting being squished together.
Thorne coughed. "There's nothing anyone can do to save me."
Kai couldn't believe his ears, Thorne was giving up? He gave Kai's hand one final squeeze, before his grip went slack.
"Thorne, wake up! You bloody idiot!"
Wolf stood to his feet. "He's gone, Kai. We can't bring him back."
Kai stared up at his friend. "Grab his hammock, will you? I need to speak to the captain." As reluctant as he was to leave Thorne's side, there were things to be done.
Cinder and Cress were still deep in conversation when Kai approached. "Captain?"
Cinder looked up from the deck. "Yes?"
"He—He's gone. Wolf went to get his hammock. Would you like to do the honors?"
She laid her hand on his shoulder. "He was your friend. Go ahead. I'll gather the crew."
That evening at sunset, Kai commended Thorne's body to the sea.
