Vuroth's Tear: Even the Gods Cry

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

The sea was choppy, waves splashed on deck while rain poured down. The only light that the crew had was the frequent lightning flash in the darkness followed by ear shattering booms of thunder. Aven and his friends sat in the storage room, trying to keep from tumbling about.

Kass sat with his head between his knees in the corner and holding the wall, his stomach turned with each wave that hit. Aven propped himself between a heavy crate and the wall where he slept soundly. Quicksilver was stabbed into the floor against the crate so it wouldn't slide and crush him.

"Is he really sleeping right now?" Donovan chuckled and shook his head at his friend, slouched and snored over the sound of the waves crashing.

Velana sat, her clawed hands held tightly onto the post beside her. She sat silently trying to calm Kass' mind, feeling bad for him as she felt his fear and suffering.

"Is he alright?" Donovan asked Velana. It was the first time he had talked to her since he told her how he had felt, the two of them had been avoiding each other ever since.

She looked at him, "He's alright, just nervous and nauseous," The ship rocked hard and she squeezed the post tighter, splintering the wood, "When is this storm going to pass?"

Donovan shook his head but didn't respond, he still felt foolish for what he had said to her. He didn't know why he even had feelings for her, their only common ground was the cause they fought for. She was beautiful and they had a lot of wonderful conversations, memories shared but they were nothing alike. He still couldn't help stealing glances at her when she wasn't looking but every time he looked at her, she was staring at Kass.

Donovan looked down at the ring on his hand, using his thumb to spin it around his finger. It saved his life in Chaston, Aven saved him from the slow agony of cooking in the heat but if it weren't for the ring, there wouldn't have been anything to save.

The door of the room slammed open and one of the crew held himself in the doorway, "We have a problem!"

Aven opened his eyes and looked at the panicking man, "What's going on?"

"We have company," He said and rushed away.

Aven stood and tore Quicksilver out of the floor and jammed it into the sheath. Kass seemed pleasantly distracted and climbed to his feet to follow the man. Velana followed him out and Donovan was the last out of the room. They stumbled as the ship crashed on the waves before hurrying up on deck.

Aven stood on the rail of the ship holding onto a rope, he didn't know what the rope was for but knew it could hold his weight. A flash of lightning lit the blackness of the sea and Aven saw a large ship bobbing on the waves parallel to their own.

Cap grabbed the rail and stood by Aven's feet, Aven looked down at him in the dim light of a fire he created in his hand, "Are they hostile?"

"I don't know but they are coming closer. I think they plan to board us!" Cap was in a panic, his men weren't soldiers, Aven and his men were their only hope if those on the other boat planned to attack.

Aven clenched the scabbard holding his sword, "They can try, but they will die," Aven dropped back onto the deck and looked at his friends, "I hope everybody's well rested."

Kass held his bow in his right hand, staring towards the ship. Each lightning strike offered another moment of details of the ship that closed in on them. Aven thought he saw movement on the deck and his instincts inspired him to draw quicksilver.

He looked at Velana, "I want you and Kass to stay on this deck. Anything comes aboard, you throw out to sea or Kass kills with fire. If it's Tola's men, don't kill them on the ship or everyone could be infected by that magic," He looked at Donovan, "gather the crew below deck."