The Hunter's Pursuit

14. Creatures of the Deep

One by one, the days rolled by, each one busier than the last. Viviane scarcely had a moment to herself between helping about on the ship and teaching lessons with Jacob. They were still covering Ryujin's anatomy and where its strengths and vulnerabilities lay, but soon, they'd push into battle tactics.

Already, Viviane had come up with some of her own. She was certain Jacob had done the same, though he'd said nothing to her about it. That didn't bother her in the least though. She hadn't told him anything about her plans either, and wouldn't until the time came. She'd been trying to avoid Jacob when she could. Caspian too.

As such, she'd spent a lot of time below deck, helping Prim and Kitty in the galley, and Emilia in her medic quarters. She'd also accompanied Coralyn into the bowels of the ship where they had been tasked with cleaning the cannons, making sure their breech ropes were secure, and restacking munitions that might've shifted.

At night, she still ignored Jacob, even when he climbed into the bunk below hers and muttered a faint goodnight. Prim had questioned her about her behavior, and all Viviane answered was, "We're here to do a job. If I let those two piss me off, that job will never be done. The best way to avoid that is by avoiding them." She hadn't stuck around long enough to hear Prim's response.

She could barely hear anything now, as booming thunder drowned out every other noise around her. Droplets of rain clung to her lashes as Viviane squinted into the gloom. She stood on the forecastle near Jacob, who was scanning the crashing waves for any signs of danger. Thunder cracked again and Viviane glanced over her shoulder.

Westley and Caleb were sliding across the deck, hollering orders at the top of their lungs. The rest of the crew scrambled to obey, tightening breech ropes, removing the swivel cannons from their mounts, making sure lanterns were secure, and dousing those that weren't needed. A wave splashed over the side of the ship, drenching them all in salty water.

Viviane smeared hair out of her face and turned to Jacob. "We're not far enough from Orphic for Ryujin to be here," she said.

"That's not who I'm looking for." Jacob clutched the railing in a death grip to hold himself steady.

"Then who, or what?" The ship rocked and Viviane lurched forward. Jacob snagged an arm around her waist to catch her. Viviane shoved him away abruptly. "What are you looking for?" She demanded.

Jacob's blue eyes flashed with irritation. "We've entered the waters belonging to the lapis whales. Storms draw them to the surface. If one of those things breach anywhere near us, we could be capsized. And if they deem us a threat and attack..."

"They'll tear through our hull as if it were paper," Viviane finished.

"Aye. Keep an eye on things here. I'm going up to the crow's nest." Jacob brushed past her without another word, sodden brown hair hiding his features.

Viviane frowned, but remained where she was. As much as she didn't appreciate Jacob telling her what to do, he was right. Lapis whales could be a threat, even without meaning to be. The creatures were massive and nigh invulnerable, their bodies covered in stone-like armor that had never been pierced.

For hundreds of years, people had been trying to find a way to kill a lapis whale and bring its body ashore to be studied. Who knew what advancements could be in weapons and armor if the secret of the whale's stony exterior was determined? Perhaps the whale's blood or saliva held some unknown component that could be used to create a cure for the deadly plague that flared up throughout Orphic every few years.

But no one had ever succeeded in so much as harming a lapis whale. They dwelled far below the ocean surface, breaching only during stormy weather. They were able to breathe both air and water, and therefore had no need to surface.