Tainted Tides

Chapter 36

*Ant's POV*

I say in silence desire Dec, tied to the mast of the ship with oil soaked rags plugging our ears, along with the rest of the crew as Emma towed our ship through the sirens calls. My attention fully on Dec and the silent tears streaming down his face. He didn't seem to need the ear plugs, but he wore them anyway, as if he was telling me he didn't want to hear what I had to say.

I nudged him softly, giving him a look of shared grief and mouthing the words 'are you okay' to him. He looked at me stoicly, gave me a half nod and turned away once again. The look broke my heart. It reminded me of how he acted when he thought I was going to betray him- it reminded me of when he didn't trust me. I turned my gaze away from him and swallowed the lump in my throat. I'd have to talk to him about it when we could actually speak.

The crew Sat patiently as we were towed for another 30 minutes while the sun crested above the horizon. As the mist ckeered and the hues of orange in the sky turned to solid blues, Emma and her crew came around to free us. I stood and rubbed my arms where the ropes had held me and looked at my younger sister.

"Thank you Emma... I'm proud of you."

"I'm proud of you too, big brother. I hope one day, we'll meet when we can really catch up." Emma wrapped her arms around my in a tight hug and I did the same. We hugged as if it was the last time we'd meet- in our line of work, it very well could be.

"Goodbye for now, Anth."

"Take care, Ems."

Emma walked away and crossed over the rails to her ship, before unlatching the ships and making her way back into the mist. I turned to Stephen and Robbie, signaling them to set course, knowing they remembered to head to Barons Bay. Finally I turned to Dec- well I turned to my side where Dec usually stood... He wasn't there. The image of tears streaming down his face and his dejected nod to answer my question flashed in my mind.

Shit.

What if he'd snuck on to Emma's ship to get Phil back?! I had to find out before it was too late to turn around!

I sprinted across the deck and slipped through the door leading below. Running towards his room, I checked every door and curtain along the way, hoping to see him. Bursting through the door of his shared room, I saw his empty hammock with his weapons lay inside it. Continuing my search, I ran towards my room, hoping that maybe he was waiting there for me; waiting for the comfort I could give him. Once again the stoic look he gave me flashed into my mind- maybe he didn't want my comfort.

Nonetheless, I burst through the door of my quarters and glanced around. The room lay untouched with my maps strewn across the table, the stopper firmly in my bottle of whiskey, and my bed made. Dec was nowhere to be found. I ran out of the room and began checking all the common areas, the kitchen, the armory, and finally the carpentry workshop. Only when I entered the workshop and saw Dec Sat in a corner with his head buried in his knees, did I realize this should have been the first place I looked.

I walked to Dec and lowered myself to the floor beside him, pulling his body into a tight grasp. His sobs silently wracked his body and his tears began soaking through my shirt.

"Dec... Talk to me..." I whispered into his hair.

"Ph- Philip..." He stuttered in response between sobs.

"Oh kidda, I know... I wish it didn't have to be this way... But Phil made that decision a long time ago."

"He shouldn't have to! Why do I have to lose everyone who acts as a father to me?!" Dec sobbed, his words feeling sharp in my chest.

I held Dec tighter as his sobs got louder and louder, muffling them into my damp shirt. I didn't have an answer for him. The harder he clung to me, the more it sunk in that Phil was gone. Phil was just as much of a father to me as Dec was, and he was gone. Tears filled my eyes to the brim and spilled over my cheeks, dripping on to Dec's hair and neck. His crying momentarily dwindled and his glistening green eyes peeked up at me. I saw the sadness in his eyes shift slightly before he pulled himself up and climbed into my lap, fully hugging me while burying his face in my shoulder and guiding my head to do the same in his.