The Hunter's Pursuit

22. Fatiguing Injuries

The sun was rising by the time they reached waters calm enough to drop anchor. Exhaustion haunted Jacob's every footstep, though he fought to keep his eyes open. There was no time to rest yet. There were patches to be fothered, water to be bailed, weapons to mend, and injuries to treat. Viviane was helping Emilia and Amos do so now.

Jacob had kept an attentive eye on her ever since she came up from the platform. Her behavior worried him more than he wished to admit. Her steps were uneven and her limbs continued to tremble. Thick lashes fluttered to her cheeks every few minutes, as though she were fighting to stay awake.

She continuously massaged her temples and periodically paused to steady herself against a crate. But he couldn't bring himself to ask about her well-being for a third time. He knew he wouldn't receive an answer, and he'd rather not strain Viviane's lingering patience.

Jacob smoothed lightly curled locks of charcoal-brown behind his ear, then faced Pops and took the box of patching equipment he'd brought. Jacob crouched and set to work carving the jagged hole in the deck into a smooth one so he could replace the destroyed boards. Pops followed suit, patching up another hole nearby.

"Well?" Jacob asked presently. He swapped out his saw with a gritty sheet of sandpaper and smoothed down the rim of the hole. Sawdust collected beneath his nails as he worked.

"We suffered no casualties, though many came close," Pops reported. "Theodore was the worst."

"What about Kitty and Harriet?" He hadn't seen either female since the battle began. He knew they'd gone below deck to wait it out, but afterwards...

"They're fine." Relief shone in Pop's eyes. "They're still below deck. Kitty insisted on helping treat more of the wounded, so Harriet is helping her."

Jacob flinched as a hoarse cough broke out nearby. He followed the sound and caught sight of Amos, Emilia, and Viviane. Viviane sat beside the young man Timothy, clasping his brown hand in her pale one.

Her beautiful, narrow features were shrouded by wary concern as she eyed Amos. Even Emilia seemed faintly worried. Amos soon recovered himself and gestured for them to continue. His shoulder brushed Emilia's while he moved to inspect a gash across Timothy's stomach.

"Is it just me, or has Amos' cough been worse than usual today?" Jacob asked, keeping his voice low. His gaze flickered back to Pops.

"Aye, it has been, but that's nothing unusual. Humidity and intense bodily strain seem to worsen his cough. It will be back to normal after he's rested."

"Aren't you worried about his illness returning to the stage it was when he and Caspian were in the Crypt?"

His cousin had told him more about his time in the prison, and had revealed a little more about Amos and Emilia's past in the process. Jacob couldn't quite grasp how Emilia had been able to save Amos from his seemingly death-like state. Something told him there was still more to learn in that regard.

Pops shook his head. "Unless Amos falls gravely ill or lets his body deteriorate to that point again, I don't think he has to fear his illness worsening. He was healed by magic."

Jacob couldn't mask the surprise that flitted across his face. "Kitty healed him, didn't she?" He guessed. Pops confirmed it with a nod. "Why didn't she heal him completely then?"

"Because if Amos was no longer sick, Emilia wouldn't have had a reason to return to the Crypt and he would've been alone again. At the time, no one knew Jeb planned on turning himself in to free Amos."

Jacob hesitated before saying, "Cas told me that Emilia's family disowned her for marrying Amos."

"Aye, they did."