The Hunter's Pursuit

45. Alternative Routes

The days dragged on, each one slower than the last. Viviane did her best to keep herself busy, but finally there was nothing to do but wait for Scarlet Minx and Kalifa Venus to arrive, and let the Leviathan's repairs finish.

She was itching with impatience to enact her plan. Each day they wasted was another day Ryujin had to heal and another day closer to her eggs hatching. If that happened, it would already be too late.

Sure, they'd be able to kill the beast's young with little difficulty, but taking down the mother herself would be even harder than before. And if they tried to kill Ryujin after already claiming the lives of her children, there would be no mercy for any of them. Those thoughts had kept Viviane awake almost every night and left her anxious enough that only going for a swim could calm her down.

She'd woken Jacob a few times when coming back to his room after such an evening. Now, he'd taken to staying awake until he was certain she'd fallen asleep. Tonight was one exception. Viviane lay on her side, studying Jacob's peaceful features.

Every now and then he'd make a small sound and shift into another position, but for the most part, he was quiet. Viviane smiled to herself, letting her fingers trail down his bare arm. He sighed, the hand resting beside his face curling briefly.

His eyes fluttered open and he squinted at her, mouth curling sideways. Jacob pushed himself up on an elbow and scrubbed his hand over one eye. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," Viviane replied. "My mind is just too active to sleep."

"What are you thinking about?" Viviane smothered a laugh at the lingering drowsiness in his tone. Jacob laid back once more, tucking an arm beneath his head.

"A lot of things, but nothing really important. I'm just hoping we can convince Captain Minx and Captain Venus to help us. I don't know what we'll do otherwise."

Jacob drew a deep breath and turned to face her. He looked more awake now, but hesitation pooled in his eyes. "I've been thinking about that. Caspian thinks we need a backup plan in case this one fails and he's right. I've been trying to come up with one and I have an idea, but..."

"But what?" She urged when he ceased to continue.

"I don't think you'll like it."

Viviane frowned. "Tell me."

"You told me that Mer have the ability to control sea creatures, but one Mer alone wouldn't be able to control Ryujin. What if controlling her turns out to be our only option?"

"Why would it?"

"If Scarlet and Kalifa don't agree to help us, that will mean we're still vying with all five Pirate Lords for Ryujin. I don't know if we can relocate or fight her and them all at the same time. And if her eggs hatch, we'll be in even deeper shit."

Viviane sat up, already suspecting what he was about to say. "Go on," she prompted regardless.

"Is there a way you could convince your sisters to help us?"

Her jaw clenched and she had to force herself to relax before answering. "Have you forgotten that they'd have the right to execute me if I ever returned to them?"

"But you wouldn't be returning to them. You'd..."

"Yes, I would," she interrupted. "That is how they'd see it. To have the right to ask for their help, I'd have to return to them and repent of my actions, in which case they'd have the right to banish me themselves, to have Cantata strip me of my Mer half, or to execute me outright. Given how I left them, I doubt they'd be very welcoming."