The Hunter's Pursuit

57. Lives Claimed and Lost

Jacob threw his arms across his face as Ryujin bore down on them. Something latched onto his foot and he cried out before he was dragged beneath the surface of the sea. Jacob clamped his mouth shut and forced his eyes open.

Bubbles erupted overhead as Ryujin smashed through the platform where he had just been standing. Jacob's heart hammered painfully against his ribs and he couldn't tear his gaze away.

Viviane's arm wrapped around his waist this time and he managed to hold onto her while she propelled them through the water. She carried him up to the opposite side of the Leviathan and pushed him onto the platform.

Jacob caught her hand before she dove again. "What about you?"

"I'm going to try to distract her," Viviane replied.

"We have to kill her or none of us will survive this."

"Maybe not," Viviane murmured. Before he could ask what she meant, she pushed herself up and kissed him, then tugged her hand free of his and disappeared into the sea.

Jacob didn't have time to call after her. He clambered onto the ship and narrowly avoided running into Timothy, who was sprinting by with one of their last crates of sparkpowder shots. Jacob followed him to the swivel cannons and began hollering instructions.

"Aim for the weak spots in her mane! Try to find patches where she's missing scales! Remember her vulnerable points! Fire only when you know you can hit your mark. We can't waste these last shots!"

"Jacob!" Caspian shouted from the helm. Jacob caught his eye and his cousin jerked his chin, beckoning him closer. Jacob came running and paused in front of the door to the Captain's quarters. "I made a small investment for you while we were in Falorea. Check beneath the bed."

Jacob nodded and ducked into the room. He stumbled against a wall as the ship shook and from somewhere beyond, Ryujin screamed her fury to the sea. He dropped to his hands and knees beside the bed and peered beneath it.

Sure enough, something was suspended with ropes from the boards. He cut the ropes loose and pulled the crossbow free. Jacob's eyes widened as he ran his fingers across the symbols carved into the wood.

The ship lurched, throwing him face first into the sideboard of the bedframe. Jacob pushed himself upright with a groan, tentatively touching his nose. When he was certain it hadn't been broken, he looked under the bed once more and grabbed the second item.

Jacob hurried out of the room and made his way up to the helm, both crossbow and bolts in hand. "Where the hell did you get these, Cas?" He demanded, skidding to a halt beside his cousin.

"Falorea, like I said." Caspian clenched his jaw and shielded his face from the rain with one hand. He watched Ryujin carefully, then adjusted the position of the wheel. "I was going to give it to you sooner, but then you and Viviane decided to try to spare Ryujin's life. I decided I wouldn't give it to you until it came to this."

Cannons boomed from the deck below them. Jacob fell against the deck railing as another wave rocked the ship. "The bolts have exploding heads. I filled them with sparkpowder," Caspian added when the noise died down.

"And the symbols? Why are there Cervan runes engraved on this weapon?"

Caspian waited for the cannons to fire again before replying. "I spoke to that Cerva who was looking after the men. When I told her the weapon was for you, she agreed to carve the runes."

"What do they do?"

Caspian shrugged. "All she said was that the crossbow is now like Arlen."

Jacob's hand fell to the hilt of his sword and he swallowed hard. His mouth lifted in a small smile and he gave Caspian a nod. "All right. I'll do what I can."