A Mirage Of Milk And Honey

Chapter 25 - Caught

Honey wasn't sure what had happened. One moment the four of them had been happily gliding through the arches and sea stacks that dotted the northern area of the island, and just as quickly the air was filled with yells from two different groups.

Honey leaned back, veering to the right as she pulled away from the group.

Aedis called out her name in warning as they followed her movements, scattering in different directions to set some distance between them all.

Smaller targets were easier to hit, and the Poachers below knew that.

The ship that had hidden itself in one of the nooks of the island was large—larger than the one Aedis had fought against in Upios—and covered from stern to bow with weaponry. Aedis could spy a number of Ballista's below, too many for him to get close enough.

"We need to retreat!" Aedis yelled out, and the others veered to the north at his orders, intent on outrunning the ship.

Honey let out a pant as she shifted, straddling the saddle below her with bent knees and folding her body close to Copper's back.

Zemira and Chip were in front of her, leading the way as their Oisia's wings flapped furiously against the wind, propelling the two forwards. But all four of the Oisia had only just taken flight. Their wings strained as their stiff muscles fought and the hunters below—they were moving fast.

Unnervingly fast.

Too fast.

Honey's mind ran at super speed, thoughts racing through her mind and judgement clouded by fear as the boat below them cut through the waves.

"The sails are stowed!?" Honey yelled to Aedis, who flew beside her, "How are they moving!?" Fear had crept into her voice as the boat neared, and Aedis turned back to examine it.

Whatever he saw made him swear.

"They've got an Ethnarch!" He yelled ahead.

Both Zemira and Chip's heads turned at break neck speed, but they didn't get to make a comment on Aedis' observation, because their eyes were widening and their hands reaching out as the cross hatched pattern of a net engulfed Honey and Copper, sending them tumbling into the water below.

*

The cold was a shock as Honey was engulfed by ocean, the salt stinging at her eyes as she hopelessly thrashed, trapped between Copper and the net. The Brisk-Beak wasn't managing any better, thrashing her wings and talons but to no avail.

They kept on sinking.

And sinking.

And sinking

Gravity pulled them down but Honey couldn't register the sharp tug of the net as she panicked, terror coursing through her veins. Had she been facing the other way, had she not been lodged against Copper—strapped to her saddle, perhaps she could have broken the net.

But her breath was running out. Her head was hazy and her eyes ached and she was afraid. She was so, so afraid as darkness engulfed her. It blinded her. Deafened her. Stealing her sight and hearing so that all she could feel was the rope that squeezed her so impossibly tight, pushing the air into her lungs until she drowned in the void.

*

Aedis leaned back, pulling Inertia into an arch and sending the two diving head first at the crew below. In a quick and agile movement, Inertia had twisted and Aedis had landed on the deck of the ship, boots thudding against the dark wood beneath him.