A Heart Divided

Chapter 13

Storms on the Horizon

The days that followed were a blur of tense silence, each passing hour filled with a quiet fear that clung to the ship like a second skin. Kellen remained distant, rarely speaking unless directly addressed. But his eyes never left them, and Eliza could feel his gaze on her as though he were weighing her every move, as though he could sense the unease that had taken root in her heart.

On the fourth night, as a heavy fog rolled in from the sea, Eliza found herself unable to sleep. The ship creaked and groaned with the weight of the wind and the waves, and the lanterns below deck cast erratic shadows that seemed to twist and shift unnaturally in the dim light.

She stood near the rail of the ship, staring out into the fog, the cold wind biting at her skin. The sea was eerily calm, the fog thick and suffocating. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was closing in around them. A storm was coming, but not the kind that came from the sky.

Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her, and she turned to see Alden approaching, his face tense, his eyes darkened with worry.

"Eliza," he said quietly, his voice rough, as though he hadn't spoken in hours. "What are you doing out here?"

"I couldn't sleep," she confessed, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. "I've been thinking about everything. About what's coming next. It feels... like we're not as safe as we thought."

Alden came to stand beside her, his hand brushing hers in a brief moment of contact. "I know," he murmured. "I've been thinking the same thing. But we'll get through this. We have to."

Eliza turned to look at him, her heart aching with the intensity of her emotions. "What if it's not enough? What if we can't outrun them, Alden? What if there's no way out of this?"

He met her gaze, his expression softening, but there was a steely determination behind it. "We make our own way out. Together."

But as he spoke those words, a distant shout interrupted their conversation, a sound that made Eliza's blood run cold.

The call was followed by another, louder this time—a shout of alarm from the crew above deck.

Alden grabbed Eliza's arm, pulling her toward the stairs that led up to the deck. "Something's wrong," he hissed, his face pale with realization. "Stay behind me."

Eliza's heart raced as they emerged onto the deck. The fog was so thick now, she could barely see past the edge of the ship. But the sounds were clear—footsteps, voices shouting, the unmistakable clanging of swords being drawn.

And then she saw it.

A small boat, silhouetted in the fog, drawing closer to the ship. On board, there were men—too many men for it to be a simple mistake. They were coming for them.

Alden's grip tightened on her, his expression grim. "They've found us."

Before Eliza could react, a sharp voice shouted from the fog. "Surrender now, Princess Eliza. We know you're on this ship. There's no escape."