Shatter Like Glass-Cinderella Retold

Part Twenty-Three

Ashen was sitting in her cabin when she heard the cannon fire. Turning away from her makeshift target, she grabbed her daggers and ran out into the hall. Another boom reverberated through the air. Female voices screamed a few levels above her. The deck, she decided. Her eyes widened. The only other women on the ship were her aunt and cousins. Ashen took off running towards the stairs, glad she wasn't in a dress. After the incident with Veran, Nadya and Alena had agreed that, on the ship, it might be best that Ashen stick to her pirate clothes.

Natalya nearly ran into her when she reached the stairs.

"Is that canon fire?" Ashen's cousin demanded. "What is going on?"

"I don't know," Ashen told her. "Where are your sisters and mother?"

Panic flashed across Natalya's face. "Veida's in her room sleeping, but Nadya said she and Mother were going above deck to discuss the route with the captain." Though Ashen hadn't asked, Natalya added, "Father is on The Jolly Roger; he wanted to make sure those manning it had enough supplies to make it to East Sienna."

"He might be alright," Ashen said dismissively, "but we need to get to Alena and Nadya."

Looking down at Ashen's assortment of weaponry, Natalya said, "Give me one of the daggers."

"Do you know how to fight?" Ashen asked. She didn't want her doing something stupid.

"I should be able to stab someone if they get close," her cousin stated.

"Good," Ashen said, removing a dagger from its sheath and handing it—hilt first—to her. Natalya took it gratefully.

"Ready?" she asked.

Ashen nodded. Taking a deep breath, she led the way up to the deck.

What they found was chaos. The attacking ship was close enough that the men were able to swing over. Ashen looked up and saw the flags of the ship. Black.

"Pirates," Ashen hissed.

"Friends of yours?"

"Certainly not," she stated.

Hearing footsteps running at them, Ashen instinctively brought up her sword. It collided with one of steel. The pirate pressed hard, driving Ashen back a step. She whispered the strength spell. The moment it left her lips, the opposing sword split in two. Ashen smirked as the man stumbled backwards from the force of her blow. She slashed across his abdomen. He collapsed to the deck, likely dead.

Natalya was staring at her when Ashen turned back around.

"Find your sister and mother," Ashen ordered. Holding out the other dagger, she added, "Give this to Nadya."

"If I don't know how to use it, she won't."

"Lesson one: don't get stabbed."

Natalya rushed off to carry out the orders.

"Ashen!" Smiegal's voice called out. Ashen turned around. It took a moment to find him. Finally, she realized he was on The Queen's Heart. He and the guards on deck were engaged in a fight with several of the pirates. They seemed to be holding their own relatively well. The Oaken's guards were not so fortunate. Ashen counted two pirates to every guardsman. The soldiers were clustered around the queen and princesses. They seemed determined to protect them. With their attentions divided, though, the pirates were cutting through them with ease.

Peering around, Ashen noticed all the attacking pirates had masks made from skulls, some animal, some human. Her eyes widened. These weren't just any pirates. These were the Flying Saints.