Falling For The First Mate

Chapter 33

Far above, claiming the divide between legend and reality, the Maelstrom had long since succumbed to chaos. As the crew realised the disappearance of their four best men, faith in survival dwindled rapidly. And, fortunately for Evanora, Captain Silvestre had suffered the loss the most of all.

She now found herself trapped behind the barred doors of the First Mate’s cabin. Once the Captain’s arms grew weary, he had ordered her imprisonment there while the truce with the Kappas remained upheld. The first hour and a half of hammering upon the windows and walls had served no greater purpose than turning her knuckles an ugly shade of purple, and the constant screaming had dried her throat. Now she had no option but to sit and listen intently, trying to gage the various degrees of the attack beyond her cell.

Apparently, the Kappas were an even match for the pirates. The treaty with the creatures had lasted for as long as the crew’s resolve- not long at all, since within the first five minutes of her absence, a blubbering pirate had snapped and shot one. From that point, it all went downward. Gunshots tore through the twilight and into the flesh of both human and animal. What was more, the pummelling of sharp beaks and clawed hands against the wooden door seemed neverending.

A desperate cry tugged a shudder down Evanora’s spine. Moments later, the door trembled as a lifeless body slammed against it. Pale with the creeping firmness of death, the wide eyes rolled back and the lips spewed blood. Evanora opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out; all her tired throat could produce was the slightest gurgle. Back at the door, the blood of a broken pirate painted the glass panes red.

As she watched, a trio of Kappas approached the corpse, piercing eyes set deeply inside their saucer-shaped skulls. They set to work on the poor man’s body with their snapping beaks, feeding on his flesh and bone in gleeful revenge.

A surge of anger overtook Evanora. He was dead! What more could they take from him?

“Stop it!” Somehow she found her voice. “Stop! Leave him alone!”

Throwing herself against the doorframe, she unsheathed her sword and smashed the hilt against the glass. She was no longer afraid for her own safety- it had taken a while, but bravery had finally taken hold. As the glass finally gave way, it shattered upon the creatures outside and they turned their hostile glares toward her.

Evanora pushed her hand through the makeshift window, swiping her sword cleanly through the air in the direction of the Kappas. In her head she was battling Terrian, duelling with Kade, and in reality she dispatched all three monsters in under a minute. Gloating to herself, she let her sword hang loosely out of the door, the only part of her granted access to freedom. Her eyes trained on the spilt blood of the beasts before her, she failed to notice the second troop arriving to avenge their fallen.

The sword was ripped from her grasp and a beak snapped at her arm, tearing the skin. With a shriek, Evanora tried to retreat back into the cabin, but the Kappas were far stronger than they appeared. While they savaged her forearm and nipped at her fingers, Evanora could only whimper in pain, too protected to flee from harm.

The attack came to a sudden stop.

Hearing the dying groans of the animals and thanking whoever had spared her, she ripped her hand away and retrieved a shirt from a bedside drawer in the cabin, wrapping it tightly to stop the bleeding. The shirt, a memory of Kade Skyler and his carefree code, was soiled with blood in a matter of seconds, beyond saving. Evanora couldn’t help but wonder if its owner was in the same condition.

The door flew back against its hinges, squealing with the impact.

In strode Captain Silvestre…and Grimme.