Falling For The First Mate

Chapter 37

“Come below deck, miss, or ye’ might fall over the side!”

Pearl peered, flustered and untidy, out of the hatch leading below deck to the crew’s quarters. Down there, Grimme was awake and already grumbling sailor’s tales while the rest of the crew sat bandaged, preparing for a night of risky meals and Herbert’s pokey nose.

Scrambling awkwardly, Pearl made a grab for Evanora’s ankle, but the girl danced nimbly out of reach.

“Sorry, Pearl, but I’m staying up here.”

“Bloody suicidal, that’s what you be!” Pearl chided. “Come down ‘ere, girl. We’re about to go through that darn sea spiral again an’ I ain’t leavin’ ye’ behind! Ye' know what happened last time!”

“I’ll join you soon,” Evanora promised with a smile of reassurance. “Shen’s up here with me, and we’ll get inside in time. There’s just something I have to do first.”

She looked longingly back at the waters beneath which Atlantis took cover from the world. That one glance was all Pearl needed to understand. After all, she too mourned the loss of the charismatic First Mate whose death was hidden under mystery and sea alike.  

“Alright then, miss. But hurry along or I’ll be comin’ up and draggin’ ye’ back down here meself!”

With that, the woman’s pudgy fade disappeared into the belly of the ship and the hatch closed its jaws with a snap behind her. Evanora, amused at her friend’s mothering, wasted no time in hurrying to the back end of the Maelstrom, her eyes trained over the side as she went.

Only bubbles. Waves drawing a royal blue curtain between two worlds.

“Not long now,” Shen’s voice came from behind her. “I’d give it ten minutes, and then we’ll never see this place again.”

A lump rose in Evanora’s throat. Her hope was fragile, and doubt intensified every time she thought about leaving Kade behind. Dead or alive, he was down there somewhere, and sailing away felt like desertion.

“I’d say I’m glad to get out of here, but I think I’ll even miss those cannibals.” Shen pointed up at the mutant birds perched on the remnants of the crow’s nest. Flashing their metallic beaks and ruffling their feathers, they fixed their eyes on the pair below.

“Bugger off!” one squawked, and they took off in synchronisation, skimming the waters of the sea until eventually they faded from sight.

Evanora tried a laugh, and was surprised to find that it came easily. Shen wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze. His arms were comforting, safe. No harm would come to her while he was on board.

“It’ll work out, you know,” he said. “It will. I’m damned if I know how, but somehow it always does for those with love as strong as yours. Trust me on that; I've been around a while. Here, I’ll give you your last minutes, alright? See you inside.”

He let go, releasing Evanora to the brisk chill of evening air that precedes the sunset.

She did not answer him; her eyes were fixed solely on the horizon. There it was, always surrounding her, a constant reminder of the ceaseless love she held onto.

“And for the record,” Shen whispered, his voice getting quieter as his footsteps faded away, “I’d wager my life that this isn’t the last you’ll see of the notorious Kade Skyler."

Evanora spun on her heel to question him about the certainty in his words, but the shadow creature had disappeared. She had hoped for every moment after their discovery that Kade would arrive, shining with his hero’s welcome and running to her arms. But not so much as a ripple had been seen in the water, even though she and Shen had scoured the seas all night. Now optimism seemed hopeless and without point.