Corvus (Stars and Sails, Book 1)

Fifty-one (Part 2 of 2)

"This animal smells terrible," Jade said.

"She's lying, Nova. You smell like a goddamn rose," Aiden cooed, patting the horse's neck. They galloped along the coast. Jade couldn't help but stare out at the water, acutely aware of how awkward her arm felt wrapped around Aiden. It was the oddest thing, how she felt more comfortable with somebody in a chokehold than she did giving somebody a hug. Maybe that said something about her as a person, but so be it. Cuddles had never been her thing. Unless they were Oliver's. That boy was a Grade A snuggler.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"There's a sandbar," Aiden said. "That's what the lighthouse is there to warn for."

"It's dangerous?"

"Uh," he paused. "The bay has at least one dead body in it. I know that."

Jade blew into her cheeks and released all the air in a puff. The Tranans were an odd bunch. She'd heard mixed reviews (in the taverns, of course) that they were stranger inland, which was a preposterous claim to be making, now that she'd met Aiden and Haworth.

They made their way around the coast, getting closer and closer to the Alphard. Aiden guided Nova out onto the ocean. She splashed in the ankle-deep water of what Jade assumed was the sandbar.

"It's high tide now," Aiden said back to her. He shouted to the horse and snapped the reins, guiding up her speed until they were running across the sandbar, less than one hundred feet from the ship. Water was misting up, wetting the rolled-up ankles of Jade's pants. It was a welcome cool down in the hot sun. She reached to her thigh and took her gun. She cocked it.

"Ready?"

Aiden had his out in a minute, still steering Nova down the sandbar. He pointed his gun at the Alphard and Jade followed suit. She pinned her first target, a pirate manning the long gun on deck. Together, she and Aiden fired off, round after round. The pirate took a hit and fell overboard before splashing into the bay. Jade bit her cheek and fired off again, this time at the helmsman. He went down.

The Alphard had caught onto them and was firing back full force, all their guns at the ready, blasting at the water under Nova's feet. She ran faster and Jade had to steady her aim. She took down another pirate with a bullet to the chest.

There was a great noise, something of a detonation, a—

A great puff of smoke out the side of the Alphard, and an eight-pound cannonball hurtling towards them, its reflection bouncing across the water. Aiden kicked his heels into Nova and shouted at her. Jade smothered a scream as the cannonball was close enough to touch. She closed her eyes tight and pressed her fingernails into Aiden's stomach. The gun trembled in her other hand.

She felt weightless, her body lifting off the ground. Nova jumped up, legs outstretched. There was a gust of wind as the cannonball flew underneath them. Jade shouted, all her limbs shaking. Suddenly she burst out laughing, tears burning her eyes. She thought that would be the end of her, but gods, this horse was something else. The cannonball smacked into the water on the other side of the sandbar, creating a wave that washed over them. Jade tensed up as saltwater crashed over her head and burned her eyes, soaked her clothes and boots. She hated getting soaked, but at least she wasn't dead.

Nova kept on running, but slower now. Aiden coughed. "Nova! Nova, you're brilliant!" He laughed thankfully. The Alphard had stopped firing. Was it because they stopped? Or was it to watch as the Raven's Perch light finally toppled over? All that was left of it was rubble.

"Let's go back. They got what they wanted."

"You think they'll leave?" He asked.

Jade nodded. "They wanted to destroy the lighthouse. They're finished here." She narrowed her eyes, concentrating, and fired off one last round at a pirate who dared to step too close to the edge of the ship. She didn't miss her target.