Her Light

XXI

It's an earlier morning than the crew thought it was going to be. Camila is woken by shouts, immediately noticing the usual warmth Lauren provides to the bed is missing. She tumbles to her feet, not bothering to change into anything remotely clean—though not many clothes really are, they try their best.

Camila nearly collides with Dinah as they're scrambling from their beds. Normani is last to roll onto her feet, groaning loudly amidst the chaos. She rubs her face with her fists.

Bursting through the cabin door, Camila spots Ally and Lauren standing at the back of the boat. Camila's heart calms slightly now knowing where Lauren is.

Normani and Dinah flank her a few seconds later, their hands on their hips as they push past Camila on their way to them.

"What's going on...?" Normani's voice trails out as she looks out into the distance. Camila follows her gaze and feels the air in the lungs still like steam.

Out upon the horizon line, Camila can see through the morning fog large shapes of mostly black and browns. Their sailboat is approaching rather quickly and the closer they get, the better Camila can decipher what the silhouettes are. They're ships. Broken, wrecked, and half drowned ships—the graveyard Normani was describing.

They're here. They've arrived at Serpent's Pointe.

"You found it!" Normani cheers, rushing over to shackle Ally within her arms. She hugs her tightly, shaking her tiny self wildly.

"It wasn't hard, you helped me draw up that map." Ally reminds her. Her voice is somewhat strained—probably from the air being cut off from her lungs via Normani.

Releasing Ally, Normani stands back and laughs into the morning air. "I was just guessing! I guess it worked out."

Dinah comes up beside her and slaps her on the back, "dumbass, that's a move I would've pulled!"

Normani turns to the side to face Dinah, her arms crossed over her chest. Shifting her stance so she in her face, eyebrows raised high, she jeers, "proud of me?"

"Nah," Dinah rolls her eyes, crinkling her nose at her. "You're not at my level yet."

"You're fucking stupid!"

Among the clatter and commotion, Camila finds Lauren's eyes and smiles in recognition. Lauren carefully maneuvers herself around the arguing friends (wives? Camila still doesn't really know) and greets her with an excited smile.

"We beat them here. We beat them!" Lauren grins, and Camila finds her own hands raising to hold Lauren's between them. "So now we can ambush and get my boat back."

She holds her steady and securely, her hands wrapped around either forearm. Lauren's grasp is loose upon Camila's skin, but of course they are because she's excited and full of adrenaline. Camila keeps her here, before her wake.

"Let's swab the deck with these assholes." Camila watches an amused smile adapt in her features. "Is that something a true pirate would say?"

Lauren laughs, and it surprises Camila when she pulls her into her arms. With her arms pressed tightly against her back as she embraces her, Camila now feels like she's the one being secured. Weary only from the suddenness of the action, Camila wraps her arms around her neck, finding serenity within her touch.

The calm before the storm.

"Yes, exactly like a true pirate." Lauren murmurs, the ghost of a chuckle upon her lips.

As they pull apart, they're being grouped up with the crew. Dinah holds Camila's arm as she leads her into the huddle beside Ally. They're standing in a circle, all of them leaning in to some degree—maybe so they could whisper if they needed to, though no one else is out here, or simply for the protection and closeness is provides.