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Katrina

Ismiled tenderly at Milo. These moments between us were always so quick to end, always one step away from the next threat to our lives. I couldn’t wait till we just made it back home and that looming feeling could end. I fiddled with the ring on my finger, dreaming of the life we almost had—and could have again—if we could just make it back.

We redressed and climbed back out on deck, doing our best to look like we'd only been talking out the plan, but I figured our friends would be smart enough to guess that something more than discussion took place. We found McKenzie and Noah and shared our plan with them, asking them for their feedback and opinions. There was a heaviness in the air as the reality settled in that before long Thane would catch up to us. His ship inched closer every moment, and it was only a matter of time before it closed in on us.

“You two stay atop the crow’s nest and fire from there. Noah and I will do our best to hold them off when they attack,” Milo glanced between all of us as he spoke, addressing each of us. “We have one cannon shot. One. We’ll do our best to draw Thane near the stern. And one of you will fire if you have the chance. Even if it means you blast us, too.”

I shook my head, choking back a dry tightness overtaking my throat. “There has to be another way.”

“I’m hoping there is,” Milo said, that ever-familiar lock of hair falling over his eye. “But if we don’t find it, you have to do it anyway.” He glanced at us collectively once more. “Understood?”

“Crystal clear,” McKenzie muttered. The dark tone in her voice was a far cry from her usual chipper self.

“At this point I’ve accepted we might die, but I’m not going down without a fight.” Noah cradled his pistol in his hand, and there was a noble, but somber look in his eye.

I watched McKenzie after we dispersed, and I followed after her as she went to lean over the hull.

“Hey,” I said, scooting up next to her with my elbows propped up in a similar manner. “Everything okay? Well—aside from the obvious.”

“Yeah, I just…you know. Just once I’d like to feel like I’m brave or courageous or tough. Like you.”

“Like me?” I repeated, startled by her response. “Those aren’t exactly the words I would use to describe myself.”

“That’s because you don’t see yourself, Katrina.” She gestured with her hands as she spoke, her once-perfectly manicured fingernails now dirty and chipped. “You look like a badass all the time. But all anyone ever expects from me is the ditzy rich girl.” She paused with a pout. “Because I am the ditzy rich girl.”

“No,” I said. “You’re so much more than that.”

“This whole experience has just made me realize that I can do more and be more. I just have to start looking for opportunities to do it. I tend to miss out on what I’m capable of, because I’m so busy playing the part of what I’m used to being.”

“What are you saying?”

“I don’t know. I just…If we get murdered by pirates, I don’t want to go down crying in the corner and looking pretty. I want to know what I’m really capable of when push comes to shove.”

“Then do that. Show ‘em what you’re made of, Kenz,” I said. She smiled at me without another word, but I was sure I noticed a sparkle of confidence rise in her face.

Within moments, the air felt still, as if destruction hung in the air like a tapestry. Thane’s ship nosed its way to ours, its flag already replaced with the blood red flag Thane preferred. Milo had told me about red pirate flags. No prisoners and no survivors. I swallowed a lump in my throat.

I was distracted by the ship enough until Milo darted past. He skidded to a stop and whirled around to face me. Written plain in his shining wet eyes was a look of desperation and true concern that reminded me of the way he looked when Valdez tied him to the mast and tortured him. He leaned forward and gripped my shoulder, speaking low for only me to hear.

“If things get out of control…if the plan doesn’t work…you jump overboard and save yourself. Swim away. Swim far away from here and don’t look back.”

“Milo—” I began to protest, but he crashed his mouth into mine before I could get out the next word. When he pulled away, the worry in his eyes captivated and terrified me all at once. He was truly afraid for me. Afraid of what could happen.

“Promise me you will,” he choked. “I won’t let you die here.”

Stunned by the moment, words stayed trapped on my tongue, so I channeled my jitters into nods to show him I understood. Shattering the tension like glass, Noah rushed in between us.

“Hate to interrupt, but we’ve got more company than we thought.” He slapped a bronze spyglass into Milo’s hand and pointed out to sea.

Milo took a look through the tube to the horizon on the left. “It’s a Spanish frigate. Probably pirate hunters.”

“They’re coming this way, too,” Noah said, taking back the spyglass.

“Aye, they are.” Milo rubbed his jaw. “And that could either be a blessing or a curse. But we hold to the plan if we’re attacked. The frigate’s at least twenty minutes out. If we can hold off Thane until they reach us…we might have a chance if they intervene.” Before either of us could respond, Milo sprinted back to the helm.

“Time to play a bit of tag,” Noah uttered, leaning over the hull.

I glanced over at Thane’s rapidly approaching ship, racing across the water like a freight train. He was mere minutes from catching right up to us, so close that I could hear the shouts and jeers of his men.