Page 13

Esmyra

T he deck above was a storm of violence.

From the dark, damp belly of the ship, Esmyra grinned as she listened to it all—boots pounding against the wood, the clash of steel, the sharp crack of gunfire.

She tugged at the rusted cell’s hinges bolted to the wooden beams, but it wouldn’t budge. The siren within her thrashed. Esmyra wasn’t meant to rot here while the men spilled blood above. She twisted her wrists, the cuffs biting into her already raw skin from struggling to break free.

A shadow flickered against the lantern’s flame hanging from the wall, swinging as the ship rocked with the sea. A whisper of beating wings sounded, followed by the lightest tap of boots against the steps leading down into the brig.

Jak. Thank the gods.

“Didn’t think I’d leave you to rot, did you, gorgeous?” He stepped into the subtle glow of the lantern light.

“Kaelypso’s tits, it’s about damn time,” she growled, her fingers curling around the bars as she stared at the infuriating smirk on his face.

His grin flashed in the dark as he jingled a key between his fingers, gold eyes bright with amusement. “Had to let you sweat a little.” He shrugged. “Builds character.”

“Open the fucking door before I build character by clawing your eyes out.”

With a low chuckle, he slid the largest, rusted key into the lock, twisting until it clicked. “Found these on his desk in the office,” he admitted.

The cell door groaned open, and she threw her wrists in his direction before he could say another word. “Hurry!” she shrieked, desperate to get the cuffs off and regain her magic.

Jak’s eyes flared, and he began rummaging through the keys once more, sticking them in the keyhole one by one until finally, the click of the lock sounded and the cuffs fell to the floor with a loud clang .

The moment they fell from her wrists, she sucked in a sharp breath as she was flooded with her power.

It shot through her veins like a vicious crack of lightning, starting in her chest and bursting to the tips of her talons.

She gripped the rusted bars to hold herself up as it nearly brought her to her knees.

Jak watched her with concerned eyes. It was a look she had never seen him wear—at least not toward her.

“What did you say it was called again? Velsinyte?” His brows furrowed as he said the word, eyes narrowing on the strange stone-like metal.

“Aye,” she answered, grabbing the cuffs from the floor. “And they’re coming with us.”

They barely made it a step toward the stairs before the room exploded.

BOOM .

A cannonball tore through the hull, sending splintering wood, embers, and smoke billowing through the brig.

The blast threw them off balance, sending both of their bodies flying into the cage as the floor beneath them buckled.

The ship groaned as The Night Wraith tore it to pieces and water surged through the shattered hull.

“Only one way out of here now, gorgeous,” he shouted over the rushing water .

“Way ahead of you.” She dug into the folds of her dress and handed him the parchment that she stole from Draevyn’s office. “That may be the answer to all of our questions. Bring it back to our ship, but do not give it to Cyrus. Hold on to it for me until I return. Understood?”

Jak let out an exasperated sigh but eventually nodded.

“Get out of here while you still can,” she ordered with a menacing lilt to her voice, her eyes flashing an icy light.

“I’ll see you on the other side.” Jak winked and morphed into his owl form, the parchment now clutched in his talons. With a few flaps of his feathery wings, he was soaring up the staircase and out of her sight.

Esmyra stood there in silence for a few moments, giving him enough time to escape the lower levels before she waded through the water a few steps away from the cell’s door.

She reached for her power, welcoming its return as her fingernails elongated into claws.

Webs formed between her fingers, and the previously dark cell became bathed in teal.

She sucked in a sharp breath through her nostrils, the salty tang of the sea stinging them beautifully as her magic answered her call.

And then the ship began to tremble.