Page 140 of Daughter of the Dark Sea

Kora stumbled forward, fishing out a token from her leathers. She offered her open palm to the guard, the small gold doubloon perched on top. The guard gingerly picked it up, turning it over in his gloved hand and inspecting it intently. Hiseyes widened as he pocketed the coin, and he glanced at her curiously.

“Where’d you get this? It’s very old.”

“I found it. Is it enough?”

“Aye.”Thank the gods.

They all exhaled simultaneously as the guard led them to a secret passage tucked around the corner from the platform. Carved into the jagged cliff, the tunnel’s walls were slick with ocean spray, and smelled like rusted stone. Vines snaked across the curve, delving and twisting into the cracks and dips of the stone, winding around stalactites on the ceiling.

After what felt like an eternity, they emerged out onto a hidden bank of boulders and moss, at the base of the leering cliff. Seaweed clung to the balustrades of domed platforms built into the side, all the way to the top. An outpost that’d been abandoned since the Galenite War. Kora craned her head back and looked up to the beacon of the Citadel at the top—and a raging fire.

“You setfireto the Citadel!”

There would be no coming back from this. They’d be hanged if they were caught.

Aryn followed her gaze. “It was Sam’s idea. He set a timed explosion with the kegs in the barracks. Leading towards the castle, and away from the dungeons.”

“Sam blew up grog?” she squeaked, bewildered. Pride flitted through her, but was quickly replaced with dread. An all-consuming dread of what the empire would do to Samuel.

The ocean was calmer here, waves lapping against the bank and the air was completely still. No cyclone winds, no biting cold roaring and slicing her skin. The quiet seemedloud.

“You never saw us,” Erick muttered to the guard as they hurried to the small pinnace boat with a ripped sail.

“Aye. I best be off—”

BOOM.

Rocks rained around them, smashing into the mossy bank, and Erick sprinted, shielding Kora with his armour as shouts rang above. The guard pelted into the secret tunnel.

“THEY’RE ESCAPING!” he cried as he vanished.

Warm light blossomed from the varying outpost platforms, and the dread coiled in Kora’s gut threatened to expand, snaking into her limbs, freezing her in place. They’d found her. They’d drag her kicking and screaming back to those slimy cells.

An ocean wave crested, tugging at her, beckoning her to leap into the sea.

“We need to go! Kora, move!” Erick pulled on her arm but she was rooted to the spot. Frozen in fear as the light burned brighter, bouncing off the slick wetness of the stalagmites.

“What are you doing!” Aryn grabbed her other arm, but she couldn’t move.

And just like that, a blonde head of hair appeared.

“Sam . . .” she whispered.

Both males stilled, whipping their gazes in Samuel’s direction, where he stood behind a balustrade halfway up the cliff.

“He’s going to make it,” Aryn breathed. “Sam! Jump!”

But Samuel wasn’t moving. Blood smattered the side of his face and his clothes. He limped as he waved a thick arm, and a sob tore from her chest.

“Go!” Samuel bellowed, and darted back into the outpost, the flickering of torches and cries of guards following him.

“Now!” Aryn yanked on her arm, nearly dislocating her shoulder. “He’s distracting them!”

“No!” she cried, as she collapsed onto the single deck. Aryn wrapped a second cloak around her from where it had been stashed in the boughs of the boat, as Erick began frantically rowing. She didn’t realise she was shivering.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered to the winds, as they rowed away from Talmon Island. Away from her ship, her crew, and her missing talisman.

Fires engulfed the horizon, burning the fortress into cinders. Somewhere, deep inside, Samuel, Theron, and Ivar were suffering.