Page 12 of Journey to the Elderoak (Daughter of the Earth #2)

T he emergency bell rang as a sailor shouted from the crow’s nest, “Enemy ships ahead!”

Fear dug its claws into Ava’s gut. They had found them. In the middle of the ocean. How did they even have ships? They must have taken them from one of their conquered kingdoms. She turned around to face Casimir, eyes wide.

“Get down below.”

“Please don’t make me hide,” she pleaded. “I have to fight. I don’t want to be helpless anymore.”

He ran a hand through his hair, warring emotions on his face.

“If I’m hiding below deck, I’m a sitting duck. They already know I’m here. If any of them get wind of me hiding, I won’t be able to fight my way out. I’ll be cornered.”

A long pause, then he relented. “You’re right. Go get your armor on. Hurry. I’ll be right behind you.”

She sprinted across the deck to their sleeping quarters, darting in between crew members. The ship was a flurry of activity, Gisela shouting orders as they prepared for battle .

She threw open the door and dug through the wardrobe for her leathers. Raine burst in as she was securing the belt.

“Do you need help?" he asked, already dressed and armed.

“Make sure I did it right.”

She couldn’t get her heart to slow down as Raine adjusted the straps. He yanked on the armor, ensuring its fit.

“It’s okay to be scared,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Channel your fear into anger. Be angry they tried to take you. Protect your kingdom.”

She nodded.

“You’ll be with me and the other archers since that’s your best skill. Listen to my instructions. Focus on what you’re good at, which is not daggers. No offense.”

“I know. Thanks.”

As he released her, Casimir barged in and swiftly donned his own armor. After dressing, he marched over to her and grasped her face. His golden eyes were filled with worry and determination. “Please be careful.”

“You too.” Her throat was tight, her pulse racing.

He turned and left the room.

The deck was organized chaos. Orders were being given, soldiers and sailors splitting into teams. Raine led the way to the starboard side, the captain having turned the ship to allow more room for the archers.

There was no outrunning them; they had to stay and stand their ground.

“Stay next to me,” Raine said.

She took a shuddering breath, squinting through the dark and using the moonlight to aid her vision. The ships had drawn closer, and bile rose in her throat as she counted four.

“Raine,” she whispered. “How are we supposed to fight four ships?”

“With everything we’ve got,” he said with false confidence.

“Can’t you make giant vines and sink them? ”

He looked down at her and grimaced. “Now probably isn’t the best time to tell you we can’t use our magic at sea.”

“What?”

“It’s earth magic, dainty human. We must be on land since we draw from the earth. It’s the same with Saxumdale.”

“So no one can use their magic?” she asked, panicking. Deidamia and Andras had magic. Did any of the daemon soldiers? She couldn’t remember. Either way, this would not be an evenly matched fight.

“We’ve got a few hybrids on board who can,” he said.

“Hybrids?”

“Has no one taught you this yet? Dammit.” He shook his head. “Hybrids are fae who have parents from more than one kingdom. They usually inherit both types of magic. Gisela’s one. Her mother was from the ice kingdom so she can wield ice on the ship.”

“Okay.” She turned back to the approaching enemies. “Okay. It’ll be fine.”

“It will,” he replied, though she knew he was as nervous as she was.

Rowboats were lowered into the ocean with a splash, each one filled with daemon soldiers. They were close enough now Ava could make out their individual shapes on the water.

Her first real battle. There was the attack at the pub a couple of months ago, but she had zero training then and had spent most of the fight helping the injured.

Until she’d found Raine’s sister cornered by a soldier and stabbed him in the shoulder.

That soldier had grabbed Ava and almost taken her back to Andras, but Raine killed him with an arrow through the throat.

And now she was about to do the same thing. This wasn’t practice and these weren’t straw targets. They were living, breathing soldiers who she had to kill with her bow.

Ava closed her eyes, steeling herself. She could do this .

Protect your kingdom, she told herself. Defend your friends.

Raine shouted orders. “Archers, ready your bows! Pick a target but do not release until I give the signal!”

Ava had never seen him in his role as captain. Had never been around when he was leading a group of soldiers. His humor was replaced by aggression, determination.

He turned to a small group of crew members without bows.

“If you have usable magic, stand in between the archers and aim it at their rowboats. Take out as many as possible.” Addressing the whole group again, he finished, “We must prevent them from boarding our ship or we’ll be overrun. Don’t let them board!”

Raine rejoined Ava. “Get ready.”

She retrieved an arrow from the quiver on her back, squinting into the darkness until she found the shape of a soldier.

“A couple more minutes and they’ll be close enough to shoot,” he said.

“Alright. Where’s Casimir?”

“He’s in charge of the soldiers who’ll be fighting in close contact if they end up boarding. Plus, he has a couple of the stronger hybrids with him on the upper deck to focus on the larger ships.”

She nodded, not taking her eyes off her target.

“He’ll be okay,” Raine whispered. “Don’t get distracted worrying about him.”

“I know.”

Ava reviewed the steps in her head to keep calm. Draw, aim, release. Grab another arrow. Nock it in place. Find your next target. Repeat. Draw, aim, release. New arrow. Nock it. Target. Again and again, she repeated it.

“Archers draw!” Raine called.

Ava drew her bow along with the group. She focused on the daemon soldier she had set in her sights and took a deep breath.

“Release!”

She let go. The fletching brushed her cheek as it speared toward her target, piercing his neck. He toppled into the water along with dozens of other soldiers.

“Find your next target!” Raine shouted beside her, reloading his own bow.

Ava pulled back, aiming at another daemon in the same boat.

“Release!”

She released again, this time hitting him in the eye.

They repeated the process, taking down as many enemies as possible while magic shot across the water.

Ice burst from the extended hands of a crew member beside her, freezing a rowboat.

Another directed a ball of starlight—likely astral magic—at the frozen boat and it shattered along with everyone on board.

The two of them alternated, ice and starlight, as they took down boat after boat. They were making headway as Ava focused on the enemies who weren’t being destroyed by magic. The daemons rowed with vigor, but the team of archers kept them at bay.

She kept going, breathing in a bit of relief that no one had boarded the ship. She could do this. Focused and determined, her aim was perfect.

As her confidence soared, a crew member shouted from the crow’s nest, “Incoming!”

“Ava,” Raine barked. “Look up. New targets. Shoot them down.”

Her eyes moved to the sky and her heart leaped in her throat when massive shapes appeared in the night, headed straight for their ship. Two dozen winged creatures. She glanced down to the sea to find dozens more rowboats drawing closer, as if they’d appeared out of thin air .

The first group was a test of their defenses, but now they were unleashing their entire force. They didn’t have enough archers. They’d be overrun.

“Archers! Shoot down the monsters! Magic wielders, keep focusing on the boats!”

Ava aimed at the sky and released an arrow at one of the creatures.

A blood curdling scream erupted from its wide mouth as a hole was torn through its wing, but it clumsily flew on, trying to reach their ship.

She aimed for the other wing, her arrow tearing a bigger hole, and the being plummeted to the water with a splash.

One down. Many more to go.

Ava continued, ignoring her panic and following Raine’s instructions.

The monsters would be here in seconds, and they’d only managed to take down a few.

Once they reached the deck, they’d be so focused on fighting these creatures, the daemon soldiers would board. Probably what they’d planned all along.

“Raine!” she shouted over the noise of beating wings and shouts of soldiers. “There aren’t enough of us!”

“Keep bringing them down,” he ordered.

She followed his instructions, but the flying beasts were much more difficult targets, avoiding her arrows as they neared the deck.

A massive shape swooped low, and Ava ducked just in time.

It grabbed the sailor beside her, talons piercing his shoulders, and rose higher before releasing him.

His body smashed into the deck with a crunch.

Raine turned to her, wide-eyed as another creature dove. He shoved her to the ground, protecting her with his body, and gutted it with his sword.

“We need to move.” He grabbed her arm. “Fall back!” he shouted to the archers. “Get to the center of the ship and take down the beasts!”

They sprinted to the middle of the deck where Casimir and a group of soldiers had their swords drawn. Ice blasted through the air from Gisela, but the monsters dodged it with ease.

One of the winged abominations landed with a thunderous boom, the ship vibrating beneath Ava’s feet.

Moonlight illuminated the menacing creature as it stood on two legs, long arms ending in sharp claws, its bat-like wings spread wide.

Black skin hung from its frame and a wicked grin revealed jagged teeth.

Over eight feet tall, it took a step forward and swiped at a nearby soldier, gutting him in seconds.

Ava loosed an arrow, piercing its shoulder, but it only served to anger the monster. It crept closer and swiped again but the group ducked. Raine took off, shouting for Ava to follow, as Casimir snuck behind it.

Another landed with a shudder, pulling Ava’s attention away, as three crew members lunged for it and took it down with their swords, while Raine shot an arrow into its eye.

Ava glanced back to where Casimir had been, but he was now running in another direction, the first monster a pile of ash on the deck. She swore he was glowing, but there was no time to think about that as daemon soldiers climbed over the edge of the ship.

They were being boarded.

Ava rushed to the railing and looked over the water. The ocean was overrun with rowboats. There had to be nearly fifty. She aimed her bow at the soldiers climbing up the side and took them down as fast as possible. Raine appeared beside her to help, and they felled as many enemies as they could.

It still wasn’t enough.

More daemons clamored on board. Shouts and screams surrounded them as swords clanged behind her.

They were fighting for their lives now. Would they even make it?

Ava looked around, ignoring the fear working its way through her as she tried to think of some way to help.

They couldn’t die now. Couldn’t fail at the first large battle .

There must be something they could do.

A plan formed in her mind. It was risky. Stupid, even. But if it worked, it could ensure their victory. She had to try.

“I have an idea!” she yelled at Raine.

“What?”

“You’re going to hate it, but I need to get in the water.”

“Fuck no! You can’t go down there.”

She grabbed his arm and yanked, making him look at her. “The last time I called an ocean drake I was in the water!”

“Are you crazy?”

“We need to take those boats and ships out! I have to try!”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Alright. But I’m coming with you.”

“You need to stay here and fight,” she said.

“Absolutely not. If you were fae I would, but you’re still human. I’m not leaving you alone.”

“Fine,” she relented. “How do we get down there?”

“Follow me.”

He sprinted to the opposite side of the ship, free from the enemy soldiers, Ava following. They reached the railing and Raine unrolled a rope ladder. “Don’t make me regret this.”