Page 106 of Of the Stars and Sea

“Fucking hells,” I mutter.

“Captain!” one of the crewmen hollers from below. We both spin around and I hold my breath, waiting for the news. “The hull held! There’s no water damage that we can see from the inside.”

“Good work!” Grayson calls down to them. “Back to your stations!” He moves back to my side and gives the helmsman another command to steer us through the cluster of the next three isles.

“It might hold for now, Captain, but how in the hells are we supposed to make it back if we keep damaging the hull like that?” Zaos scowls at Grayson. The look on his face reminds me of Amara and how she has always challenged me when I’ve made decisions that could impact the integrity of theTrinityor put our crew at risk.

“That was the worst of it,” Grayson says, his voice low. “We’ll send down our craftsman to take a look at the hull once we anchor on the other side just to make sure the damage isn’t too severe to get us back.”

“Aye,” Zaos responds.

“That was theworstof it?” I echo in a whisper so low, only Grayson can hear. “Why do I feel like you’re lying?”

He eyes me sidelong, his long black hair whipping behind him. “Weren’t you the one who reinforced the need to keep my crew feeling good about the task at hand?”

Scowling, I cross my arms over my chest. “I guess I did.”

He pinches my chin between his fingers. “Then let’s keep it going. We’re almost to the other side.”

Once his hand drops from my face, I look forward and force myself to trust that Grayson’s knowledge of the isles will get us through the rest of the passage.

“Steer us port side! We need to break through the two isles on the left.” The helmsman makes the adjustments Grayson commands of him, and the stern of the ship centers between the two large rocks on our left. “Reef the sails!”

“Finally, you decide to slow her down,” I grumble, but Grayson doesn’t laugh.

He only raises a brow at me and I shrug my shoulders.

“Can the two of you focus on the task at hand please? I’d rather not have to take a swim today,” Zaos deadpans. In a flash, I imagine Zaos with drenched hair and that standard scowl on his face and I try to hide my laughter, but fail.

“I think I’d quite like to see you go for a swim.”

His eyes narrow on me, but I pay him no mind as Grayson moves closer to the railing, blocking my view of Zaos.

Just as before, the current flows rapidly toward us—but now that the sails are at half mast, we’re moving even slower.

“Get ready to release the sails!”

Collin and a few other men have the ropes in hand, waiting for their captain’s command.

“Steady!” he tells his helmsman. “Steady!”

The closer we get to the trio of dark gray rocks, the harder my heart bangs against my ribs. When we reviewed the route, this was the only other part that Grayson informed us needed to be perfect to ensure we don’t damage the ship beyond repair.

If we can just get through this . . .

Just as the stern passes the front of the two stone isles, a huge gust of wind catches the mainsails, pulling hard on the ropes. Pained hollers rip through the air and I look down to see Collin’s face twisted in agony as he digs his heels into the floor, leaning all his weight backwards.

“We’re almost through!” I yell, hating the way they struggle. Seeing the pain on their faces makes my stomach coil tight.

From the corner of my eye, I see Zaos hurry toward the staircase. Right before he reaches Collin and the other two men, another strong gust of wind blows over the sails, yanking the ropes upward. Clutching Grayson’s arm, I watch in horror as Collin is thrown forward. The other two men releasing their holds on the rope.

“Steer us port side! Now! Now! Now!” Grayson’s voice booms over the wind. I feel the urgency of it all the way to my bones.

The ship steers left just as Zaos makes the final few steps to Collin. Grasping onto the rope, he’s joined by the other two men. Then I see Collin release the rope and collapse onto the ground. Even from this far away, I can see the burns on his hands as he holds them out.

Pushing myself off the railing, I go toward the staircase, but Grayson grabs my arm.

“No, Rowenya.”