Page 124 of Pirate Witch

“Not if it’s underwater.”

I gape at Val. “You can do that?”

He shrugs, as if it’s no big deal. “I have a theory that Icould. But without wind, we’ll need propulsion…” He trails off, looking at the twins, who both get thoughtful expressions.

“With the ropes, it should work…” Cas looks at Nos. “Two of us wouldn’t struggle.”

“It’s underwater,” Klaus interrupts. “Nilsa, are you sure?”

“I’ll keep those of us without gills in a bubble of air,” Val says. “But yeah, there’s no getting around the fact that you will be underwater. The sea won’t touch you, but you’ll be farther under than you’ve ever been before. I’m just glad the bay is deep enough to entertain this crazy ass plan.”

My fingers dig into Cas’s arm, but I’m not stupid.

This is what might be my last chance to kill this bitch. I’ve put my life, my mate’s lives, and my own sanity on the line for this one chance. I can’t pass it up just because of my fear.

“Do it.” My whole body feels tense, like I’m preparing to jump off a cliff rather than forcing out two syllables. “It’ll be like that time in the hull, right?”

Val smiles at the memory of our first date and nods. “I’ll be careful. Nothing will happen.”

“I’ll hold on to you every second of the way,” Ry promises, stealing me from Cas’s arms.

“I’ll be fine.” If I say it, I’ll believe it. My swimming lessons have been going better recently, and I won’t even need them for this. “The water won’t actually touch me, right?” I glance at my mage mate.

I half expect Val to take the opportunity to mock me, but he doesn’t. His dark eyes are solemn as he nods.

“Not a drop,” he vows before turning to the twins. “Get your asses back overboard, then. We’re doing this.”

“This is mad,” Klaus mutters, leaving his sister to join me.

“Have you done this before?” I ask, then immediately regret the question.

Val shrugs. “If I lie, will it make you feel better?”

“This is a ridiculous idea,”Opal grouches, abandoning my shoulders and sprinting for the trapdoor.“My fur is going to getwet!”

“Gee, thanks for the support,” I snap at her retreating back.

My men and Cassie’s look at me, their expressions ranging from bemusement to confusion, but I shrug them off. Nos and Cas come forward and press soft kisses to my lips. Perhaps it’s supposed to be reassuring, but my brain seizes on the way they taste like the ocean and presses the memory of being crushed by the waves to the forefront.

“We’ll make it the smoothest ride we can, princess,” Cas promises.

That doesn’t fill me with confidence, but I nod, anyway. I watch his retreating back as he follows his twin over the edge, but I don’t really see it. The edges of my vision have darkened, and every breath I take feels forced and shallow.

We’re not even going to get wet, I rationalise to myself. There is literally nothing worth panicking about.

Rysen releases me to Klaus without missing a beat, and theDeadwoodshimmers with Val’s power as the giant heads of the twins surface once more. Those powerful jaws snap closed around the rope Ry throws their way just as Klaus begins to hum softly under his breath.

“Oh Goddess, what is thatnoise?” Vespar complains, but Cassie shushes him with a hushed, hasty explanation.

“Male siren song. It sounds different to females, I promise. Nilsa needs it.”

My cheeks would be turning scarlet right now, if not for the fact that Klaus’s humming is actually helping. I take my first full lungful of air since Val said the word ‘underwater’ and relax into him as the leviathans disappear beneath the waves and the entire ship lurches.

Titan gives a surprised yelp, but Val strokes his head to calm him. The dog bends down and takes a rope in his mouth, offering it to the captain with a dopey tilt of his head, and Val laughs.

“Sure thing, boy,” he mumbles.

The rope winds its way out of Titan’s mouth and around his body, forming a harness which knots tight around the base of the ship’s wheel. More ropes spring to action, forming neat loops around our waists as the ship lurches once more under the force, dragging it down.