Page 68 of The Sea Witch (Salt & Sorcery #1)

“And you,” Alys shouted to a cluster of witches. “Do what you can to keep the naval ship’s barrage from hitting us. Fire back

when you can.”

The naval vessel’s cannons boomed. At the same time, cracks rang out as marines fired long guns.

Several witches gathered together, facing the Jupiter .

As more magic-charged cannon fire and bullets raced toward the Sea Witch , a glowing spell shaped like a huge tortoise shell encircled the ship.

The navy’s ammunition slammed into the protective

shell. The Sea Witch shuddered, yet the spell held, and the enemy’s projectiles fell into the sea.

More witches fired magic toward the Jupiter . Spells began pouring from them: fiery rain, metal-shelled locusts, beetles that gnawed with red hot mandibles. Every conceivable

defensive spell was launched at the naval vessel. The screams and cries of the seamen rose up above the din.

Stasia ran from crew member to crew member, to all the women who had no magic. The second-in-command charged their bullets

and cannonballs with green glowing energy. Thus empowered, the crew fired back at the Jupiter . Bullets smashed into the naval ship’s hull, some of them piercing the wood.

“The fucking mage is so arrogant,” Alys muttered. “Didn’t think we were enough of a threat to shield the ship.”

That, at least, was in their favor. A moment later, a red net of energy encircled the flagship. The Sea Witch ’s cannons and bullets ricocheted off the shield. Until Dorothea, Susannah, and Thérèse joined together to summon a counterspell,

and the Sea Witch ’s cannons and bullets reached the Jupiter again. But it wasn’t enough.

Other crew worked the sails to keep the Sea Witch dancing in evasive maneuvers.

There was only one way to end this.

“Jane, Cecily, Cora,” Alys shouted. When the three women raced up, Alys commanded, “Summon every wind you can to get us out

of here. Hua,” she added for the helmswoman, “set a course for open water.”

The witches nodded and collected together, their eyes closed in focus. A moment later, the sails began to fill with strong

gusts, and the ship lurched as it started to move out of the bay.

“Polly!” After the boatswain appeared at her side, Alys directed, “The landing party and I will make for the beach. You’re to take this wind and get the Sea Witch out of here.”

Though Polly looked concerned at leaving the ship’s captain and crew behind, she answered, “Aye, Cap’n.”

Alys pointed to the jolly boat. “Everyone in the landing party, we go now!”

Her crew obeyed at once, and as they clambered down the ladder, Alys cast a spell of impenetrable spiderwebs to protect them.

Bullets lodged in the glowing silk.

“Take care of her,” Alys said to Polly.

“This ship’s my home,” the first mate answered gravely. “The crew’s my family.”

Alys clasped Polly’s wrist before she, too, climbed down the ladder. Once she was aboard the jolly boat, they pushed away

from the Sea Witch . The oars were taken up as Stasia chanted lowly, summoning the force of the waves to speed the small vessel quickly toward

the shore. Susannah added a spell-summoned fog to disguise them.

Riding in the rear of the jolly boat, Alys looked back toward the battle. The Jupiter ’s cannons fired, sending up clouds of smoke. Cannonballs battered against the shielding spell. One smashed through the protection.

It crashed into the hull, breaking apart the wood.

A second naval ship approached from the opposite direction. It was the same ship that had sunk the Bold Fortune . Beside it swam the ship’s kraken, its long tentacles trailing in the water.

The Sea Witch veered around the second ship. As they passed, cannons and bullets fired from the naval ship.

The barrage hammered against her crew’s magical shields. They smashed holes in the Sea Witch ’s hull, splintered the masts, and ripped jagged tears in the sails.

Her ship disappeared around a spit of land moments before the second naval vessel fired again. The fusillade shot into empty air and the second ship was too slow to turn about. The Sea Witch was out to sea, her crew safe.

For now.

When the tides turned, Alys would get her revenge against the navy. For endangering her crew. For killing Ben.

But she had to survive what came next.

If there was such a thing as Lady Fortune, Alys prayed the goddess of luck wouldn’t turn her back on the Sea Witch .

The sounds of combat shook all around Ben. The Jupiter ’s guns discharged in rapid succession, faster than he’d ever heard them fire before. And the flagship shuddered as a barrage

of ammunition struck its hull.

Alys was in the middle of all of this.

Pulling on his manacles and shackles, they heated, searing his skin.

“Enough of that,” the seaman guarding him snapped, jabbing him with a bayonet.

The ship shuddered around them. Men screamed. Yet for all the chaos aboard the Jupiter , it was nothing compared to what the Sea Witch was likely enduring. The naval muskets fired, and the cannons boomed. With Warne providing his magic to charge the ammunition,

even the most skilled witch aboard Alys’s ship wouldn’t be able to offer enough protection to shield the vessel and crew from

the barrage.

“Go above,” Ben growled to his guard. “They have better use of you than minding one prisoner.”

The seaman looked uncertain, but he stayed where he was. “Mr. Oliver promised a flogging if I desert my post.”

“Hear how the marines’ volleys are slowing? They’re losing men. The witches will turn into ravens and board the Jupiter . You’ll be dead if you remain here.”

There had to be something he could do to help. Not while he was caged and chained like a beast, stuck in the brig on a lower deck with no porthole to offer him the merest glimpse of what was transpiring outside.

The ship convulsed and men cried out. There was a booming, and the hull of the brig exploded. The seaman guarding Ben shouted

in alarm, leaping out of the way as shattered wood went everywhere. Ben raised his arms to shield himself from the flying

debris.

Looking up, Ben could see the gun deck through the huge gap, which revealed a terrible scene.

The Sea Witch was under assault, being hammered by gun and cannon fire from the Jupiter .

Some shielding spells had been cast by the witches, yet they weren’t enough to hold back all of the bombardment. Witches

also cast spells to push a trio of sea creatures away. Yet the beasts fought against the magic and strained to get to the

Sea Witch .

And sailing toward the island was the HMS Fearless . Yet it wasn’t alone. Accompanying the ship was another enormous kraken. It was just as Alys had told him in their dream.

Its guns boomed as it fired on the Sea Witch .

Ben’s blood chilled as the chains burned into him.

Then the Sea Witch turned. As winds filled its sails, the ship headed out of the bay. Yet a jolly boat sped toward the island slightly obscured

by a fog. Even through the haze, Alys’s bright hair was visible in the back of the boat. Ben’s already icy blood froze solid

with terror.

A naval cutter was close behind, full of nearly three dozen armed marines. Oliver was with them, his cutlass already drawn.

The sleet in his veins turned to fire as he pulled on the manacles. Agony coursed up his arms as the bands of iron glowed

hotly and seared his flesh. His markings spread from the pain. They climbed up his wrists and the back of his hands the more

he yanked on the chain linking his manacles.

“What the bloody hell?” The seaman gaped at him. “Them tattoos weren’t on you afore. Here now, stop that. Leave them manacles

alone.” The guard jabbed him again with his bayonet.

Maddened by fury and fear, Ben pulled harder on his manacles. He smelled his own flesh searing.

With a snap, the chain broke apart, freeing his hands. Ben reached down for the chain between the shackles. He pulled, uncaring

that his hands were charred by the magic-imbued metal. The chain broke with a gratifying snap.

The guard stared, his eyes wide and his face chalky. Ben’s hand snapped out through the bars to grab the sailor’s neckcloth.

He slammed the guard against the iron of the cage and the sailor collapsed.

Gritting his teeth, groaning, Ben struggled to force the bars apart. Finally, they bent wide enough for him to shove his body

through the opening.

Ben stepped over the unconscious guard before ripping at the hole in the hull. Wood splintered and dug into his skin. At last,

the opening was big enough.

He pulled himself through the hole and dove into the water. The brine against the wounds on his wrists and hands burned like

hellfire. He had to reach Alys, and if it meant destroying his body to do so, then so be it.