Of Seas and Breath: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (Selah Book 4) by Ella Walker Henderson

Author:Ella Walker Henderson [Henderson, Ella Walker]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-03-06T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

William smoothed over the rippled skin of his old burn scars and took a few deep breaths. What had they agreed to in joining Shawn? The four large pirate ships heavily outnumbered the vessel in the middle with the Mirandan flag. “These don’t look like good odds.”

Shawn shook his head and grinned. “If we had good odds, what would be the fun in coming along? You should know me well enough after our last voyage. The risk is half the fun.”

They sailed straight at the cluster.

“Any orders for us?” Selah asked.

“Don’t get yourselves hurt,” Shawn asked. “Other than that, anything’s fair game.”

William’s mouth felt dry, and his heart beat faster with the anticipation of battle. “Please tell me there’s some sort of strategy involved in how we’re going to take on four ships.”

“A slight one,” Shawn said. “But don’t worry about that. It’s a strategy of one.”

“I don’t follow,” William said.

“You’ll see.” Shawn beckoned Asklyn over. “Ready for the helm?”

Asklyn gave a rare smile. “If you’re ready to swim.”

“Swim?” Selah asked.

Shawn pulled off his boots and left them by the helm. His shirt came after. All was sun-browned strength of corded swimmer’s muscle. He was lithe and lean. Clad in only his trousers, Shawn gave them a fiendish grin. “I said you’ll see.”

Asklyn gripped the helm. “Any preferred direction?”

“Head to port so we’ll pass them starboard-to-starboard,” Shawn said. “Then tack around to the boats on the opposite side.”

Asklyn only nodded back to him as if these instructions were commonplace between them as a whole plan of attack.

Shawn headed aft. There under the stern railing was a large whale harpoon like the ones in the Northern Isles.

“Shark hunting?” William asked.

“Of a sort,” Asklyn said.

Shouts grew from the ships ahead. A battle was already engaged. Two pirate ships had boarded the Mirandans’ ship. The other two pressed beside them, limited in wind but still moving.

The Salamander skirted to the left of the lead pirate ship. At the angle where Shawn was best hidden by sails, he pointed the harpoon over his shoulder and dove off the back corner of the stern.

William checked the swirling white and turquoise wake behind them but found no sign of him.

“Steady now,” Asklyn said.

William braced himself as the crew sheeted in the sail, and Asklyn turned the wheel sharply to the right. The boat heeled to the opposite side as the sail swung across. Their speed was high, but Asklyn guided the boat through it well.

The sounds of battle reached them again from the central boats. The Salamander approached the other outermost pirate ship with their sail between them.

“The best fighting will be along the rail near the mast,” Asklyn said. “Watch Jensen. He’ll be the one to board behind.”

William and Selah found Jensen beside the mast with a large sword of Alethian make attached to his waist. They’d rarely spoken on the previous voyage. He looked to be from the Trysanthem Isles but was even quieter and more reserved than Asklyn.

Jensen worked on lines tied to a high ladder that was attached part way up the mast.

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