14 #3
“Are you alright?” His voice was soft and gentle and he folded his arms.
Kora nodded, unable to tear her gaze from his. His eyes dazzled, absorbing every shade of grey from the ship and exuding it like shimmering diamonds. His warm skin dampened the cold dread constantly circling the base of her spine.
Until Erick’s breathing shallowed, then stopped completely.
A final gasp escaped his lips, and Kora’s knees cracked as she plummeted to his side, grabbing his shoulders.
“Erick!” She shook him, the dread within escalating until she choked on her own despair.
Aryn knelt on the other side, his youthful face hardened as he inspected Erick with frighteningly calm swiftness, as though he was destined to be a healer, not an archer. His fingers probed Erick’s abdomen, chest and neck.
“He’s not breathing!” Kora cried, clutching Erick’s rapidly cooling palms, his rough callouses anchoring her as a circle of pirates and the Windwards watched in silence. “Somebody do something!”
Erick paled in the moonlight, his blood-streaked hair stark against the leeched wood of the deck. The ocean crested as the ship pulled away from the shore, ebbing slowly in comparison to Kora’s thunderous heart.
She regretted every word she’d said to Erick in that moment.
“Kordelia . . . he’s fading,” Raiden spoke quietly as he hovered behind her.
“That’s not my fucking name!” she yelled, clutching Erick’s hand so tight his bones crunched. “He’s not going. Thanos is not taking him! Do you hear me? You can’t have him!”
“Is she . . . yelling at the God of Death?” Skylar whispered, her eyes widening.
Aerion rubbed the nape of his neck, pity consuming his handsome face. Kora looked away. She didn’t want their pity, their helplessness. A cold brush stroked her shoulders and she sobbed, yelling at the sky as Thanos’ familiar dark presence graced the realm.
“No!” Kora flung herself over Erick’s body, believing she could shield him from Thanos’ touch. She couldn’t lose him. Not truly. In the face of what mattered, after everything, she couldn’t let go of him.
“Hold on, Erick,” Aryn whispered as he pressed two fingers into Erick’s neck, his gaze darkening. Sweat beaded on his forehead and Kora buried her face into Erick’s battered chest, her tears staining the golden waistcoat splattered with blood.
A moment passed.
Then another.
Thanos’ presence thickened. Cool and comforting, dark like the night sky, a sea of stars twinkling within. Nothing like Barron.
Just as Kora’s power threatened to cleave this ship in two, her broken heart threatening to become irreparable, Erick’s chest lifted once. Twice. The gentlest of breezes brushed down his chest, against her cheek, into her hair.
“He’s alive,” Aryn announced, but no one moved or made a sound as they all stared at Erick.
“Thank the gods,” Kora sniffled, wiping her tears.
Aryn rubbed his eyes before retreating, his shoulders hunched.
Kora frowned as she surveyed the group, their jaws slackened, bodies tense.
“What . . . where do we go now?” she whispered, unaware that she’d edged closer to Raiden, her chest heaving with elation.
His gaze dropped to the space decreasing between them, but his face had become stone.
“Home,” he replied, his fingers tight against his arms.
Kora paused, her mind and heart battling for control. Galen had been her home before. Could it be again? A foghorn sounded from the Citadel as the balustrade filled with the stomping of feet, the clash of weapons, and cold laughter.
Her heart quickly won. “I’d like that.” She smiled weakly, her nerves flayed and ruined.
“Where’s the captain?” a pirate asked, breaking tension so thick it’d require a sword.
“Ask her,” Skylar snapped, narrowing her gaze on Kora. Her heart lurched, her old title circling her mind. Did they mean her? Was she to become captain of Bone Rattler?
A figure popped out of nowhere in the centre of the group and Kora released a small scream.
“Leto!” Raiden smiled, as the tension surrounding Kora, Erick, and Aryn dissipated, and the pirates broke their circle, returning to their posts.
Leto signed, a cunning grin on his face as he winked at Kora. Raiden laughed in return, signing something back at him, causing the pirate to silently imitate a chuckle before he headed towards the quarterdeck.
“Leto’s a pirate lord?” Kora gaped at his swagger and cheery manner.
“Thank fuck, let’s go!” Skylar stomped after Leto.
Raiden lingered, his stare raking over Kora with disbelief.
A shiver shot down her back, pooling in her core and she cleared her throat awkwardly, tears still fresh on her cheeks.
Raiden opened his mouth and closed it, shaking his head before following Skylar and Leto and the tension fell from Kora’s shoulders.
“What did he sign? How did he get here?” Kora asked. Aerion blushed as he arranged for Erick to be taken to the hold for rest, and Aryn coughed, bumping shoulders with Kora.
“You can do anything when you’re invisible,” Aryn smiled gently. “It’s good to have you back, Captain.”