Chapter 16 #2
I stare at the gloom for a while, then realize I’m not going to get through to her.
At least, not today. But I’ll keep trying.
I grab her cup and plate, then climb back up, stop by the galley, and peek in on Cecco.
He’s lying on his stomach reading a book, the wounds on his back covered with some sort of salve that Skylights cooked up.
“Ciao.” He waggles his fingers at me.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like a chewed-up piece of gristle, but it could be worse. At least my new tattoo remains untouched.” He glances over his shoulder at the skull Bill did for him.
It barely escaped being stripped away, because a large swath of his back is still in tatters.
“Sky found some special ingredients at the village, put a few in his pack. He made me a magic pill, and presto, I’m feeling just fine. ”
“I know the pills you mean. I’m glad he was able to whip something up for you, because I’m going to be honest, it looks really painful.”
“Oh, it is.” He sighs. “I hope this stuff doesn’t wear off for a long time.”
“What are you reading?” I point at the book.
“Just some novel I found stuffed under Bill’s mattress. I skipped to the good part.” He holds it up, and I catch the words ‘torn bodice’ and ‘turgid rod’ before my cheeks begin to heat.
“Looks like a classic.” I give him a thumbs up.
“I’ll let you borrow it when I’m done.” He turns to the next page. “Thanks for coming to see me.”
“No problem. You want water or anything?”
“I’ve got Clarita and Dom Antonio, star-crossed lovers who were never meant to fall in love, especially not when their parents forbade it. They’re all I need. Them and their fiery love affair. Molto caldo.” He focuses on the book, and I close his door.
I head to the upper deck. The breeze is a relief as it caresses my skin. I’m not particularly claustrophobic, but any time spent below decks can change that rather quickly.
It’s darker now, the moon hidden behind roiling clouds overhead. A rough wind blows past, pushing my hair back from my face and snapping the sail above me tight. The sea is an inky black, no stray light glinting off the tips of waves.
“Batten down the hatches!” Skylights yells as the crew rush around and tighten everything up even more.
They’d been working steadily ever since we set sail from the Fairy Village, and the deck looks clearer than I’ve ever seen it.
Even the rowboats are lashed securely to the deck with enough rope to make them look like spider meals, saved for later.
“Into the cabin, lass!” Hook cries over the sudden boom of thunder.
I climb the stairs and stand at the railing, watching as the waves begin to grow almost exponentially.
“We’re just teasing the edge of it now. We’ll be in the thick of it in no time. I need you safe.” He walks me to his quarters and pulls me inside.
“How bad is it going to be? Bill said it’s like passing through the eyewall of a hurricane.”
“It’s that, but it lasts far longer than any hurricane I’ve ever known. We have to navigate it as if it’s a piece of land jutting from the water, sharp rocks and submerged dangers all throughout.”
My mouth goes dry. “It’s a minefield.”
“Stay here. It’s going to be a rough time, so I brought some lines in here for you.” He points to rope tied to the desk that’s already bolted into the deck. “They’ll hold. I can tie you—”
“I’m all right.” I grab onto one of the ropes. “See? No need to tie me up. I’ll be good. I promise.”
“Lass, you haven’t been good for a single moment from the second I met you.” He gives me his devilish smirk, the one that melts my insides. “Just another reason to love you, I suppose.” With that he’s back out the door and slamming it shut.
My heart fractures a little at his words, the crack running deep.
He only thinks he loves me. I sit heavily on the desk.
Why does this have to hurt so much? I rub my temples.
It’s a habit now, from the constant ache I’d felt for so long.
But the ache inside me is a million times worse, because it’s one that can never be repaired.
I love James Hook. There’s no way around it.
Not now. But his love for me isn’t the same; it isn’t real.
There’s that word again, the one that’s haunted me from the moment I left my dorm room.
It’s still a thorn in my side, one that’s being twisted slowly and surely by the knowledge that I was never meant to be Hook’s love.
The ship rocks more violently, a wave crashing against the hull and splashing along the back windows. I take one of the ropes and wrap it around my waist, then tie it in what Widow calls a “square knot,” though Starkey refers to it as an “idiot’s knot.” Some pirates are knot snobs, I’ve learned.
I leave enough slack so I can go to the door and peek out. Only Smee and Hook are visible as fat drops of rain begin to fall and lightning streaks the sky.
Smee glances back at me, and for the first time, I see worry in his eyes.
Hook assured me that this was the quickest, safest way to take care of Peter and save the island, but now I’m beginning to wonder if he’s taking a bigger risk than necessary by going through the storm.
Then again, the island has been growing wilder at each full moon.
Even Peter admitted that. The Spinner said the island would destroy everyone on it unless we could restore the balance—though I’m still not entirely sure what that means.
If going through the Neverstorm means we can save more lives, then I need to trust in Hook and let him do his work.
He knows what he’s doing, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to worry.
I close the door as the rain grows heavier, pounding on the ship and sending streams of water down the windows at the back of the cabin.
It’s growing darker still, the waves more violent as the sea crashes around us.
Nervous energy balls in my gut, and I return to the door, cracking it and watching as Hook turns the wheel, the rain drenching him as he yells orders over the noise.
A streak of lighting splits the sky ahead of us, blinding me for a moment, and then the thunder follows, rolling through me and reminding me just how small we are. A tiny ship on a vast ocean doing battle with forces that were here eons before us.
I brace myself against the timbers as the ship lists far to the side.
My stomach does a flip, but then it rights itself, and we hurtle down a steep wave before hitting the bottom and rising up the other side.
A wall of water shoots up from the front of the ship and falls back on us.
I close the door, but water seeps in beneath it.
Now I’m leaning forward against the pull of gravity, the Jolly Roger struggling up the next big wave as the wind roars.
If Shiner’s not barfing her guts out right now, I’ll be shocked. All this rolling and wobbling has my stomach churning, and I thought I’d gotten used to being at sea.
The thunder grows louder, and my anxiety rises.
I know Hook is a master sailor, but this storm is even worse than I’d expected.
It doesn’t let up. The wind keeps howling and the rain is falling so hard that it sounds like someone is beating at the windows, the doors, even the deck over my head.
Hundreds of fists pounding so loud that I can’t hear anything else as the ship careens up and down mountainous waves.
Holding onto the timber around the door, I try to keep to my feet as the ship continues its chaotic voyage through the Neverstorm.
Anxiety and fear bite at me like dogs on my heels, but I trust Hook to get us through.
Even as long minutes pass, feeding into what feels like hours.
The rain and the wind don’t let up, and my muscles start to burn from the strain of fighting the push and pull of the waves.