The Black Rose by James Bartholomeusz Page A

and higher when suddenly, with the roar of a waterfall, they blasted upwards. The black cloaks dissolved into smoke form as the water towered over the island, spinning like an aquatic tornado. The lights were now only blurred glimmers beyond the swiftly rotating wall.
    The Apollonians were completely disoriented, all four of them looking frantically upwards, trying to catch a glimpse of ebony smoke. A bolt of dark lightning was hurled from somewhere above them, striking Hakim between the shoulder blades and knocking him flat.
    Adâ flung an emerald jet in return, but it was lost in the swirling wall.
    â€œCowards!” Vince bellowed over the roaring water. He was hit by a blast in the shoulder, then another two in the stomach, and he crumpled to the ground.
    Lucy and Adâ took up positions back to back. The elf conjured a humming golden ball, which she sent through the cyclone, momentarily illuminating the streaks of smoke. Both of them fired bolts, but the smoke streams were too quick and the water washed the golden orb away. A spike of Dark alchemy launched outwards from where it had faded, passing through Adâ’s chest. She gasped, her eyes bulging, and collapsed on top of Vince.
    Lucy leapt onto the pedestal. She knew she was more exposed here, but it afforded her a better chance of sighting the black cloaks’ smoke. Through the rippling water, she saw one of the lights. Remembering what Jack had done back in Thorin Salr, she focused on it, channeling the light through her body. With the sound of an organ note, her dull metal sword burst into life, the blade shining incandescent white.
    She was just in time. A wreath of dark flames blasted out to her left. She parried it with the alchemically infused weapon, flinging it back into the water. A scream of pain on the other side was accompanied by the thud of a body colliding with stone.
    The tremendous roar of the whirlpool around her continued, but over it she could hear the screeching voice of Phaedra.
    â€œMy, she is a tenacious little sprite, isn’t she?”
    â€œI’m not sure.” Paethon’s voice resounded. “I doubt she’ll be standing after a good old-fashioned drowning.”
    Phaedra cackled. “You’re on!”
    The very peak of the water wall rippled, turning inwards. The entire whirlpool was collapsing on the island.
    Lucy’s cry was immediately stifled by the torrent. She was knocked onto her back, the edge of the pedestal cutting a ridge in her spine as water hammered her. She gasped for breath but inhaled only foul liquid. She could see nothing; she could hear only the pounding of millions of droplets on stone. Her senses washed away, she passed out of consciousness like a sacrificial lamb on the altar as the black cloaks closed in.

Chapter XIV
comforting words
    True to Ruth’s prediction, Dannie had settled right in. She was intrigued by the ship and spent hour upon hour exploring its every corridor and chamber. She often sat with the crew on the command deck discussing mechanics. But she didn’t stop there. Less than three hours in, she was scrambling through chutes in the walls and under the carpet to examine the inner workings of
The Golden Turtle.
Dannie had an adaptability and buoyant optimism that Jack instinctively warmed to.
    Sardâr, recovering from his latest alchemical injury, took things easier for those two days, mostly remaining in his room. As usual, Bál kept to himself. But Jack and Ruth passed the time with Dannie, soon finding they had something in common.
    â€œSo you’re an orphan as well, then?” she asked Jack after the three of them had been talking for a while.
    â€œJoin the club,” Ruth remarked drily.
    â€œHow were things for you?” Dannie asked them both.
    After Ruth explained about her amnesia, Jack began talking about his orphanage: that it had been in a depressing ex-prison and was chronically underfunded, though the staff had tried their