ship’s deck and, as the wood gave way to the unyielding sea, streams of moisture slipped through tight cracks and spilled into her cabin.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Emmeline lurched to the side of her bed and vomited on the wooden floor. A pungent odor rose from the floor and assaulted her nose. She dry heaved. Again and again. When her stomach stopped clenching, she fell back onto the bed, her limbs shaking with fear or exhaustion, or both. She couldn’t be sure. She had never sailed before, much less during a storm, and the screaming above did nothing to help.
Heavy boots pounded down the companionway outside her cabin and Emmeline lifted herself on an elbow to watch the door, hoping whoever it was would pass. Anyone coming to look for her at such an hour would be someone looking to use her power and she was in no position to resist. A fist landed on her door and her heart plunged.
Chapter 13 . Storm
Emmeline scrambled off the bed, her stomach protesting, and grabbed the splintered leg of the table. Holding the broken leg in front of her like a sword, she aimed it toward the door.
“What do you want?” Emmeline shouted as loudly as her weakened voice would allow.
The jingle of keys scraped against the lock until the door swung open to six sailors. Emmeline gasped and took a step back. Each one of them looked into her eyes as they took a step into the room. She was right; they had come for her power. But no one carried a flame, and for that, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Emmeline held the table leg higher. “Get out.” she said.
“Her eyes aren’t shining,” one of the men said.
“Look at em’,” Another said. “They are si lver. They weren’t silver when she got here, were they?”
“They were blue.”
“How would you know?”
“I snuck a pee k.”
“I bet it means they’re gettin’ ready to shine.” His brows creased as he looked around the room. “But there ain’t no dead in here. I hear that’s how she gets her power – by sucking the life out of people.”
“ That’s vamps, you ijit,” said another.
“ I don’t care!” responded the first. “She is a witch. She’s getting her power somewheres and making this storm!”
“We’ ll all die unless we throw her overboard,” a third sailor shouted as he reached out to grab her.
Emmeline thrust the table leg toward him. It met only air and the sailor laughed. He held out his palms toward her.
“ Whoa there, pretty little thing. I’m not planning on hurting you.”
Emmeline held the table leg higher. “What exactly are you planning? To throw me overboard? I did not cause this storm! I don’t want to drown anymore than you do.”
A sailor in the back whispered to the others. “Don’t look at her when she talks. She is weaving a spell on us. We have to cast her into the sea or we’ll all meet our deaths. My Pap said only water can stop them.”
The sailor nearest the front rolled his eyes. “Your Pap? What does your Pap know about witches?”
The others laughed and the sailor in t he back bristled. “I still think we should throw her overboard.”
Seeming to agree at once, all six sailors advanced on Emmeline. She sunk the table leg into the arm of the nearest man. He yelped and jumped back, but the other five dragged her into the companionway and up the stairs to the deck. They ignored her protests and carried her into the storm where sheets of rain pounded against her cheeks and blurred her vision. They were right about one thing, the water could stop her power, but it meant nothing if she had no fire to begin with.
A surging wave sent a wall of water over the rail, ripping her from the sailors’ grips and knocking her to the ground. Drenched, she pushed to her feet and flung herself against the nearest mast. Up above more sailors clung to ropes as they battled with the riggings, their feet failing them as they slipped left and right.
The ship tilted portside and Emmeline held
Unable to contain herself any longer, Emmeline lurched to the side of her bed and vomited on the wooden floor. A pungent odor rose from the floor and assaulted her nose. She dry heaved. Again and again. When her stomach stopped clenching, she fell back onto the bed, her limbs shaking with fear or exhaustion, or both. She couldn’t be sure. She had never sailed before, much less during a storm, and the screaming above did nothing to help.
Heavy boots pounded down the companionway outside her cabin and Emmeline lifted herself on an elbow to watch the door, hoping whoever it was would pass. Anyone coming to look for her at such an hour would be someone looking to use her power and she was in no position to resist. A fist landed on her door and her heart plunged.
Chapter 13 . Storm
Emmeline scrambled off the bed, her stomach protesting, and grabbed the splintered leg of the table. Holding the broken leg in front of her like a sword, she aimed it toward the door.
“What do you want?” Emmeline shouted as loudly as her weakened voice would allow.
The jingle of keys scraped against the lock until the door swung open to six sailors. Emmeline gasped and took a step back. Each one of them looked into her eyes as they took a step into the room. She was right; they had come for her power. But no one carried a flame, and for that, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Emmeline held the table leg higher. “Get out.” she said.
“Her eyes aren’t shining,” one of the men said.
“Look at em’,” Another said. “They are si lver. They weren’t silver when she got here, were they?”
“They were blue.”
“How would you know?”
“I snuck a pee k.”
“I bet it means they’re gettin’ ready to shine.” His brows creased as he looked around the room. “But there ain’t no dead in here. I hear that’s how she gets her power – by sucking the life out of people.”
“ That’s vamps, you ijit,” said another.
“ I don’t care!” responded the first. “She is a witch. She’s getting her power somewheres and making this storm!”
“We’ ll all die unless we throw her overboard,” a third sailor shouted as he reached out to grab her.
Emmeline thrust the table leg toward him. It met only air and the sailor laughed. He held out his palms toward her.
“ Whoa there, pretty little thing. I’m not planning on hurting you.”
Emmeline held the table leg higher. “What exactly are you planning? To throw me overboard? I did not cause this storm! I don’t want to drown anymore than you do.”
A sailor in the back whispered to the others. “Don’t look at her when she talks. She is weaving a spell on us. We have to cast her into the sea or we’ll all meet our deaths. My Pap said only water can stop them.”
The sailor nearest the front rolled his eyes. “Your Pap? What does your Pap know about witches?”
The others laughed and the sailor in t he back bristled. “I still think we should throw her overboard.”
Seeming to agree at once, all six sailors advanced on Emmeline. She sunk the table leg into the arm of the nearest man. He yelped and jumped back, but the other five dragged her into the companionway and up the stairs to the deck. They ignored her protests and carried her into the storm where sheets of rain pounded against her cheeks and blurred her vision. They were right about one thing, the water could stop her power, but it meant nothing if she had no fire to begin with.
A surging wave sent a wall of water over the rail, ripping her from the sailors’ grips and knocking her to the ground. Drenched, she pushed to her feet and flung herself against the nearest mast. Up above more sailors clung to ropes as they battled with the riggings, their feet failing them as they slipped left and right.
The ship tilted portside and Emmeline held
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