A Valkyrie's Apprentice: Book Two

Rough Landing

T A Y A H

The winds inevitably picked up when the sun started disappearing more surely behind the horizon. We rocked against the building waves and Kaden looked ready to throw up every coconut he'd ever eaten.

"Can't you give us a little speed to get through this?!" John called, as he tried to control the mast against the winds.

"We're barely staying afloat at this speed! You want to more?!" I shot back as the wind threw my hair over my eyes.

Kaden groaned nearby and ducked into the small cabin leaving his legs hanging out. The craft rocked again and the rain started to pick up in the dark sky.

"We can't be far from the coast!" He called to me, "–just make sure we don't go crashing into any sudden rock–"

The words died on his lips as he stared at something behind me. I stopped pulling against the rudder and turned to see a wall of water higher than Xerxes inn baring down on us.

"HOLD ON!" I roared over the winds as I grabbed the mast and John went for the hull.

It swept us upward with the unstoppable force and drew our speed higher. Water slapped me in my face and I growled holding fast to the palm trunk as we reached the peak of the wave. Then we descended rapidly.

Water battered us from the skies and ocean and Kaden shouted somewhere within the cabin as we were ripped back downwards on the gargantuan beast.

"TAYAH–I CAN'T–" John tried to call out between heavy slaps of water and wind.

I looked frantically over to his position as our craft hit the bottom of the wave heavily and he lost his hold on the wood around him.

"JOHN!" I roared, getting slapped by more salt and blinded by pieces of my long hair.

The craft rocked but more steadily without the inn sized wave. I flung myself over to the small cabin where Kaden was choking out mouthfuls of water. I pushed his large body aside and ripped my chrome shield free.

Thunder cracked in response above but I ignored it all.

"I'm going after John! Hold on Kaden!" I yelled inside before strapping it over my back and diving clean off the side in his last direction.

The weather made it almost impossible. Visibility was non existent and my clothes dragged and pulled by body in the water–immortal energy or not.

"JOHN!" Screamed, whipping my head around in the chaos of water.

I saw no sign of his head. No sign that my closest companion still stayed in the land of the living. I grit my teeth and pulled the unearthly energy of the shield off my back before lighting my hands like a beacon around me. The light cut through the darkness and I finally heard a shout.

"TAY!" It was distant but enough.

I dove under another crashing wave and pushed immortal energy burning out of my hand. Bubbles ripped out and sent me in his direction under the water faster than any fish could navigate. I opened my eyes under the murky blackness that was now lit by my power and saw his body.

I raced towards it as he was dragged under another wave, thrashing for air.

I grabbed him around the waist and pushed us above the water. He choked heavily in lungfuls as I emerged with him. The rain battered us heavily. I dragged him against my chest as I looked back for the craft that was taking another beating in the rain. I just had to get us back on board.