The Hunter's Pursuit

15. Weathered Storms

    Jacob was certain the pouring rain was distorting his vision. He gawked at the receding form of the lapis whale who had been attacking the ship only seconds ago. Behind him, the ship's wheel tumbled as Caspian guided them farther away from the pod.

    "I don't believe it," Jacob murmured to himself. "What are they doing?"

    "Captain!" Caleb's voice rose above the swell of noise. "The creature is falling back."

    "I noticed," Caspian replied. He wiped a hand across his eyes, water flinging off his coat sleeve. "Let's pray it doesn't change its mind and follow us."

    Pops mounted the stairs and shielded his eyes with a palm as he addressed Jacob and Caspian. "Storm should be letting up soon, Lads. Daylight is breaking through."

    Jacob lifted his gaze skyward. Sure enough, there were a few breaks in the dark clouds where thin rays of sunlight were streaming down. "Good, but we're not out of the storm yet. Jake, could you check on Prim and Kitty for me?" Caspian looked at him briefly.

    Jacob arched a brow. "I'm sure they're fine."

    "Harriet is with them, Cas," Pops interjected. "Kitty will be all right with her and Prim around." He returned to the main deck following Caspian's curt nod.

    "Why are you worried about Prim and Kitty?" Jacob asked, curiosity getting the better of him. "It's a storm, not an attack."

    "Kitty is afraid of storms. She thinks we'll sink, and she worries about me since I'm out here and not with her and Prim."

    A question rose to the tip of his tongue, but Jacob hesitated before voicing it. "A storm might not sink us, but Ryujin will try, and may very well succeed. Do you really want to bring Prim and Kitty into that?"

    "I don't have much of a choice now."

    "Why didn't you leave them behind in Port?"

    The corner of Caspian's mouth lifted in an amused smirk. "You think I didn't try? Prim wouldn't hear of it, and where Prim goes, Kitty follows. Besides, after what happened to Kitty and I in Valencia...well, all three of us aren't keen on letting each other out of our sights."

    "Even after a year?"

    "It's going to take more than a year to erase the memories of what Alexander Claremonte put us through."

    Jacob shifted an inch closer to his cousin and braced one hand on the railing before them. "You never spoke to me about it. I only know what I overheard others say."

    Caspian took one hand off the wheel and held it out, palm facing up. Jacob examined the jagged scar cutting through the center of it. "My other hand matches," Caspian said. "Kingsmen arrested me after I left Prim and Kitty on the docks. Alexander Claremonte oversaw my torture himself. He's the one who branded me." Jacob's gaze fell to the P brazened onto Caspian's flesh.

    "At some point, Prim did something to anger Alexander and he dragged her and Kitty to the Crypt. He threatened to torture me in front of Kitty until Prim submitted to him. He used a dagger to nail my hands into a post. Prim pulled a pistol on him, but she didn't have a chance to use it."

    "I don't remember much else from that night. I think I went into shock. I remember seeing my cell, and Kitty was there. She kept crying and shaking me. She told me later that she'd thought I was dead."

    "He imprisoned Kitty with you?" Jacob asked, blinking in surprise. No water stung his eyes this time. The storm was letting up and only gentle rain fell now. Caspian nodded. "Was she tortured as well?"