The Hunter's Pursuit

56. The Mer, the Hunter, the Beast

Morning dawned the same as the past several days: cloudy, gray, and full of tension. Jacob paced the length of the Leviathan's deck, watching as final preparations were made. Several crewmen were reinforcing the sides of the deck with planks of wood across the railing.

Others replaced breech ropes with more durable ones. The swivel cannons were being cleaned and prepped for usage. Longboats had already been attached to the pulley systems just in case they were needed.

The entire ship buzzed with nervous activity, and the voices of the crew displayed that. Their anxious griping was interrupted only by Caleb bellowing orders and telling the former Quartermaster of the Devil's Maelstrom to shut his mouth and get to work whenever he complained.

Amos and Emilia were running to and fro, tending to every man's few remaining injuries and placing medical supplies at convenient locations around the ship where they could be reached without having to make trips below deck.

Jacob spied Coralyn and Jesp up on the shrouds, tightening loose ropes and replacing frayed ones. Westley and Caspian were at the ship's helm while Pops made his rounds, ensuring the slacking crewmen Caleb overlooked were also reprimanded. Jacob studied the deck again and again, but couldn't catch sight of Viviane.

He ran his thumb over the shell around his neck with a worried sigh, then approached Emilia as she strode past. "Hey, have you seen Viviane?"

"I think she was on the lower deck, helping with the cannons," Emilia replied, glancing over her shoulder. Jacob tipped two fingers to her and ducked down the galley stairs.

It was still strange walking past Kitty's vacant bed beneath the stairs. He'd grown accustomed to seeing the child there, but he felt a rush of relief for Caspian's sake. With his family safe from harm, Caspian would be able to focus more on the task at hand than on their welfare and whereabouts. A part of Jacob wished he could say the same.

He hurried down another flight of stairs and reached another crowded deck. He peered over the heads of crewmen until he finally spotted Viviane's chestnut waves, all the way in the rear of the room. Jacob wove his way towards her.

She noticed his approach just before he reached her. "There you are. I've been looking for you all morning."

"I've been keeping busy. Shouldn't you be doing the same?" Viviane arched a brow.

Jacob didn't bother with a response. He grabbed her hand and tugged her through the crowd, ignoring the scowls that followed him as he jostled past people. Viviane grunted with protest, but he ignored her too. Jacob led her deeper into the ship and down into the cargo hold where no one lingered.

"What is it?" Viviane huffed, pulling her hand from his. "I've got things to do."

"Stop it."

"Stop what? I'm serious; I'm trying to help the others." Viviane moved to step around him, but Jacob blocked her way.

"The others are managing just fine. And you know exactly what I'm talking about. Stop avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you," she protested.

"Then look me in the eyes." Viviane's foamy sea-green gaze met his. Jacob braced one hand on the wall beside her head and cupped her cheek with the other. "You are avoiding me. You have been since we passed Falorea. Don't avoid me today."

Viviane's throat bobbed. "Seeing you makes me afraid," she admitted.

"Afraid of what?"

"Of...not coming back. This is it. This ends today, one way or another. I was so confident that I could do this at first, but then we fell in love. And now..." She closed her eyes and turned her face away. "I know how you felt."