Davy gives me a single glance, and we draw our swords. Anna is behind us, our bodies creating wall between her and the legion of men that stand before us.
"Anna, hurry up!" I call back to her as I kick back a warrior that attempted an attack on Davy.
"Yes, because explosives don't require a gentle hand at all!" She yells.
"Well, if you had finished them earlier-" Davy blocks a sword aimed at his groin and sends the attacker overboard.
"If I had one of you to help me-"
"Guys!" I interject. "We're saving this until we can get out of this mess. Until then, Anna, try to go faster. Davy, if your sword moved half as fast your mouth does, we'd already be done with this."
They both glare at me but are silent. Good. Davy works quick, and soon Anna yells, "Fire in the hole!"
Her homemade bomb rolls across the deck, and while the enemy is distracted, Davy and I steer toward the shore.
"Land!" I scream back, and as soon as the word escaped my lips, the deafening boom! of Anna's bomb fills everyone's ears.
"Time to go!" Davy ties one end of a rope around my waist, and the middle around his own.
"What about Anna?" I ask as Davy lifts me up so I'm sitting over the railing.
"Cas, we don't have time for this!"
"Hello, boys." Anna appears in view, the hem of her dress soaked in blood, soot smeared across her face. Davy quickly ties her into our chain. "Hope you weren't thinking of leaving without me."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Davy vaults over the railing, Anna in his arms as he does so.
"Ready?" I take Davy's hand in mine. He takes Anna's. They nod. "One, two-"
"Three!" Anna pulls us all forward.
We're hurtling downwards, icy wind trying to push us back up onto the ship. Davy pulls me closer to his chest, and I do the same for Anna. Davy rolls over so I'm looking toward the sky.
If we thought the air was cold, the water's colder. In fact, it's gripping us, wrapping its frigid fingers around our lungs, pulling us down. Davy pops to the surface last, wheezing harder than Anna or I ever were. Water hangs dripping down from his lips like a beard.
It's Anna who finds the strength to start swimming first, dragging us along with her. The shore is only a few yards away, but even a few yards is too much.
"Cas, untie me!" Davy is defeated. He's done too much work. "Untie me, please!"
"Are you insane? You'll drown!" Even I struggle to keep my head above the water.
"Please!" He pleads with me.
I swim closer to him, looping his arm over my shoulder. I use one hand to force him to look at me. The droplets on our noses mix together, falling as one. "No. I will not untie you. You're going to stay here, with Anna, with me."
His face is full of fear and exhaustion, but he still somehow has enough reserve to let his lips taste mine. His jaw has locked up, as has mine, but that doesn't stop him.
When he breaks off to replenish his air supply, we're greeted with a face full of sand.
"Next time we throw ourselves overboard," Anna rips the rope off of her and yanks us forward, "save the PDA until we're safe. Got it?"
"Yes." Davy and I answer in unison.
"Cas, do you even know where we are?" Anna snaps, though she's out of breath and clearly dehydrated.
"As a matter of fact I do."
"Caspian?" A familiar voice calls to shore. "Is that you?"
"Uncle Rhys? Long time, no see!" I laugh as he pulls me into an embrace.
"Your brother's been worried sick about you, boy. Though to be frank, you look more sick than worried. So do your friends. Come on, I'll get some medicine for you."
YOU ARE READING
Caspian Jones
Fantasy*READ THE NOTES FROM A DRAGON SINGER SERIES BEFORE THIS ONE* Caspian Quillsnake has it all. The cushy royal life, his best friend, Davy, by his side. But Caspian has a secret. When his uncle, the only one who knows Caspian's secret, is attacked, C...
