Corvus (Stars and Sails, Book 1)

Forty-six (Part 1 of 2)

Saltwater burned Amelia Rose's eyes. She couldn't see anything in the dark water. Groans echoed through the bay. The sinking Scholar II sounded like a great sea monster as it drowned in the bay. Bubbles released from the wreck and rose around her.

Aiden's hand had let go of hers some time ago. Now, her lungs ached and twisted for oxygen. She pushed through the water, searching for the light. Amelia Rose hadn't remembered when she'd ever been swimming and doubted her father had ever taken her down to the water. He hated the ocean enough as it was—enough because her mother had loved it so much. He never entertained thoughts that Amelia Rose might turn out just like Isabella.

She broke the surface of the water, her short hair pasted to her cheeks and strung across her lips. The waves pulled her back and forth as she gasped for breath. The ocean was wild today—not the placid waves that she had always known. They were wild, biting, hungry. Maybe the bad weather of yesterday had chased them south.

"Aiden!" She screamed. Above the waves, she could see other people—officers holding onto rubble, some swimming, some just floating. It was so hard to tell. Her eyes were blurry with salt. From where she was struggling for air, everyone looked the same.

Amelia Rose swam as skillfully as possible. She'd read about it before—some kind of windmill spin. It turned out to be more exhausting and difficult than her encyclopedia had noted. She slowed down. Her shoes weren't helping, so she kicked them off into the water.

The waves tore her under and seaweed tickled her feet. Maybe she was getting closer to the shore.

The wreck was long gone. Once she turned, she saw the last mast creep below the surface. Panic boiled higher. "Aiden!" She screamed again. Nothing.

Her arms were too weak. The waves might pull her back to shore if she just laid on her back and waited.

She didn't know if Aiden was okay or if she'd make it herself. Tears lined the rims of her eyes.