Empress of the Sea|✔️

Chapter 39

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Aeryn muttered as she readied her crew for battle. The enemy ships had each released a cannon and a few gunshots and had promptly stopped. A sign that they brought violence alongside them and allowed them to get ready.

Such fair enemies.

Yet, an ogre-like man travelled to the Black Egret. He must be the one Han called the muscle-man. It couldn't be anyone else since the clothing and swaying walk matched his description, even from a distance.

The captain of the White Crow paced on her deck, waiting for them to get ready. She'd appointed River to be the stand-in gunner in place of his sister and gave the temporary responsibility of being the quartermaster to Erel. Despite not being well-informed on the workings of a ship, Erel caught on fast enough to ensure a smooth sail into battle.

Aeryn could only cross her fingers to wish that they wanted the Black Egret instead of her ship. She regretted her decision of listening to Han and agreeing to join him. She'd only done so because she truly believed that he was delusional when talking about a war and an enemy on the sea.

Unfortunately, Han was right, and that pissed her off more than having to face four ships, three of which were bigger than the Black Egret.

What a horrible fate.

All she could do was watch the scene, the scurrying of her crew, and the sea, who didn't thrash against her ship like usual. The water was calm and serene today, but the clouds were not.

The clouds were angry balls floating in the sky, nearing an ebony shade. They were just inches away from dropping rain. Just a while ago, it had been sunny and beautiful.

But no longer.

A horn played in the distance, the sound closely resembling what Aubervin lieutenants would blow on before waging war.

The horn meant the same thing for the enemy.

They released a few cannons, all of them missing her ship by a few inches. The enemy's crews adjusted their cannons, but they didn't shoot.

Instead, the largest of the ships sailed closer to the White Crow, and another did the same to the Black Egret. The evil vessels came in between Aeryn and Han, separating them by the width of their ships.

Aeryn yelled out an announcement, saying that they planned to come on board.

There was no doubt this was Cronas' or Kronos' ship. Had the sun been visible, the White Crow would've been in a shadow.

She expected a bulky Viking-like man to be that ship's captain, but she couldn't be more wrong.

A board of wood slammed onto her ship, creating a bridge for the enemy to cross.

Aeryn Branche braced herself for a group of disgusting men to mount her boat, but only two girls came. Both of them had footsteps light as a feather.

Lightning crackled in the sky, a warning sign for a rush of rain to come.

As the girls came closer to Aeryn, each of them carrying a bunny in their hands, the captain backed away.

"Where are you going, Empress?" the one in black asked with a head tilt sure to scare anyone.

"Empress," started the one in white, "come back."

Aeryn's crew stood and stared at the scene unfolding in front of them.

The captain froze. "Who are you?"

"I am E," said the one in black, "and that's N. We are daughters of Kronos. He sent us to retrieve Ariel, daughter of Poseidon."