Winds of Fate [Books IV - VI]

*Chapter 146: Between Life and Death

*Content Warning: Mild Mature Content Ahead

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An icy droplet of water scalds her cheek. Eleanore opens her eyes, but the world before her is no more than blots of green, black... and gray.

One second longer and her body wakes—prickling pins swarm her legs, folded for so long, one move sends her muscles tensing. "Ah," she cannot help but cry, turning to lie on her back, and even that swirls her hot insides, like they are mere sacks within.

She stills, breathing sharply as her back presses on a wet, slimy surface—cold as hell, like the drops of water trickling on her face every now and then. Eleanore gasps. The times her body threatens to fall apart only happen when she is in between life and death...

In the spirit realm.

She forces her eyes open.

A muted, odd yellow light greets overhead; its rays glinting off of the cracked edges of the glass smashed open, the lantern's door gaping open. It sways, and the floor too—a familiar pitch, both assuring and taunting all at once. The sea. Her heart quickens. I'm on a ship...

A ship...

Which ship? Eleanore breathes deeply, blinking fast as she tries to curl her fingers on the slimy floor. No matter, her mind is burning; she cannot remember anything apart from her name. No! No! Think!

Searing pain cuts from her temple down her neck.

A wounded cry escapes her. No. She refuses, shutting her eyes to cull her memories again. Her fingers claw on the slipper surface. Battles... she could vaguely hear gunfire... cannons that sent her head throbbing again and her heart pounding even more. Corpses. She twists her aching waist and curls on her side, stifling another cry by planting her face on the slime. One of them... died... I promised.

I promised—

She curls her fist tight. Who? Tears fill her eyes. Who did I promise to!

And scrapes her thumb open on a jagged piece of metal.

"Ah!" She jolts up, heaving, and opens her hand. Blood dots her palm, smears along her finger, and she follows where the streak ends: a golden ring, with a ruby barely holding onto the crown it's set in...

For one prong is twisted free, tainted with her blood.

I'm married. She gasps, holding onto that memory. What's his name? What's his name?! Hot tears fill her eyes. We have friends—many, many friends—

And our ship... our home—

Her heart breaks. And a dear fat little parrot. Eleanore covers her mouth and cries. "No, no." She knocks her head with her fists. "No, please! Please..."

Lenore.

She can hear the voice; she knows his name in her heart, but her mind cannot grasp it.

Eleanore stops and turns around.

Metal bars fence her in, strung with dead seaweed. Beyond, is a dark, narrow passageway, where silvery light spills through a singular hatch. "Help!" She screams. "Help me! Please!"