A Game Of Changing Tides

Chapter Thirty-One

1868, the Dawrey Ocean

Nik had been right about the storm. The further east they sailed, the darker the sky became. Inch by inch, they made their way under the blanket of storm clouds, until the sun was hidden and it looked as though day had all too quickly become night. Adelyn wondered how they'd gotten so unlucky as to come across so much bad weather in such a short span of time.

The rain begun as a soft dribble, drop after drop. One hit Adelyn's shoulder and she flinched, wiping the cold from her skin. Not a minute after that, it was pouring. It took no longer than a single second of the heavy rain for Adelyn's hair to clump into wet locks, her dress heavy on her shoulders. Nikolai was but ten feet away, barking orders to the crew.

Nik had had the men switch the everyday sails out for the storm ones, which were just as murky black as the others. Adelyn watched, rain drops rolling down her cheeks, as Trevor and Stinger tied roped around their waists, gripping knives in their teeth, and begun to climb the towering masts of the vessel. Adely gaped, turning to Nik and yelling, her voice only barely louder than that of the storm that surrounded them, "Is that safe?"

"Not in the least," Nik said with a frown, "but it's their job."

Adelyn shook her head, turning her eyes to the sky and watching as their bodies became smaller and smaller the higher they got.

"You should get below," Nik said.

Adelyn shook her head, "There has to be something I can do to help."

Nikolai shook his head. Rain had turned his dark hair darker, and the cold had paled his skin just enough that Adelyn could tell it wasn't the right shade. "Just head below deck, try and catch some sleep. It's not looking like this is going away anytime soon."

Lightning crackled, far enough away that Adelyn saw the flash a long minute before she heard the thunder. Still, she jumped at the sound. Nikolai's smile drew short. "That's not great."

"The lightning?" Adelyn swallowed. The ship swayed, and she stumbled on her feet. If not for Nikolai's hand, which quickly caught her hip to hold her in place, she might have tripped over her own ankles.

"Yeah," Nik said, clicking his tongue. "And I mean it Adelyn, there's not much you could do up here expect worry me."

"And there's not much I could do below deck except worry."

Nik was quiet for a moment, and then he snickered, "Why must you constantly be so stubborn?"

"Why must you constantly treat me like glass?"

A bright flash caught her eyes, still a great distance away from them. Adelyn prayed it would stay that way. She didn't know what would happen if lightning struck the ship, but she was hoping not to find out. Thunder rumbled past her ears like a low-pitched growl, and she shuddered.

She didn't want to admit it, the real reason she refused to stay below deck, but something told her Nik wasn't about to let her off the hook. With a deep breath, she wet her lips, "I've heard of ships capsizing in waves before, and..."

"You don't want to be trapped under the hull." He said quietly. Adelyn nodded, her cheeks tinged rose. She didn't like the idea of having to admit her fear, something about having said it out loud made her feel smaller, less brave. "Everyone has their fears, Adelyn."

Adelyn bit her lip. Nik sighed, "You can stay in my cabin, if you want."

She opened her mouth to decline, not wanting to be a burden, but something on Nik's face told her she would be anything but. There was a hint of a smile on his lips, one that was almost adoring. Adelyn nodded, "Thank you."