My friend tookmy words and crossed her arms as her eyes wandered, deep inthought. “But he was asleep the whole time?”
“Yes.Most definitely yes,” I replied.
“Thenit’s not really his fault.”
“No,” Isighed, “it’s not.”
Lottie’s eyescontinued to search far into her mind. “But he still–”
“Nearlykilled me? Yeah.”
“Christalmighty,” she cursed and blew out an exasperated breath. “So, whatare you going to do?”
Ishrugged, tears wellingin my eyes. “I have no clue.”
Lottie draggedher chair closer to me and took my hands in hers. “You listen here.This is what you’re going to do.” She squeezed, forcing me to lookinto her cerulean eyes. Sharp with intent. “Come to terms with whathappened, it’s in the past, and there’s nothing you can do tochange it. You’re strong, one of the strongest people I have evermet. Look at what you’ve done, what you’ve accomplished.”
“Yeah,but–”
“Butnothing. My mind is racing, trying to imagine what you must havefaced last night. All on your own. It would have broken me. And,yet, here you are.”
I didn’t knowwhat to say. I was shocked to hear my friend say such thingsbecause, to me, Lottie was the toughest person around. No one couldcrack her. No one dared mess with the blonde beauty who could wieldknives like a ninja and then fill your belly with a warm meal. Shewas so brave. But I wondered then, how much of it was an act, afront to hide her true insecurities. After all, she grew up on apirate ship. She must have had to toughen up pretty fast.
“Henryhas a tortured past, and he’s facing that now. Last night must havebeen terrifying for you. But look how you handled it. Don’t letthis break you, Dianna. You’re much stronger than that. Once you’veaccepted that truth, you can help Henry,” she continued. “He needsto talk about it, too. Or I fear he’ll just get worse.”
I nodded.“Yes, you’re right.” God, she was so right. “One of us has to stay strong. Orwe’ll both fall apart.”
Lottie leanedin further and wrapped her arms around me. “I love you,Dianna.”
I was takenback by her sudden show of affection. She so rarely offered it. “Ilove you, too. I honestly don’t know what I would have done on thisvoyage without you.”
“Andyou’ll never have to know the answer to that,” she replied andbroke free of our embrace. “Get some rest, sleep on this, and talkto Henry in the morning with a fresh mind.”
I managed aweak smile for my friend and stood to walk her to the door.“Thanks, Lottie, you have no idea how much I needed this.”
“Do youwant me to stay here with you tonight?”
“No, I’mfine. I’ll be alright,” I told her. “Besides, if that storm iscoming, I want you down below where it’s safe.”
“Youshould take your own advice, Dianna.”
“No, Ican’t,” I inhaled deeply, “I’d feel trapped down there.”
She hesitatedbut left it alone, and I stood in the doorway to watch herrun across the wet deck and descend the ladder tobelowdecks. The rain waspouring down now, and the ship began to rock with the heave ofanxious waves. I shut the door and crawled into bed where I soonfell into a deep dreamless state, free of my fears and anxieties. Ablack sleep, void of all the things I had to face in themorning.
ChapterFour
Nothing hurts like falling out of bed. Except,perhaps, being violently thrown from your sleep in the dead ofnight. Lightningflashed, filling the room with silver light for a splitsecond as I pulled myself from the floor.
Crap. Thestorm.
Withgreat difficulty, I found my bearings as the ship rocked back andforth. My eyes bulged as I stared out the window and witnessed theangry sky fill the view before disappearing with the sea. Grabbing hold of thefurniture I’d secured earlier the day before, I found my way to thedoor but not without getting knocked down a few times. This stormwas bad. Worse than Finn had anticipated. I was a fool to stayabove decks.
I finallyreached the door and it flung open, nearly taking me withit. Lightning flashedagain, and thunder cracked in the distance. Firming my grip on therain-slick knob, I reached over to the hook by the door to grab myjacket and hastily slipped it on before braving thestorm-ridden deck. It was ashort distance to the first ladder hatch. I could makeit.
Throughthe brutal rain, Icould spot the dark square on the deck floor and kept it in mysquinted vision as I grabbed hold of the railing. The Queen heavedto its side and I held on for dear life while I waited for it totip back. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of a dark figure rise fromanother hatch down across the deck and my eyes strained through theblanket of water on my face to see who it was.
“Dianna!”Henry called and outstretched his arm toward me.
My heart beatwildly at the sound of his voice and I let go of the railing to runto him. But he was much further than I thought. Thunder boomedagain, closer this time. Lightening cracked just above our heads,deafening my ears and casting a flash of light over the slick deck.I saw Henry’s face for a split second and continued to make my wayto him, but something caught my attention from above.
The lightningmust have struck the mizzenmast mast becauseit was on fire. A great moanfilled the air as part of the giant crow’s nest slowly began tocrack and lean over, unable to hang on to what was left. That’swhen I realized… it was falling, and it was going to land rightbetween us. Panic coursed through my veins and I ran harder but itwasn’t enough. The ship heaved to the side again, knocking me down,and I rolled back to where I had begun. The top of the burning mastfell and crashed to the deck with a deafening boom, taking with iteverything in its path. Giant ashes exploded, and I turned away toshield my face. Grabbing hold of the ship’s edge, I pulled myselfup and yelled
