Sons of the Tide (mlm)

Chapter 33: Family Reunion

Caleb

Caleb and Joseph were zipping between enemy ships, too fast for them to adjust their cannons to fire and too low to the water to see before it was too late. Joseph was steering as he shot at anyone he could see from their low vantage point while Caleb used the single cannon on their ship to blow holes into the bellies of the larger ones around them.

Everything was devolved into chaos, which made it harder to see where any attacks were coming. Thankfully, Joseph seemed to have the eyes on an eagle and tackled Caleb before a bullet could strike him through the chest. He landed on top of Caleb in the small space of their boat. "Sorry. Didn't want you getting shot."

Caleb just pulled him down by his shirt collar and kissed him quickly. "Okay, back to sinking ships."

He nodded and stood up, taking his position to steer and keeping himself alert to everything around them as Caleb continued to load and fire their cannon. 

Joseph and Caleb kept their swift pace and sent multiple ships into the water by the time they were nearly out of cannon balls. Caleb lugged one of the last few into the cannon and fired. "We're low on ammo!"

Joseph looked at the depleted crate of cannon balls, then to the shops surrounding us. "We can steal some from one of these ships. I can break through one of the windows but we won't have long before the crew sees us up against the side."

"I'll put a cloaking charm over the boat. They'll be able to hear us but not see us so we'll have to be quiet."

Joseph nodded and turned the ship. Caleb knelt down and used his nail to cut his finger, then drew a series of symbols on the rim of the boat. Just as they were approaching one of Hawkes ships, Caleb felt a bit of his energy sap into the symbols and he knew they had worked.

"Okay, give me a leg up." Joseph reached for one of the small circular windows on the side of the ship as Caleb offered his hands to step on.

Caleb lifted Joseph easily, and turned his head away as he broke the glass with the butt of a knife. Once he'd cleared the glass from the frame he carefully hauled himself through it and into the belly of the ship.

As soon as he did, he heard Joseph swear as if something startled him. Worry rose up in his gut. "Joseph? You okay?"

After a few moments, he heard a response. "I'm fine. There's just someone in here give me a moment."

Caleb waited, and soon someone was popping their head out of the window. "Hey, big brother. Nice of you to join us."

It was his sister. Her identical eyes, her skin, and her choppy brown hair were all the same. Even though she had a few more scars and a different outfit than the last time he saw her.

Caleb stared, then laughed a little. "How did you know I was out here?"

She reached out the window and produced a tiny crab in her palm. "The crab told me."

Caleb blinked, then shrugged. "Okay. What are you doing in one of Hawke's ships?"

"Long story and I'll get to it later." She put the crab on her shoulder. "Right now we need to get Damara. She's tied to the mast."

"Who—"

His sister tossed her coat at him, which landed on his face. "Less talky talky, more savey savey. Meet you in the deck!"

Caleb didn't have time to argue, but he did hear Joseph shout 'sorry, she's dragging me' as soon as her head ducked back into the boat. Caleb sighed and tossed her coat into the boat, let down the anchor, and used his knives to climb up to the deck.

When he got there, he jumped over the rail just as the door leading below deck burst open and his sister charged out with a sword drawn and murder in her eyes. Joseph stumbled towards him as he started at his sister for a moment, slightly surprised and slightly proud of her newfound combat capabilities. She'd even bulked up a bit and cut her hair.

Joseph cocked his pistol and held it up. "Should we...?"

"Yeah." Caleb spun his knives in his hands and charged.

Joseph wasn't far behind, shooting down pirates left and right. Caleb was tossing them overboard and Coral was cutting them down like butter. When they finally had a chance to breathe, Caleb noticed the young woman tied to the mast, wearing nothing but a torn up sheet and some rope to cover herself. Coral and Joseph were handling the last few pirates, so he jogged over to the mast.

"Hi, I'm Coral's brother." He reached to cut her free, but she hissed and kicked him square in the chest with enough force that he flew backward.

He landed with a thud and Joseph swore, running yo help him up. Coral pulled her sword out of the last pirate and slashed the woman's ropes, cutting her free. Caleb started, still heaving from the powerful kick, as Coral grinned and pecked her on the lips quickly.

She looked at her brother and winced. "Sorry, I forgot to mention she hates men. At least when she first meets them."

Caleb stood up, rubbing his chest, and Joseph shoved his pistol into his belt. "That was one strong kick for a girl so small."

The woman narrowed her eyes at him, and with a thick accent he couldn't place said, "Men."

Coral elbowed her slightly. "That's my brother, Damara."

"Nice to meet you." She looked at him once, then huffed and pushed her hair out of her face. "The red wave. Where is it?"

"Crab says it's over there." She pointed to their left.

"Does your brother have a boat?"

Caleb nodded. "I do. It's tied to this one-"

"Good. Meet me there, darling."

Coral nodded and Damara took a running vault over the side of the ship. Caleb and Joseph rushed to the edge of the shop in time to see her hit the water and disappear under the surface. When she swan back up, she had a gleaming red tail instead of legs.

Coral smacked her brothers arm with the back of her hand and grinned. "Oh, yeah, she's a mermaid. Did I forget to mention?"

Caleb looked at her and shook his head. "You have so much explaining to do, Cordelia."

"In due time, brother. For now, we have ships to sink and pirates to kill!"

She jumped over word and landed in the water, then pulled herself into the Raptor and started untying the anchor.

Joseph watched her and said, "That's your sister?"

He smiled. "Hell yes it is."