Veils of Storm

32. No Escape

Jazz's words sent Kat's heart into her throat. He was right. The dark ships were definitely heading toward the Jolly Marauder, firing cannons at it. Trying to sink it.

"We need to get back, now!" Jazz ordered. He hesitated a second, then pointed towards the ladder. "Through there."

Trix shook his head. "I can't go down through there."

"You can if you leave the body. You could now," Jinx pointed out.

"Don't you understand? I can't leave the body! Cage..." Trix's eyes traveled to Cage who was still engaged in battle in his beast form. His eyes turned yellow again and he burst into hysterical laughter.

Jazz cursed, and for a second, his eyes turned white. He winced and pulled back into himself. His eyes filled with tears as he grabbed Kat's arm.

"You need to get Cage back and force him to come with us."

"Force him?"

But Jazz was no longer listening. He charged forward, crossing blades with two men. Jinx did the same and Kat understood that they were making a path for her, giving her the opportunity to get closer to the beast.

The blood in her veins seemed to freeze. Would the beast charge at her the moment it saw her? Would it be just like before, Cage's love for her twisting the curse and making her the favorite target?

But what if it did? It would be the best way to draw him away and where they wanted it, so she'd figure out how to not get killed later. 

Sword and dagger out, she made her way through the crowd, trying to get as close as possible to the beast. Once the pirates realized that she was heading for the monster, they stopped trying to impede her progress, as if they too were curious what would happen when she reached it. Kat didn't dare get too close though. She stopped a few yards away from him and started waving her arms.

"Hey, over here!" she called over the sound of grunts and groans.

The beast finished slashing its current target before its golden eyes settled on her. Kat expected it to launch towards her. What she didn't expect was for the beast to freeze. The hesitance gave a few of the pirates surrounding it the chance to sink their blades into its flank.

"No!" she yelled.

The beast let out a sound between a roar and a yelp before swiping at them with its claws. The men screamed as the talons tore into them much quicker than they expected. The beast returned its attention to her. Blood seeped out of the cuts, and yet she couldn't feel anything. Did that mean Cage wasn't hurting?

The thought left her mind the moment the beast hurtled towards her. With a short yelp, she twirled around and headed towards the edge of the deck. This unpleasantly reminded her of how she used to run for the dungeon to escape the threat. Except this time, there was no safe room at the end of her run, just three people who had enough magic to maybe contain it.

The deck shook again, and as Kat looked beyond the railing, she realized that Wolfbane's men were firing cannons again right from underneath them. In the distance, like a floating shadow, she could spot the Jolly Marauder. Her heart dropped through her stomach. Harrison and Leila were there, taking fire, unable to protect themselves because they didn't have magic. Jazz was right, they really needed to get back to the ship.

He and Jinx had already retreated to the edge of the deck, next to the ladder. Trix was no longer there, but hopefully going down where they'd left the boat. The body he'd been carrying leaned against the railing, abandoned.

Kat faltered to a halt and turned to face the beast, holding her weapons up, even if she knew they couldn't hurt it. The beast stopped its advance as well, pacing back and forth before them, snarling at the pirates who had dared to follow. Jazz waved his arms again and sent the men flying before turning to Kat.