The fog was so thick it felt alive — curling around the masts, swallowing sound and shape alike.
Evelyn gripped the edge of the deck, her knuckles pale. The waves were calmer now, but every creak of the ship set her nerves on edge.
"Rowan," she whispered, "how close are we?"
He lifted his spyglass, squinting through the mist. "Two hundred yards. They haven't spotted us yet."
"Good." She turned to her crew. "No lights. No sound. We wait until they pass, then board silently."
The rebels nodded, faces grim.
Rowan lowered the glass. "You're sure he's on one of those ships?"
Evelyn hesitated, feeling the weight of that question. "No," she said softly. "But I feel it."
And deep in her chest, that feeling — the faint pull she could never explain — burned brighter than ever.
The Convoy
On one of the royal ships, Edward sat hidden among supply crates in the lower deck, every muscle tight with pain. Tobias had slipped the guards a false report, claiming a prisoner transfer. It had bought them hours — maybe less.
The sea rocked gently beneath them, the rhythm of escape and fear.
"Once we reach the northern shoals, we jump," Tobias whispered.
Edward frowned. "You want to swim for it?"
"Unless you've got wings, Your Highness," Tobias smirked, "it's that or die here."
Back on Evelyn's Ship
Through the fog, a shape began to form — the shadow of a vessel, sails black against the pale sky.
Evelyn's pulse quickened. "That's them."
Rowan's eyes narrowed. "Something's off. They're running light — no escort ships, no signal flags."
Evelyn frowned. "A decoy?"
Before she could speak further, a flare shot up from the convoy — a burst of red light that tore through the fog.
An ambush.
"Brace yourselves!" Rowan shouted.
Cannon fire erupted. The deck splintered as iron struck wood, and the sea came alive with chaos.
Evelyn ducked behind the railing, shouting orders. "Return fire! Aim for their sails!"
Below Deck, Royal Ship
The explosion shook the hull. Tobias looked up, eyes wide. "They've found us!"
Edward felt the ship lurch violently. "Or someone else has."
Water began to pour in from a shattered side panel. The screams of sailors echoed above them.
Tobias grinned. "Change of plans. We're jumping now!"
Without hesitation, he kicked open the hatch and dove into the raging sea. Edward followed, the cold striking like knives.
As they surfaced, firelight danced on the waves — and above them, he saw her.
For a brief, impossible heartbeat — through fog and flame — Evelyn stood on the enemy deck, shouting orders.
Their eyes met across the storm.
Time stopped.
Then another explosion ripped through the air, and the world went white.
The Ghost on the Sea
The fog was so thick it felt alive — curling around the masts, swallowing sound and shape alike.
Evelyn gripped the edge of the deck, her knuckles pale. The waves were calmer now, but every creak of the ship set her nerves on edge.
"Rowan," she whispered, "how close are we?"
He lifted his spyglass, squinting through the mist. "Two hundred yards. They haven't spotted us yet."
"Good." She turned to her crew. "No lights. No sound. We wait until they pass, then board silently."
The rebels nodded, faces grim.
Rowan lowered the glass. "You're sure he's on one of those ships?"
Evelyn hesitated, feeling the weight of that question. "No," she said softly. "But I feel it."
And deep in her chest, that feeling — the faint pull she could never explain — burned brighter than ever.
The Convoy
On one of the royal ships, Edward sat hidden among supply crates in the lower deck, every muscle tight with pain. Tobias had slipped the guards a false report, claiming a prisoner transfer. It had bought them hours — maybe less.
The sea rocked gently beneath them, the rhythm of escape and fear.
"Once we reach the northern shoals, we jump," Tobias whispered.
Edward frowned. "You want to swim for it?"
"Unless you've got wings, Your Highness," Tobias smirked, "it's that or die here."
Back on Evelyn's Ship
Through the fog, a shape began to form — the shadow of a vessel, sails black against the pale sky.
Evelyn's pulse quickened. "That's them."
Rowan's eyes narrowed. "Something's off. They're running light — no escort ships, no signal flags."
Evelyn frowned. "A decoy?"
Before she could speak further, a flare shot up from the convoy — a burst of red light that tore through the fog.
An ambush.
"Brace yourselves!" Rowan shouted.
Cannon fire erupted. The deck splintered as iron struck wood, and the sea came alive with chaos.
Evelyn ducked behind the railing, shouting orders. "Return fire! Aim for their sails!"
Below Deck, Royal Ship
The explosion shook the hull. Tobias looked up, eyes wide. "They've found us!"
Edward felt the ship lurch violently. "Or someone else has."
Water began to pour in from a shattered side panel. The screams of sailors echoed above them.
Tobias grinned. "Change of plans. We're jumping now!"
Without hesitation, he kicked open the hatch and dove into the raging sea. Edward followed, the cold striking like knives.
As they surfaced, firelight danced on the waves — and above them, he saw her.
For a brief, impossible heartbeat — through fog and flame — Evelyn stood on the enemy deck, shouting orders.
Their eyes met across the storm.
Time stopped.
Then another explosion ripped through the air, and the world went white.