Page 70 of Spar of Hearts

The blue skies that had observed their duel were slowly being eaten away from the outside in, consumed by dark clouds and rolling fog heading straight for the Lupus Star.

“When did it appear?” Roderick asked, turning to Gail.

“Just a minute before I called for ya. Never seen anything like it! Appeared like smoke from a fire!”

“What do you think?” Roderick turned to Anya.

She paced the deck. “The Lupus Star tops out at six knots, and the average storm moves at twelve. We can’t outrun it, and it’s too deep to drop anchor.”

Lightning zipped overhead, followed by a hollow crack of thunder. The floodgates opened wide, showering them with thick, globular drops of rain.

That answered her question. This was going to be one hell of a storm.

Anya called up to Ornella on the stern. “Reef the sails! I want this ship at a single knot while we weather the storm!”

“Aye aye!” Ornella jumped down from the stern onto the main deck. Gail climbed the rigging ropes with ease.

“I’ll mind the crew below and leave topside to you.” Roderick disappeared into the lower decks.

The reefing was well underway as Anya jogged to the rigging, then froze at the sight of a bird on the main cross mast.

What kind of bird was it? It was dark like a crow, but with an ashy gray beak and shaggy feathers. She couldn’t think of a single seabird with black coloring.

“My Lady, what is going on? What are you looking at?” Blackbird asked, trotting up to her.

“You know fauna better than anyone. Do you see that bird?”

Blackbird squinted up at the bird. It seemed to be staring back at them.

“It’s an eagle,” Blackbird answered, sounding surprised herself. “What is a land bird doing all the way out here?”

A land bird.

“Bless your stars, you feathery little bastard!” Anya whooped and ran to the stern, spinning the wheel to the west until they were on a diagonal course for Aquillas.

They had to be close to a passage.

There were no stars, no maps or tomes that told her this was it. Just a bizarre bird and the gut feeling of a true sailor. It went against all academic principle.

“Helm’s Alee, Captain. Keep this course no matter what.” She stepped back from the helm, relinquishing control to Captain Verden.

“Yes, ma’am!”

Anya climbed the rigging and got to work furling the starboard side of the main sails, sinking her claws into the thick ropes. More deckhands would be topside once the belly was shut up tight, but there wasn’t a moment to waste.

Waves churned the ship in every direction, bucking the bow and stern back and forth. The sky lit up with a thunderous crack. Pebbles of ice pounded her head. Yomira sat on the edge of the stern, shielding Captain Verden with a wing. A long ripping sound drew Anya’s eye to the aft sail—sliced right down the middle.

“Furl them all!” Anya shouted. “The ice can rip right through!”

“All hands on deck!” Ornella echoed, shouting into the belly of the ship. “If you aren’t pumping the bilge, I want all tails topside now!”

Deckhands filed up and scattered in every direction, furling the nearest sails in tandem.

“Anya!” Blackbird shouted. “Get down from there!”

“Someone has to get these sails!” Anya called back with a grunt. Icy rain flooded her eyes as she climbed to the highest fore sail.

“Your Highness! With me!” Gail held the starboard side of the sail’s rope, ready to pull.