Married To Darkness-Chapter 400: Reaching Shore; Cold and Tired

We will have to swim beside it.

"No," Jess whimpered. "No, you can’t! There’s still pirates!"

As if summoned by her fear, a sharp crack rang out across the water.

The first bullet hit the water only inches from the boat, spraying cold foam into the air.

"Fuck!" Jean shrieked, covering her head instinctively.

Another shot rang out, then another.

The pirates, realizing their prey was escaping, had lined up along the rails of the big ship and were now firing into the water, muskets flashing in the morning light.

"Row!" Salviana shouted, grabbing an oar and thrusting it at Jean. "Row, NOW!"

Alaric and Lucius immediately pushed the little boat forward through the water, while Samion and Jaefel dove around it, using their bodies as shields in case bullets hit the water nearby.

Crack!

Splash!

Another bullet barely missed Sarah’s arm, and she whimpered in fear.

Lucius snarled low in his throat, pushing the boat harder. His hair was plastered to his forehead, the umbrella long gone, abandoned in the sea.

Alaric grabbed another oar and started rowing from the side, his muscles straining, his face carved in stone.

"Move faster, Jean!" Lucius barked.

"I’m trying!" Jean sobbed, rowing awkwardly with shaking arms.

The pirates howled insults at them from the big ship, but the rowboat was smaller, a harder target, and slowly, slowly, it gained distance.

"We need a diversion," Alaric growled through gritted teeth.

Without warning, Samion turned mid-swim, lifted a hand, and threw a piece of floating wreckage behind them.

For a moment, the pirates thought it was a person and turned their guns toward it.

"Now!" Lucius hissed.

They rowed harder, every muscle burning, the boat jerking over the waves.

Bullets tore through the air again, but farther off now.

The pirates’ ship was growing smaller behind them. The shots became fewer. Then none.

Finally, finally, they cleared the firing range.

Panting, soaked, and trembling, they slumped inside the tiny boat, letting it drift for a moment under the warming sun.

Emma collapsed against Salviana, sobbing openly. Jean dropped her oar and hugged Jess tight. Sarah wrapped her arms around herself, teeth chattering.

Samion and Jaefel clung to the sides, still treading water to steady the boat, their faces grim.

Alaric wiped water from his face, blood dripping from a gash at his temple. He locked eyes with Salviana.

"You alright?" he rasped.

She nodded fiercely. "Are you?" she reached to touch his face.

A grim smile tugged at his lips. "Never better."

"Hold on tight everyone," Alaric alerted his people and when they all did, He did some magic and their boat started to row faster like a speed boat. Luke there was a force underneath it.

Jean coughed and splashed alongside them, pale as a ghost. "I swear to every god, if I survive this, I’m killing Jess for dragging us into this pirate mess."

"Sorry!" Jess wailed, but then burst into shaky laughter, overwhelmed.

"We asked for her help Jean, you’re being dramatic," Salviana laughed.

"I know," Jean laughed too, "its just nice to think we were dragged into this,I’m joking I love you Jess this is such an adventure"

"We’re not safe yet," Alaric said, scanning the open sea. "We need to get to land before they come after us again."

"They’ll come," Lucius agreed darkly, glancing back at the shrinking pirate ship. "Pirates never give up gold without blood."

Sarah sniffled. "I hate pirates. I hate the sea. I hate rowing."

"You’re doing fine," Salviana encouraged her, even though her arms and legs were screaming with exhaustion.

Alaric took the other oar from Jean with a grunt, starting to row.

"Everyone else, keep low," he ordered. "If we make land before nightfall, we’ll have a chance."

"And if not?" Sarah asked weakly.

Alaric’s eyes flashed. "Then we make our stand."

The little boat bobbed bravely toward the distant curve of the horizon, carrying the battered remnants of House Velthorne away from danger,

and toward whatever storm waited next.

They reached land by late evening.

The sun was gone, leaving only a dim grayish glow in the sky, swallowed by thick clouds.

The cold hit them immediately, sharp and cutting, far worse than anything at sea.

Shivering, soaked, and exhausted, the group pulled the tiny boat onto the rocky shore, stumbling over uneven sand and sharp stones.

"This...isn’t the harbor," Jean muttered, hugging herself for warmth. Her teeth were chattering so hard she could barely speak.

"No," Lucius said grimly, scanning the darkened coastline. "We’re on the other side. Far from people. Far from safety."

The beach stretched endlessly, a barren strip of sand and jagged rocks.

Beyond it, wild cliffs and crooked trees loomed like shadows against the dying light.

The sea behind them roared and foamed, the tide rising slowly.

"We have to find shelter," Salviana said, her voice steely despite how badly she was trembling.

The air was so cold her hands had gone numb.

Alaric looked at her sharply, then turned to Samion and Jaefel. "Scouts. Look for anything. A cave, a shack, a depression. Anything."

"Yes, my lord," Samion said immediately, already setting off up the beach.

Jaefel followed after him without a word, boots squelching in the wet sand.

The others huddled together miserably.

Jess was sniffling and rubbing her arms. Emma and Sarah leaned against each other, their lips turning blue.

"We can’t stay out here," Lucius muttered, running a hand through his wet hair. "We’ll freeze before sunrise."

Alaric touched Salviana’s face lightly, checking her temperature. His brows knitted together in worry.

"You’re freezing," he murmured, a rare rawness in his voice. "Stay close to me." freewёbnoνel.com

Without waiting for permission, he pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

She clung to him, pressing her cheek against the worn leather of his jacket.

His body, even cold and wet, was still warmer than the cruel air around them.

Jean leaned into Lucius, who tensed awkwardly but didn’t push her away after a few second he kissed her hair and wrapped her in his arms.