Free Web NovelChapter 19: Heartless
SOPHIA
A fierce gust of wind hit us. I grabbed onto the duke as I found my cape whipped off me. It sailed into the sky, spinning away like an agitated ghost into the dark sky.
We’d been up nearly the whole night, and I admit that between the excitement of the maze and emotional roller coaster of love lost and found, I felt tired to my bones.
Another gust of wind battered us, and this one knocked Jace to his knees. He cried out, gripping the leg with the wound. "Damn it!"
"Storm coming, sir!"
The stars disappeared as big, fat gray clouds swept towards the airship. Thunder reveberated in the air, followed by a flash of lightning in the distance.
"We must avoid the storm or we’ll be in peril," said the Duke. "I’ll take you the captain’s cabin."
"No!" I said, suddenly afraid that if the Duke went out of my sight, he would be gone forever. It was an irrational fear, but my gut roiled with anxiety all the same. Jace had managed to get back to his feet, but even he was having a difficult time standing. He staggered to the staircase that led to the bridge.
He wrapped his arms around the railing. "Get to safety, Sophia!" he yelled.
Like he really cared if I lived or died.
On the bridge, a huge, muscular man dressed in a gray T-shirt and black pants stood at the wheel, holding it tightly as it tried to spin.
"Go east," yelled Duke Stonehart. "Toward the farms. If this thing crashes, we need to avoid populated areas."
"Crashes!" I felt my heart pounding as fear prickled my skin. "Is that a possibility?"
"I’ll protect you." He guided me toward a door located between the two staircases that led to the bridge. Apparently the captain’s quarters had been built underneath it. He opened the heavy wood door and gently pushed me inside.
"No!" I yelled.
More thunder roared, and then sheets of rain suddenly pummeled the deck. Duke Stonehart took my hand and kissed my knuckles. "Stay safe. I’ll come for you."
I didn’t want to be the cause of his worry. Distraction now could mean the difference between landing the airship safely or crashing it to the ground.
I nodded, my gaze never leaving his as he shut the door between us. freёweɓnovel.com
All I could do now was sit and wait.
The room wasn’t that big. A built-in bed to the right. A desk and chair to the left. There was a bookshelf filled with maps and books. Unorganized. Messy. The desk was much the same. It seemed Nathan spent a great deal of time in here. I wondered how often he used the airship and what adventures he’d been on.
I wondered, too, if we would have adventures together.
The airship suddenly tilted. I fell and slid toward the wall. Papers filled the air. Books thunked to the floor. freeweɓnøvel.com
Another wild shift. The other direction.
This time, I was sliding toward the bed. As soon as I got close enough, I jumped on the mattress and held on to the fabric privacy curtain.
The rain slashed at the small window at the back of the room. I could hear the shouts of men. The crack of thunder. The crash and bang of objects as the airship fought with the edge of the storm.
Would the crew be okay? Could we actually escape the bad weather long enought to safely land the airship?
A loud BANG startled me so bad, I screamed. Then the airship was tilting. Spinning. Creaking. Groaning.
What was happening?
No, no, no. Surely we weren’t falling.
My stomach dropped and a sour taste filled my mouth. Fear. Worry.
Nathan, are you okay?
The ship righted. I pressed a hand against my roiling belly and tried to take in a few deep breaths. My heart hammered in my chest. Sweat poured off my brow. I clutched the curtain so hard, the fabric was beginning to tear.
But we were fine now, right?
I looked at the door. Should I check? A quick peek to see how things we’re looking on the deck.
I discarded the idea. Nathan told me to stay put. To stay safe. I wanted the same for him, but I knew I had no experience or knowledge that would be helpful in these terrible moments.
The best thing I could do was stay in the room until Nathan came for me.
Another loud BANG!
Goddess above, that noise was scary. I patted my chest to calm myself down, but anxiety pinched at me. My skin prickled and my throat knotted.
The airship suddenly went into free fall.
I felt my body lift from the bed and then I slammed back down. This happened over and over.
I screamed and screamed.
The curtain ripped and I tumbled off the bed.
Spin. Spin. Spin.
Panic overwhelmed me as I tried to grab anything to stop rolling all over the place.
Finally, I was able to grab the leg of the desk. It was big and ornate, nailed to the floor probably to prevent its movement during wild rides like this one. I wrapped my arms it, holding on tightly. Squeezed my eyes shut.
My legs went this way and that. I felt objects hit me, and knew that I would be bruised from head to toe.
I would certainly take bruises over death.
I just came back, I thought. What a shame it would be to die again so soon.
Tears fell.
I felt so alone. So scared.
And the ship.
The ship.
Spin. Spin. Spin.
I thought I could hear my name being called through the cacophony of the storm and the dying sounds of the airship.
But maybe that was just my imagination. My desire for someone to rescue me.
However, I learned one thing from my murder in my previous life. And it was this: We all die alone.
Then I felt something hard smash into my skull.
And I fell into darkness.
