Save the Sea (Saved by Pirates #3)(4)
“I won’t be long,” I tell them all gently.
“Go and see your friend. We understand. We know what she means to you,” Ryland says firmly. The others don’t have to say anything. I can tell they all seem to agree as I look around the room at them. I smile, walking to the door of the little lounge. Zack slides his leather glove-covered hand into my mine as we walk through the kitchen, and down the corridor past the guys’ rooms. Zack opens the wooden door for me, leading us outside. It's pretty empty, hardly anyone in sight.
“It’s dinner time for most people, so we won’t see many others on the way,” Zack explains like he can read my thoughts. I rest my head on his arm as we walk down the stone path and up the stairs at the end. The stone is carved so well, with little marks on the higher parts of it. I can’t really see what they are, but it looks like dozens of circle marks. I look back up at Zack, wanting to see every little thing that possibly could have changed in the time we were apart. I don’t see much difference, though there is more stress, more worry in his kind eyes.
“What has it really been like for this last year?” I ask, trusting Zack to tell me everything.
“Knowing you were alive but being unable to find you . . . it was hard. We have all trained and built the army up. Helped out however we could here, just to distract ourselves,” he explains to me, and I can picture them all doing just that. It would have been their only way of distracting themselves.
“I wish I could change that, been here for you all,” I whisper, but he hears me.
“You are here now, that is all that matters in the end,” he says, and lifts our hands, kissing the back of my hand gently. I hear the sound of clashing swords in the distance as we get to the end of this pathway and see a huge archway. The archway leads to a massive stone room. It has stone floors, and weapons are littered around the room and are secured on the walls. Right in the middle of the room is Everly, spinning around and smashing her sword into the sword of a guy I don’t recognize. Her long hair is up in a bun, her blue eyes seem completely focused as she strikes hit after hit. She has tight black trousers and a white tank top on that make it easier for her to move. All I can think is how much better she looks from the last time I saw her. She's put some weight back on, and maybe even some muscle. I watch her fight the man that is nearly twice her size. Her every hit is precise/perfect, and she seems to know exactly what she is doing. She is so fast as she moves, and I almost don’t recognise her as my Everly.
“She is one of the best fighters we have, other than the changed ones. But then, they don’t fight fair,” Zack whispers to me. We both watch as Everly whacks the other guy, and sends him flying across the room, where he lands outside the rectangle marked on the floor.
“I give up, you win! Everyone is right, you are too good. It’s not natural!” the guy huffs, his cheeks bright red. He stands up, storming out of the room past me and Zack.
“Someone’s a sore loser,” I mutter as I watch the man leave. I can hear Zack's muffled chuckle behind me.
“Cassy?” Everly’s shocked voice makes me turn back to her, and she drops her sword on the floor as we stare at each other. We both begin to run towards the other at the same time, crashing together as we meet and embrace each other.
“They were right. You’re really alive,” she mumbles, pulling back and running her eyes over me.
“I’m back. It’s a long story,” I explain quickly.
“You’re almost glowing, and you look so much better,” she says, pulling my arms to her and examining them in clear shock.
“No scars? How?” she asks me.
“Again, a long story, but the short story of it is that it was a gift from the sea god. A gift I didn’t ask for,” I say, and her eyes widen. “Anyway, how did you learn to fight like that? You look amazing!”
“A lot of training, and I mean a lot. I refuse to be weak ever again, and in case you didn’t hear, there’s a war coming,” she says, walking back over to where she dropped the sword and picking it back up. She puts the sword away and comes back to me, hugging me once more.
“Oh, I know all about the war,” I say, stepping away. "I have a lot of things to do and to figure out so we can win this thing, but first, I want to spend the night reconnecting with my fiancés," I say, lifting my hand and wiggling my fingers. She stares at my ring as a big grin climbs her face.
“Congratulations, I really mean that. You deserve every happiness, and those pirates are the ones for you,” she says and pulls me close. “Your father and mother would have been so proud of you. You marry those pirates and be happy. War or no war, I won’t let you lose a chance of your future.”
“Thank you, Everly. They are my chosen, and I love them all. I won’t let the war stop us being together either,” I say simply.
“From what I’ve learnt of chosen and changed ones here, they are your soulmates, and nothing can stop souls who are destined for each other from being together,” she says, and hugs me once more before stepping back.
“Go before I hug you again and have a good night. Can you come and see me tomorrow? I want to catch up, and I have some things to tell you," she asks me.
“Like what?” I ask curiously, and she looks behind me to Zack at the door giving us some privacy.