The Devil's Tide

by Tomerlin, Matt

  "Oh god," Calloway said. "What did you do, Kate?"

  "Maybe saved us. Maybe killed us. We'll find out." She offered a hand. "Get up. We're leaving."

  Calloway took her hand, and Kate lifted her up. They stumbled toward the exit, slanting forward to compensate for the upward slope in the floor. The thick smoke made it difficult to see more than two feet. They reached the stairs, and the hatch they had entered through was blocked by flaming debris. Cinders rained down the steps, and smoke was swirling down.

  "So much for leaving," Calloway said.

  Kate looked down the stairs to the hold. Water was splashing below. The ship creaked, wood buckling as it was slowly being pulled under. "We're still leaving," Kate said. "Just not the way we came."

  She yanked Calloway's hand, pulling her down the stairs. "Wait," Calloway said. "Wait, wait!" she cried.

  Kate stopped just before the water. The air was painfully thin, as though it was being sucked from her lungs before she could inhale. The entire ceiling was churning flame, splintered planks bowing inward at the center, threatening to collapse into the hold. The casks still above the water were on fire. The hold was filled to waist level, with the ocean pouring in from a black void in the back, where the powder room had been.

  "The explosion gouged a hole right there," Kate rasped, pointing. "Given how fast the water's flooding in, it should be wide enough to swim through."

  "Oh, no, no, no," Calloway said, voice rising to a panicked pitch. She gasped for breath. "I'm not going to drown."

  Kate whirled, slapping Calloway hard across the face. "That's exactly what you'll do if you stay here, cowering and pissing yourself!"

  "I can't swim through that!" Calloway insisted. Her face was twisted in fear, and Kate was reminded how much younger this girl was.

  "You don't have a choice!" She yanked on Calloway's wrist, lugging her into the water. Kate trudged against the current, its icy fingers biting at her legs. Smoke swirled against the water, curling away before it could touch the surface.

  Calloway was yelping frenzied protests, but Kate ignored her. She maintained a firm grip, dragging the girl through the water. A burning cask rolled off of the others, nudged by the slant of the ship, and splashed into the water behind them, prompting Calloway to increase her pace.

  The deck wouldn't hold out much longer. Wood popped and cracked as the fire chewed away at it. Flaming chunks rained from above, sizzling when they hit the water. One of them struck Calloway's shoulder, hissing against her skin. She cried out, clutching the raw mark it left behind.

  The ship dipped sharply toward its starboard side, and three more casks rolled into the water. The impact propelled Calloway into Kate, and both women collapsed in the water. They emerged, blinking water out of their eyes and coughing hoarsely. Smoke filled Kate's lungs with every breath she took for another cough. Calloway's face was bright red, her throat bulging as she hacked up water.

  The ship had tipped to a ninety degree angle, and the sea was churning up out of the breach in the hull. Kate took hold of Calloway, ushering her toward the hole. "No!" Calloway said, struggling against her. "I can't do this!"

  Kate touched Calloway's cheeks, drawing her near. "It's just a little swim, Jaq. Just a little swim and then all this will be over."

  Calloway's eyes glazed with tears, and her chin quivered. "I'm scared, Kate."

  "I know," Kate said. "I'm scared too."

  "No you're not," the girl said. "You're not scared of anything."

  "Who told you that?" Kate said. She attempted a laugh, but it came out as a throaty cough.

  The deck above bent further inward, a crack forming down the middle. Flaming debris tumbled through the seam and into the hold, slapping the water. Steam rose from every impact. The ship shuddered.

  "I need more time!" Calloway insisted.

  "You can't have it!" Kate said, and shoved her headfirst into the bubbling water. She grabbed Calloway's upturned feet and heaved her downward with all her might. The girl disappeared into the black.

  God, I hope she knows how to swim. She had forgotten to ask.

  She looked up just as the deck collapsed. A massive wall of fire descended toward her, breaking apart as it fell. She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with smoky air, and dove into the breach.

  The current did its best to push her back up. She grasped at the darkness until her fingers grazed a jut of wood. She grabbed hold and pulled herself downward, swinging her arms and kicking her legs. She found another piece of wood and used it as leverage. She glimpsed the jagged circumference of the breach, black against the faint blue glow of the deep, and knew she was almost there. She thrust herself forward, through the opening . . . and was suddenly jarred to a halt. She thrashed in the water but gained no headway. Something had taken hold of her back. She peered over her shoulder. The lace of her bodice was caught on another jut of wood. She beat her elbows against the hull and kicked violently in the water, but the bodice refused to come free.

  She fumbled to unlace the front, but her fingers were clumsy, and the lace was tight. Seconds seemed like minutes. Salt water singed the gash in her forehead, sending throbs into her skull. She shook her head spastically, hoping that the frantic motion would somehow gain her lungs more air.

  She was halfway through the laces when her fingers hit a knotted tangle that refused to budge. She threw back her head and loosed a warbled, bubbly shriek.

  The tension left her muscles, and she let her arms and legs drift. There was no point fighting it anymore. She was out of air. She scanned her surroundings, but the water was too dark to see anything.

  As fitting a place as any, she thought. She braced herself. The first breath would be the worst. She had heard from Bastion that drowning wasn't so bad, once you got past the drowning part. She inquired how he could know such a thing, and he claimed to have drowned once. She had laughed heartily at that.

  It didn't seem terribly funny now.

  Her lungs started to convulse. Her chest heaved. She squeezed her eyes shut.

  And then the ship's hull shuddered violently, and her bodice shook loose. Her eyes shot open. She spun around and considered swimming back up into the breach to regain the breath she had lost in her frustration, but the fire above was distinct even through the murky water. The deck had touched down. The only way out was under and around the side of the ship, all the way to the surface.

  So she bent her legs and pushed herself off the hull. She swam faster and harder than she would have guessed humanly possible. She made her way up along the curve of the hull, until she saw the ripples of the surface and the shimmering blot of the sun. She saw the underside of Crusader, and next to it she saw Calloway's slim form, legs kicking. The girl had made it.

  Everything seemed to slow to a crawl. Kate felt as though she was swimming through a pool of clear mud. Her lungs convulsed viciously. She shook her head, fighting the inevitable. Her vision narrowed.

  Just a little further. Just a little further. Oh, God. It's right there. I can see it. Just a little further. I can see it. Oh, God. Just a little further. Just one more push, Katherine. You can do it. Just one more—

  She was five feet from the surface when she involuntarily inhaled. Water poured into her lungs. Her chest clenched, muscles ceasing. She grasped at her ribs, tearing at her bodice. She thrashed and thrashed, sucking for air that wouldn't come. Needles of pain shot into her skull through her temples. Her hands lifted from her chest to clutch her throat, fingernails grinding into her skin. She heard herself gagging.

  The surface was slowly falling away now, and she realized she had stopped kicking. Before the ocean went dark, she gave her legs a final thrust.

  CALLOWAY

  When Kate's red hair appeared next to Calloway in the water, she knew something had gone dreadfully wrong.

  Jeremy Clemens dove in and swam to Kate's limp body, wrapping an arm around her before she could sink. The men above tossed Clemens a knotted rope, and he hefted Kate over his shoulde
r. The two of them were lifted up to Crusader.

  Calloway followed shortly after. Her arms ached as she grasped the rope and was lifted up the side of the ship. As she was helped over the rail and onto the deck, she gasped. Dillahunt was alive. He was slumped on a barrel, soaking wet and clutching a bleeding stomach, but he was alive.

  Her excitement, however, was tempered when she saw Kate splayed gracelessly on the main deck, head drooping to one side. Her face was pale, and her mouth was hanging open. Four red trails ran down her neck where she had clawed at her throat. Clemens was hunched over her, prodding at her ribs, as if that would do any good. Avery Dowling was pacing with his arms crossed, trying not to look as concerned as he clearly was. Occasionally his eyes would flash Kate's way. Farley's face was bright red and all twisted up like he was trying not to cry.

  Bastion appeared at Calloway's side, staring down at Kate. "She drink too much water?" he asked.

  "No, she drowned, you idiot!" Calloway snapped uncontrollably.

  Bastion burst forward. "Get out of the way!" he shouted, shoving Clemens aside. He kneeled beside Kate, leaned over her . . . and kissed her.

  "Oh, for the love of God!" Dillahunt exclaimed, standing.

  Bastion pulled away and stared at Kate's face. He looked dismayed. He leaned down again and delivered another kiss, cheeks puffing out like a blowfish. Nothing happened. He kissed her again.

  The crew started to murmur uncomfortably to one another.

  Calloway couldn't believe what she was seeing. Kate was dead, and this sick islander was groping her corpse. "Someone stop him!" she cried.

  "I've had enough of this perversity," Dillahunt said, hardening his fists and stomping toward Bastion.

  Bastion held up a hand and shouted, "Wait! I forgot something." He plugged Kate's nose between thumb and forefinger, and kissed her again. Kate's cheeks ballooned and her chest lifted beneath him. Her lips popped, and water burst from her mouth, splattering Bastion's face before he could pull away. She rolled over and hacked water for a long time, veins bulging from her temples and neck. Her face was purple by the time she was done. Blood seeped from beneath her bandana, trailing between her eyebrows and down her nose.

  Dillahunt had stopped in his tracks and was gawking stupidly.

  "Sorry to disobey, captain," Bastion said, lowering his head.

  "It's quite alright," Dillahunt murmured, pale-faced.

  Calloway dropped to Kate's side, squeezing her arm. Kate attempted a smile, but it was quickly lost to another fit of coughs.

  "How did you know to do that?" Calloway asked Bastion.

  "I drink too much water once. A man did this to me. Him learn it in the East. Him say you breathe into a person, it make them breathe." Bastion shrugged modestly. "It don't always work."

  "It worked this time," Kate said in a throaty, pained voice.

  Farley scratched the back of his neck. "Someone should make a note of that."

  Clemens was shaking his head and wagging a finger at Bastion. "You stay away from me from now on. And keep that dead woman away from me, too. Black magic, that was. I knows it when I sees it." He ran for the hold.

  Kate continued to cough while Calloway held her hand. Kate squinted gratefully up at Bastion. "Thank you," she said. "I'd kiss you, if we hadn't already."

  When she was sure Kate wasn't going to die all over again, Calloway told her, "I'll be right back." She stood and moved to Dillahunt's side. She expected he'd be thrilled to see her, but he merely glanced at her. When he didn't say anything, she said, "Kate needs stitching. She's took a nasty cut under that bandana. I could swear I saw a bit of her skull!"

  Dillahunt nodded. "Right. Any man here a surgeon?"

  A timid little blonde man stepped forward. "I mend sails and fabrics well enough."

  "There's a medical kit in my cabin," said Dillahunt. "See to Mrs. Lindsay's wound. And do take care. She's the only reason any man on this ship still draws breath. And after you've finished with her, my stomach could use some mending as well."

  Calloway glanced over the remainder of the crew. There were about half as many as before the assault on Blackbeard's ship. Of the twenty men that had gone over, only Dillahunt had returned.

  Dillahunt appraised them with a proud half-smile. "You shall all receive free pardons, as promised."

  Some of them cheered halfheartedly, but most were too tired to muster the enthusiasm. Some were still staring at Kate in disbelief.

  "Helmsman!" Dillahunt called up to Dumaka. "Take us out of these infernal islands."

  "Aye, captain."

  Dillahunt faced Queen Anne's Revenge. Calloway forced herself to look. The front half of the ship was completely submerged now, with the stern sticking out of the water, engulfed in flame. Several of Blackbeard's men splashed in the water, begging for help they would never receive. A few of them were swimming over, even as Crusader started to pull away. "Don't leave us!" they were screaming. "We'll drown!"

  Dillahunt chuckled sardonically at that. Calloway watched him closely, wondering what he was thinking. "I'm happy to see you," she said.

  "As am I," he distantly replied.

  "You don't look it," she blustered, jabbing his arm.

  He attempted to reassure her with an idle smile. It didn't work.

  Later that night, after Crusader had sailed far from the circular island chain, making way for Nassau, Dillahunt joined Calloway in his quarters. She had been waiting a while, her back propped against the headboard of the bed. She had lit a few candles, stripped off her clothes, and collapsed onto the soft mattress. She ached all over, especially the back of her skull, where it had smacked the deck. She bandaged the hand she had singed when she tore the fuse from Teach's beard. When they returned to Nassau, she would be sure to find some aloe for the burn.

  Dillahunt smiled briefly as he entered. He removed his belt and sat at the edge of the bed, struggling out of his boots. He collapsed beside her, and she snuggled close to him, placing an arm across his freshly bandaged torso. His face, however, was still wrapped in the old dirty bandages. She plucked at them, and he jerked his head away.

  "I want to see you," she said. He sighed, letting her continue. She didn't stop until his head was completely unwrapped. The wounds that riddled his rugged face had scabbed over. He didn't look so bad. In fact, she thought it made him look even more handsome.

  His eyes were steadfastly focused on the ceiling. She touched his chin, nudging it toward her, but his eyes did not follow. She sighed, rolling away from him onto her back. "Are you done with me, then?"

  "Don't be daft," he said, rather lazily. "I'm just tired."

  "You seem vexed." She entwined his leg in hers and nudged his crotch with her knee. "What can I do to fix it?"

  After a while, he propped himself on an elbow and looked at her. She wanted to spring up and kiss him just for acknowledging her presence, but she resisted. "It was all for nothing," he said. "Hornigold is dead. Griffith's fortune might have made up for that, but it too is lost. Probably in the hands of Charles Vane, if he isn't dead in a cave somewhere. And before I had the chance to take Edward Teach's head, he fell from my grasp."

  "Teach is dead, then?" Calloway said hopefully.

  He looked at her, nodding slowly. "Claimed by his own ship. There is no way any man could have survived that fire. Does that make you sad?"

  She screwed up her face in disgust. "Why would that make me sad? You know how I loathed the man."

  He stared at her. "Yes. We never talked about that. You made an attempt on his life. Odd that he didn't kill you when he had the opportunity to return the gesture."

  Calloway shriveled under his judicious gaze, feeling culpable without knowing why. "I'd rather not think about it," she said.

  "No, of course not," he replied, looking away. He almost sounded disappointed.

  She didn't want to talk about Teach, which would inevitably lead her to dwell on her mother's suicide. She was tired of the past. "How is Kate?" she asked in a suddenly
chipper tone, hoping for a change of subject.

  "Resting," he said. He leaned back, putting his hands behind his head. "As we should be."

  "Don't look so glum," she said, pressing against him. "You still have me. We still have our lives."

  He smirked. "And nothing else."

  She chewed on her lower lip. She had been giving something a lot of thought over the past few hours, but she wasn't sure how to present the idea. "You know, this ship carries yet another treasure."

  Dillahunt sat up in a huff, pressing his back against the headboard. He winced as his stomach curled inward. "I know what you're getting at," he grated. "I'll not sell Lindsay back to her family. I gave her my word. We struck a bargain. True, it was not a bargain among men, and women are fickle with their words, but it was a bargain nonetheless. I needn't remind you that she saved all our lives, many times over."

  "Yes," she agreed. "And we can return the favor."

  He regarded her skeptically.

  She crawled on top of him, straddling him. "How much longer can she last out here, living like this? Today was nearly the end of her."

  "Today nearly ended us all," he reminded her.

  "Have you had a look at your desk? It is stained with Nathan's blood. I don't think it will come out even with the most vigorous scrub. How long before a red blemish is all that remains of Kate?"

  "That has nothing to do with this," Dillahunt stubbornly replied. "Adams was a fool. He played with fire and he got what he deserved. I'll not hear his name again. It repulses me to think he fucked that whore in this bed."

  "Nathan wasn't an idiot," she objected. "He was weak for her, that's all."

  "Bah," he said, waving a hand.

  Calloway sighed. "Kate needs to go back, Guy. Whether she realizes it or not. She thinks she can gallivant around the Caribbean forever, from adventure to adventure."

  He glared at her. "I suppose the considerable sum her family is offering has nothing to do with it? You said you'd never return to whoring. Kate's reward would ensure that decision, wouldn't it?"