Chapter Twenty-Eight

L eo and Percy struggled on the ground, both bloodied. Saffron couldn't tell which had been shot. The smoke choked the air from her lungs and burned her eyes.

The boat lurched hard to one side and she had a flash of how her brother and Leo's sister, Sabrina, must have felt knowing that the ship they were on was going down, wondering if they would survive, listening to the screams of everyone around them.

She mentally shook herself. There was no one else, no huge group of innocents who would be taken down with the ship when it sank.

She grabbed the edge of the railing and returned shakily to her feet. The pistol was only a few feet away. She didn't know how to use the weapon, but she could remove it from Percy's reach. She dove for the chunk of metal and tossed it as far away from the struggling men as she could.

She fell against a wooden crate and clung. It would not be long before the boat slipped beneath the waves. She put her hands on her waist, digging her fingers into the thick fabric of her corset beneath her dress. The ruffles and layers of fabric were like a cage. Once she hit the water, it would soak into the layers and send her down into the deep like an anchor. Gooseflesh puckered down her arms as the boat lurched again.

She stripped off her clothing until she wore only her shift, stockings, and slippers. Then she gathered up the rest of her clothes in a ball and searched for something that would float. The nearest box was cracked open. She shoved her clothing inside and peered over the edge of the boat into the writhing ocean beneath.

"Saffron, get off this boat!" Leo shouted. "I am right behind you."

Stop waiting, and just do it.

She tossed the box overboard and followed it. When her feet hit the water, the shock of intense cold made her stiffen, biting into her like a thousand little knives. She paddled toward the dinghy as quickly as she could, but it drifted stubbornly away. A loud bang sounded, and she whipped around to see Percy's pistol pointed toward the boat.

She swam, knowing that if she stopped, the water would drag her down. But with every stroke of her arms, the lethargy set in. She wasn't cold, but hot.

Darkness crowded in the side of her vision, and it was harder and harder to move her limbs. The sea tugged at her, sucking her down into its dark depths. She wanted nothing more than to stop and rest, but if she did, that would be the end of her until they dragged her bloated body from the ocean.

Cold, salty water rushed into her nose and mouth. She gasped out a breath. Beside her, the ship continued to sway. Seconds later, there was a splash.

"Leo!"

She turned around and kicked as hard as she could until she could kick no more.

*

Leo's mind split from his body as he stared down at the frothing waves below. Saffron was gone, swept beneath the seafoam. His leg pulsed blood, and his head swam from Percy's blow. He coughed as the smoke curled around him, a reminder of the fire he'd set.

I'm sorry, sister.

The paintings, covered in oils, had erupted into flames even faster than he'd expected. But the distraction had worked, and his solicitor was no longer a threat. Shortly after Saffron had jumped, a heavy crate had tumbled onto Percy, crushing him. They were lucky that Percy was a terrible shot and had missed them.

Leo felt as if he were floating above his body as he lifted one leg over the railing then fell into the waves and sank.

A rush of cold water threw him back into his senses and he gasped a harsh breath. Wave after wave broke over his head, pulling him down into the depths of the harbor. Even so close to shore, it was fifteen, twenty feet or more to the bottom, and the sea was angry.

He listened for the sound of Saffron's voice, hoping against hope he would see a pale hand sticking up, or hear her yell his name. But as he spun around, kicking his legs against the strong current, there was nothing but cresting waves around him, battering him against the side of the ship.

The water rushed over his head and filled his nose with salty brine. His chest burned as it dripped down his throat, and he coughed.

As he floated there, unsure of what he was even doing, he heard his sister's voice crying out.

"Leo!"

The waves around him darkened. Countless voices around him called out for help.

But whom to help first?

Women and children scrambled in the muck, drowning each other in their attempts to get to freedom. There was crying and splashing all around as the ship moaned as it sunk beneath the water.

His sister was there, inches in front of him, struggling to pull herself out of her layers of clothing that pulled her down. He saw her face, heard her call out his name, and then she was gone, her hand disappearing in a flash.

"No!"

He dove, following the specter of his sister as she sank, her ghost-white face staring up at him, mouthing words he couldn't hear.

Then he was being pulled back to the surface. His head broke the water, and he coughed, the water burning his lungs. Something sharp pricked below his knee and he realized too late there was a jagged piece of metal sticking up from the side of the boat that had sliced him open.

"Leo!"

Saffron's voice.

He rubbed the salt from his face. She had stripped down to her shift, her hair a wet mass on top of her head. She hung from the side of an unfamiliar boat, her hands tangled in his coat. Simon and Miss Angelica stood behind her, clutching her coat to keep her from falling overboard.

"Remove your jacket!" she said, and he did, shrugging it off and grabbing her hands as wave after wave hammered them.

"We're almost out, Leo, hold on." Her face was twisted with worry, and she clutched his hands tighter.

A fiery sensation licked his toes, but his mind was far, far away, still diving deeper, his sister forever just out of reach.