"Row!" My‑re yelled down the opening to the deck below.
“Woman, what do you think we’re doing?” Rao shouted.
“It’s back!” My‑re informed.
Rao cursed out loud several times in Rathiri. The pace of the sixty Lord Protector rowers on the remaining thirty oars accelerated.
Crack!
A flash of light followed a bolt of electricity shot from Sheila and out to sea. Three more followed in rapid succession.
Tim the Enchanter joined Sheila at the railing. Several balls of fire shot out from the end of his staff.
“Did you hit it?” My‑re questioned as she joined them.
“Prepare for battle!” Sheila called out and moved past My‑re. The command indicated the threat remained. Tim the Enchanter followed her as she moved to the ship's middle. Sheila continued, “Spread out. Form small defensive groups. Call out any contact. Do not bunch up.”
“My‑re!” Ssskah called out from the massive navigation wheel.
Approaching, Ssskah said, “Watch my back.”
“It’s going under the ship!” Captain Phetmolge bellowed down from the crow’s nest.
My‑re and the rest of the crew’s eyes scanned the railing’s border. She could hear Rao barking orders below deck. With a reassuring rhythm, the Nightie’s oars pushed faster down the narrow trench toward the abandoned western port known as the Suicide Gate.
Silence for what seemed like ages passed. Knuckles turned white from gripping weapons. Sheila Greywand and Tim the Enchanter were back to back with wand and staff ready. Captain Phetmolge kept turning in the crow’s nest, watching everything from above.
“My‑re, are you listening?”
Breaking from her concentration, Ssskah whispered her name harshly. From her tone, it seemed she had tried to get her attention a few times prior.
“What is it?”
“Watch,” Ssskah said, slightly releasing her grip on the navigational wheel. It started to turn on its own.
“The current?”
“Out on the lake, maybe, but the current in this trench isn’t strong,” Ssskah explained.
Ssshah’s eyes went wide, which likely mirrored her own. Ssskah latched on the wooden spokes of the wheel. “By the nine hells. The creature’s moving it.” the were-cat cursed. She strained to grip the wheel. It had already turned two spokes, translating to two degrees worth to the port side. “If we deviate more than five degrees, we’ll run aground.” The wheel began to progress to the third spoke.
“My‑re!” Ssskah yelled. “Help!”
Latching onto the wheel, My‑re instantly felt the force pulling it. Like trying to pull a tree to correct the course, it wasn’t budging.
“By the nine hells! Three degrees to starboard!” Phetmolge bellowed from the crow’s nest in panic. “Now!”
“It’s pushing the rudder! It’s trying to beach us!” Ssskah called back.
Phetmolge began rapidly descending from the crow’s nest.
The two women strained against the wheel. It had moved three degrees. It progressed to a fourth when Phetmolge arrived.
“I should have never left the wheel to a woman.” Phetmolge scoffed and gripped the spokes. “You don’t have the strength. Let go.”
My‑re and Ssskah backed away. The wheel instantly progressed a fourth degree and proceeded to the fifth. Phetmolge strained, trying to resist. The wheel continued to move.
“Don’t just stand there!” Phetmolge bellowed. “Help me!”
Snorting at each other at the irony, My‑re and Ssskah latched on. All three strained. The wheel held.
After several moments, Phetmolge said, “Stupid creature. That’ll show it.”
The resistance suddenly ceased. All three tumbled to the ground. The wheel spun starboard. The ship lurched to the right.
“Catch it!”
Falling, My‑re grabbed a spoke. The ship listed. Wood creaked in loud protest. Her grip slipped. She tumbled across the slick deck. Everyone else remained out of reach. The wheel spun freely. She slid uncontrollably toward the wooden railing. Her head hit unyielding wood. Her body stopped cold. Stars and then pain circled inside her forehead. Everything went dark.