“Ready on the gangway!” Caledonia shouted, preparing to pull the platform up the instant Nettle’s foot landed on the deck. Preparing to leave Triple behind.

Triple spun like a star, pulling the Bullets into her orbit. She drew them into the pattern of her attack beautifully. Once. Twice. And on the third round she had them. She twisted out of the pattern she’d just taught them to expect and drove her sword through a Bullet’s chest.

On deck, the Blades cheered. Pine fired, taking down a second of Triple’s attackers. Caledonia dared to hope she would make it. That they could wait just a second longer for her to return to them.

But in the next instant, that cheer became a scream. The remaining Bullet retaliated with remarkable speed, forcing Triple to expose her side. The second her arm was raised, he drove his sword beneath her ribs.

She slumped to her knees. The Bullet withdrew his blade, and instantly Triple was on her feet again, lashing out with everything she had.

She fought brilliantly. But the Bullet fought dirty. The next time she turned to deflect a jab, she caught a sword in her back. She stopped, frozen in a perfect arc, like a feather on the verge of being raised by the breeze.

Then she fell.

Chapter Twenty-five

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Caledonia screamed. The air filled with the sound of violent rain as Pine’s gunners finally opened fire.

Nettle was on deck, gasping for breath and bleeding from the bullet graze on her arm, but otherwise unharmed. “Captain,” she wheezed as Caledonia pulled her upright. “I’m sorry. I—”

“I need you on the helm,” Caledonia stated. “Can you do it?”

Nettle straightened, nodding resolutely. “I have the helm, Captain.”

Caledonia allowed herself one last glance at Triple, crumpled on the ground where she’d fallen as her attacker fled for cover. She wanted to cry out, to release her tears and rage, but now was not the time. She bared her teeth and turned toward the harbor.

The night was full of sound now; the town was wide-awake, and Bullets converged on the wharf from all directions. There was no time to wait for Gloriana. She had to trust that she would take care of herself now. If they delayed a second more, this would all be for nothing.

“Shove off!” she shouted.

“Get low!” Pine’s voice rang out.

They hit the deck just in time for a host of Bullets to race down the dock, firing wildly at the departing ship.

“Clear!” Pine called, when they’d moved out of the direct line of fire. “Gunners stay ready! I want three teams on the aft deck!”

Caledonia headed for the bridge and climbed to the flat roof where she could see the bay ahead and the docks behind. The sound of engines roaring filled the air as clips scrambled to make their ships ready for pursuit.