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Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for SEAFIRE
  3. Dedication
  4. Before
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Chapter Six
  11. Chapter Seven
  12. Chapter Eight
  13. Chapter Nine
  14. Chapter Ten
  15. Chapter Eleven
  16. Chapter Twelve
  17. Chapter Thirteen
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Chapter Fifteen
  20. Chapter Sixteen
  21. Chapter Seventeen
  22. Chapter Eighteen
  23. Chapter Nineteen
  24. Chapter Twenty
  25. Chapter Twenty-one
  26. Chapter Twenty-two
  27. Chapter Twenty-three
  28. Chapter Twenty-four
  29. Chapter Twenty-five
  30. Chapter Twenty-six
  31. Chapter Twenty-seven
  32. Chapter Twenty-eight
  33. Chapter Twenty-nine
  34. Chapter Thirty
  35. Chapter Thirty-one
  36. Chapter Thirty-two
  37. Chapter Thirty-three
  38. Chapter Thirty-four
  39. Chapter Thirty-five
  40. Chapter Thirty-six
  41. Chapter Thirty-seven
  42. Chapter Thirty-eight
  43. Chapter Thirty-nine
  44. Chapter Forty
  45. Chapter Forty-one
  46. Chapter Forty-two
  47. Chapter Forty-three
  48. Chapter Forty-four
  49. Chapter Forty-five
  50. Chapter Forty-six
  51. Chapter Forty-seven
  52. Chapter Forty-eight
  53. Chapter Forty-nine
  54. Chapter Fifty
  55. Chapter Fifty-one
  56. Chapter Fifty-two
  57. Chapter Fifty-three
  58. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  59. Excerpt from STORMBREAK
  60. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  61. What’s next onyour reading list?

Triple was the first to move. She strode across the deck to stand in front of Caledonia and paused there. “Before today, I’d have sworn nothing in the world could compel me to voluntarily go to Slipmark.”

Caledonia didn’t dare to smile.

“But I’d rather fight at your side than anywhere else,” she added with a small nod. The girl stepped behind Caledonia.

The choice spurred others to do the same. One by one, the Blades moved to stand on opposite sides of the deck. Some were quick to decide, while others took their time. They stood stationary with their thoughts or gathered in small groups to discuss. No one rushed them. Nearly half an hour had passed, and the two sides were even. It came down to a single person.

Pine stood in the middle with his hand gripped lightly behind his back, his eyes focused thoughtfully on the deck at his feet.

“Pine,” Sledge urged gently.

Pine nodded, his eyes moving up to meet Caledonia’s. On the surface, they were calm, but just beneath an old fury raged. For a moment, Caledonia was sure he would turn the vote against her, but then he sighed quietly and took three steps to the starboard side.

“It’s decided.” Sledge spoke loudly and without any hint of anger or disappointment, yet his eyes were hard as stone. “Tomorrow, we sail for Slipmark.”

Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER TWELVE

The wind cut across Caledonia’s cheeks in frigid tracks, pulling tears from her eyes and pressing salt into her skin. The sun was plastered over by a thick layer of puffy clouds, a paler version of the choppy ocean beneath. It was just after sunrise, and the world was a study of milky gray and shadowed blue.

Caledonia stood on the nose of the bridge, her hands braced on two metal spikes. They’d considered clearing the bones from them. Sledge, in particular, had argued that the bodies—whatever was left of them—deserved to rest. But while Caledonia might have agreed, she’d argued to keep their gruesome crown. If they were going to get anywhere near Slipmark, it would be under the guise of the Bullet ship they’d stolen, and she had yet to see a Bullet ship without a collection of trophies.

It had taken them a full day and night to get underway. While Sledge coordinated a duty roster, Caledonia focused on learning her new ship and crew. She’d come to know each Blade by name, but determining their ship-worthy skills was another matter. To say nothing of the ship’s capabilities.