Damn, damn, damn! Changing course now and heading west would put them off Vane’s trail, but it was the only way to save the ship and the lives of his crew. Once the storm passed, he vowed to navigate every inch of these waters until he found the varlet’s hideaway and rescued Divana.

I swear I’ll not fail you, lass.

All hands scrambled to shift the booms and change the heading. Groaning like a dragon awakened from a thousand years of slumber, the Lady Heather began her turn, the wind and waves pushing her leeward. The ship rolled and listed. Foaming seawater crashed over the starboard side.

A sailor lost his footing and slid across the deck, barely catching himself on the tie-down of one of the skiffs. Kennan’s muscles burned as he held fast to the wheel, watching and willing the man to stay put. If any of his crew went overboard in this torrent, he’d be lost forever.

Below, Lachie Mor gripped the rail and pulled himself up to the quarterdeck. “Runner must come down from the crow’s nest.”

As the ship began to climb a thirty-foot wave, Kennan brought the wheel back to center, casting his gaze upward. But there was no sign of the lad. “God’s blood, where is he? Why didn’t you order him down when the storm hit?”

“It came on too fast.”

The enormous wave crashed over the bow as if the ship were but a twig floating in the rapids of a raging river. If the lad stayed up there, he’d be thrown for certain. “Call him down and send him below decks!”

Lachie cupped his hands to his mouth. “Runner!”

But there was still no sign of the boy.

Mr. MacNeil blew his whistle in a cadence demanding attention.

“Runner!” Kennan bellowed.

The lad finally peered over the edge of the barrel. And Lachie beckoned him down just as a bolt of lightning streaked above the center mast.

“He’ll be struck for certain!” bellowed MacNeil.

“Haste ye!” Kennan shouted.

Nodding his understanding, Runner slipped one of his legs over the edge as the ship jolted, heaving portside. With an adolescent cry, the lad lost his grip and plunged to the deck. Jolting to a sudden stop, the boy dangled, caught by the rope around his waist. Runner scrambled for the rigging, but the erratic movement of the ship’s mast whipped him from side to side, slamming his body against the wooden barrel of the nest.

Lachie faltered, catching a grab rail before he fell. “He’s trapped.”

As another rogue wave approached, Kennan turned the wheel right. “Take the helm.”

“Och, you’re not going up there, are you, Captain?”

“I’ll not have anyone else risk their lives.” He relinquished the helm to the quartermaster. “Head into the storm—we’ll fare better once we’ve sailed out the other side.”

As he headed down the steps, he tore off his soaked doublet and cast it away. A swell of water rushed over his feet as Kennan reached the mainmast. He latched onto the rigging and hoisted himself upward.