Broken Silence
Chapter Sixteen
"Kane, what's happening?"
Malina gripped his hand tight as Kane strode briskly through the halls of the ship. He was beginning to really wonder if he wasn't cursed.
"Just keep up with me, okay?" he said to Malina, pulling her a little closer.
"But what-" Her question was cut off as the ship jerked violently again and she fell into Kane's chest.
"Is something wrong with the ship?" she asked nervously.
"Yes," Kane replied, righting her on her feet and continuing his way toward the deck. The halls were growing more crowded now, and he cursed quietly. They were packed in like sardines and that wasn't going to help matters at all. Everyone was desperately clambering to get out and onboard a life boat.
"One of the engines blew," Kane said.
"What does that mean? Are they sending us to another ship?"
"I'm afraid there isn't time for that just now," Kane muttered. He shoved a path through the throng for them and Malina drew in a sharp gasp as she took in the scene before her.
"The ship is sinking," she said in a strangled voice. "The ship is sinking. We're sinking. Oh god."
"Malina, look at me." Kane took her shoulders gently and turned her so she was facing him. Her eyes were huge and terrified and he could feel her shaking.
"It's going to be all right," he said. "Just stay close to me and try not to panic."
Malina seemed to take his words very literally, because she grabbed onto his arm with surprising strength and kept taking deep breaths. Kane was worried she was about to hyperventilate. He led her along the deck, trying to reach a lifeboat and avoid being crushed by the terrified crowd of passengers.
The ship gave another alarming lurch, sinking lower as water splashed over the rails and flooded the deck. People screamed as they were knocked off their feet and Malina whimpered, burying her face against Kane's shoulder. He slipped his arms around her and lifted her up, helping her into one of the lifeboats. He was climbing in after her when they were swarmed with people. Too many of them tried to clamber into the boat, which was already full.
The ropes securing the lifeboat began to snap from the weight, the boat jolting violently as it plummeted toward the water. Malina screamed as they hit the waves. Kane was knocked out of the boat as it splintered from the force, flailing wildly until he figured out which way was up. He broke the surface with a gasp, scanning the water frantically for Malina. He caught sight of her clinging desperately to a piece of splintered wood. He swam towards her and her face fairly glowed with relief when she saw him.
"I can't swim!" she cried. "I'm going to drown!"
"No you're not." Kane grabbed the piece of wood she was floating on and began to tow her away from the wreckage. The ship was nearly half submerged by now, the remaining engines sputtering and trying to work even as they became waterlogged. It made the surrounding water choppy and difficult to swim through. A startlingly large wave rolled over them and when it passed, Malina was no longer on her piece of driftwood.
Panicked, Kane dove beneath the surface to search for her. He spotted her spinning in wild circles, her dress weighing her down. He reached her and wrapped his arms around her, hauling her upward. She sucked in frantic gulps of air, grabbing him tightly around the neck.
"Malina, it's all right. I've got you. I'm not going to let you drown. Look at me, Mouse."
She reluctantly opened her eyes, quivering in terror.
"I'm not going to let you drown," he repeated.
"Kane it's too far. You can't possibly carry me all the way to the shore."
"Madam, that statement is an offense to my dignity and male ego. I will be pleased to prove you wrong."
Kane adjusted her so she was more or less riding piggy back so he could see where he was going. He and Camille were both strong swimmers, spending most of their summers as children splashing around in the lake near their summer estate. Still, the shore was a distant dot on the horizon and Malina was clutching him practically in a chokehold. He could hear her breathing erratically and occasionally making a small whimpering noise. He would have talked to keep her distracted but he needed all the strength he had to keep them both from drowning, and it was hard enough trying to swim and make sure Malina's head didn't dip below the water.
At first it seemed like the shore wasn't getting any closer no matter how much he swam and his muscles were starting to rebel against him. But finally, mercifully, the water began to grow more shallow. He stood up wearily when he drew close enough to the shore. He almost fell onto the sand and kissed it with relief. Instead he found himself trying to pry Malina off of him, but she still clung to him like a startled cat.
"Malina, we made it to land," he said gently. "You can let go now."
She kept her face buried against his chest and he sighed. His legs didn't want to support him anymore and he sank down into the sand, tugging Malina with him. She continued to sit there trembling with silent tears for several more minutes before finally letting him go. She stared at her lap.
"You must think I'm pathetic," she said quietly. Kane shook his head and tilted her chin, making her look at him.
"Nearly drowning, twice, is enough to terrify anyone. Don't be so hard on yourself."
"You're exhausted," she said, almost guiltily. She pushed some of his wet hair off of his face and studied him.
"I'll be fine," he assured her. "Were you able to salvage anything?"
She reached into a hidden pocket in the folds of her skirt and produced a pouch.
"I got all the money," she said. "And my jewelry, your gifts from Lionel, and your sister's book of poems. The bag is water and fire proof. My mother designed it."
"Incredible," Kane said, grinning in spite of how tired he was. He'd been worried the ship sinking had ruined their chances entirely of completing this little mission. Relieved, he grabbed Malina's shoulders and pulled her into a kiss.
"We should get clean, dry clothes," he said. "We'll catch our deaths in these wet ones. I should get something for Cami to wear, too. We're not far from Blackbird now; we should be able to make it there quite easily."
Renewed determination forced his heavy limbs to move and he climbed to his feet, tugging Malina up with him. They'd need to rest tonight before traveling the rest of the way. He was nearly dead on his feet and Malina looked pale and drained from her ordeal. But they were close now, so very close. Soon he would have his sister back. He slipped an arm around Malina's shoulders and she leaned into his side. Together they trudged up the beach, away from the wreckage of the ship and toward whatever waited for them at Blackbird.
Malina gripped his hand tight as Kane strode briskly through the halls of the ship. He was beginning to really wonder if he wasn't cursed.
"Just keep up with me, okay?" he said to Malina, pulling her a little closer.
"But what-" Her question was cut off as the ship jerked violently again and she fell into Kane's chest.
"Is something wrong with the ship?" she asked nervously.
"Yes," Kane replied, righting her on her feet and continuing his way toward the deck. The halls were growing more crowded now, and he cursed quietly. They were packed in like sardines and that wasn't going to help matters at all. Everyone was desperately clambering to get out and onboard a life boat.
"One of the engines blew," Kane said.
"What does that mean? Are they sending us to another ship?"
"I'm afraid there isn't time for that just now," Kane muttered. He shoved a path through the throng for them and Malina drew in a sharp gasp as she took in the scene before her.
"The ship is sinking," she said in a strangled voice. "The ship is sinking. We're sinking. Oh god."
"Malina, look at me." Kane took her shoulders gently and turned her so she was facing him. Her eyes were huge and terrified and he could feel her shaking.
"It's going to be all right," he said. "Just stay close to me and try not to panic."
Malina seemed to take his words very literally, because she grabbed onto his arm with surprising strength and kept taking deep breaths. Kane was worried she was about to hyperventilate. He led her along the deck, trying to reach a lifeboat and avoid being crushed by the terrified crowd of passengers.
The ship gave another alarming lurch, sinking lower as water splashed over the rails and flooded the deck. People screamed as they were knocked off their feet and Malina whimpered, burying her face against Kane's shoulder. He slipped his arms around her and lifted her up, helping her into one of the lifeboats. He was climbing in after her when they were swarmed with people. Too many of them tried to clamber into the boat, which was already full.
The ropes securing the lifeboat began to snap from the weight, the boat jolting violently as it plummeted toward the water. Malina screamed as they hit the waves. Kane was knocked out of the boat as it splintered from the force, flailing wildly until he figured out which way was up. He broke the surface with a gasp, scanning the water frantically for Malina. He caught sight of her clinging desperately to a piece of splintered wood. He swam towards her and her face fairly glowed with relief when she saw him.
"I can't swim!" she cried. "I'm going to drown!"
"No you're not." Kane grabbed the piece of wood she was floating on and began to tow her away from the wreckage. The ship was nearly half submerged by now, the remaining engines sputtering and trying to work even as they became waterlogged. It made the surrounding water choppy and difficult to swim through. A startlingly large wave rolled over them and when it passed, Malina was no longer on her piece of driftwood.
Panicked, Kane dove beneath the surface to search for her. He spotted her spinning in wild circles, her dress weighing her down. He reached her and wrapped his arms around her, hauling her upward. She sucked in frantic gulps of air, grabbing him tightly around the neck.
"Malina, it's all right. I've got you. I'm not going to let you drown. Look at me, Mouse."
She reluctantly opened her eyes, quivering in terror.
"I'm not going to let you drown," he repeated.
"Kane it's too far. You can't possibly carry me all the way to the shore."
"Madam, that statement is an offense to my dignity and male ego. I will be pleased to prove you wrong."
Kane adjusted her so she was more or less riding piggy back so he could see where he was going. He and Camille were both strong swimmers, spending most of their summers as children splashing around in the lake near their summer estate. Still, the shore was a distant dot on the horizon and Malina was clutching him practically in a chokehold. He could hear her breathing erratically and occasionally making a small whimpering noise. He would have talked to keep her distracted but he needed all the strength he had to keep them both from drowning, and it was hard enough trying to swim and make sure Malina's head didn't dip below the water.
At first it seemed like the shore wasn't getting any closer no matter how much he swam and his muscles were starting to rebel against him. But finally, mercifully, the water began to grow more shallow. He stood up wearily when he drew close enough to the shore. He almost fell onto the sand and kissed it with relief. Instead he found himself trying to pry Malina off of him, but she still clung to him like a startled cat.
"Malina, we made it to land," he said gently. "You can let go now."
She kept her face buried against his chest and he sighed. His legs didn't want to support him anymore and he sank down into the sand, tugging Malina with him. She continued to sit there trembling with silent tears for several more minutes before finally letting him go. She stared at her lap.
"You must think I'm pathetic," she said quietly. Kane shook his head and tilted her chin, making her look at him.
"Nearly drowning, twice, is enough to terrify anyone. Don't be so hard on yourself."
"You're exhausted," she said, almost guiltily. She pushed some of his wet hair off of his face and studied him.
"I'll be fine," he assured her. "Were you able to salvage anything?"
She reached into a hidden pocket in the folds of her skirt and produced a pouch.
"I got all the money," she said. "And my jewelry, your gifts from Lionel, and your sister's book of poems. The bag is water and fire proof. My mother designed it."
"Incredible," Kane said, grinning in spite of how tired he was. He'd been worried the ship sinking had ruined their chances entirely of completing this little mission. Relieved, he grabbed Malina's shoulders and pulled her into a kiss.
"We should get clean, dry clothes," he said. "We'll catch our deaths in these wet ones. I should get something for Cami to wear, too. We're not far from Blackbird now; we should be able to make it there quite easily."
Renewed determination forced his heavy limbs to move and he climbed to his feet, tugging Malina up with him. They'd need to rest tonight before traveling the rest of the way. He was nearly dead on his feet and Malina looked pale and drained from her ordeal. But they were close now, so very close. Soon he would have his sister back. He slipped an arm around Malina's shoulders and she leaned into his side. Together they trudged up the beach, away from the wreckage of the ship and toward whatever waited for them at Blackbird.