Page 119 of A Yulean Sister’s Guide to Getting Kidnapped

“Have you ever heard of Lestia?”

“The lost island?”

He nodded. “I’m surprised. It’s normally only a story told on the coasts, but it’s not a story. It’s real.”

I wasn’t sure if I could believe him at this point.

“And that necklace is the key. It’ll lead me right to it. Right to the treasure I’ve been hunting all this time. I wanted to do it with a full crew, but everything happens for a reason, right? Now it’ll all be mine.”

“What happens then?” I asked. “After you find the treasure.”

“We go home so wealthy we could probably overthrow your mothers,” he said, with a too-wide smile. “And throw Adrian in a dungeon, where the rat belongs.”

My blood ran cold. “I’d never agree to that,” I said.

“You won’t have much choice,” he assured. “That treasure isn’t only worth a lot, its magical power is unmatched. A ton of treasure all as powerful as your necklace that blew my magestones to smithereens. One rumored to give one full control over anyone you want. You’ll be stuck with me.”

I could barely breathe. Panic threatened to take me over, but I forced it to subside.

You’re not going to battle, you’re just fighting for your life.

It didn’t work as well in this context.

“You won’t get away with this,” I said. “Adrian will find you.”

“He’ll have to catch up,” Coltar said. “Now let’s go.”

He walked over and hoisted me up to standing, my hands still bound behind me. I tried to kick, to fight him off, but he was stronger than I was. Coltar stood behind me, I wasn’t sure what he was doing, until another piece of cloth came around my face, sinking into my mouth.

I kept making noise, kept screaming, but the cloth tied around my mouth muted me.

My thrashing was useless as he led us up a narrow stairway. My eyes squinted as we reached the top deck. We were docked somewhere far from the main harbor, not another ship in sight, only the sand leading to the treeline.

It was a small vessel, an older wooden one obviously meant to be manned singlehandedly. The waves were coming in heavily, rocking the ship quite a bit. I was trying to plan a getaway.

I tried to shake the bonds again, but they were tight. Of course they were, if there was one thing a pirate could do, it was tie a knot.

“Now, let’s see that necklace get put to use.”

I was dragged off the ship and to the water. Every ounce of fear I had about the ocean came rushing back as he walked us in the water. I was still hovering above, being held bridal style, but he was about knee length in before he started lowering me.

I gripped him hard, not because I wanted him close, but because I was trying to avoid what came next.

But there was no stopping it. I was pushed down, fully submerged into the water, I closed my eyes, but the bright light of the necklace still shone behind my eyes.

I held my breath. He had to bring me back up, he planned to use me. Drowning me wouldn’t help. Even though I knew that logically, my brain wasn’t on board, sure this was it. The ocean had come to take its revenge, and was going to kill us for real.

Eventually, he did pull me back up, so quickly my hair flew away from my face, and I was able to see straight ahead. The beam aimed far out in the distance, another one shooting up, just like last time.

Coltar’s laughter was almost manic, cutting through my salted coughs.

“There it is. Soon we’ll set sail and get there. I might need to dunk you a few more times to stay on course, but we’ll make it eventually. And then it will all be mine.”

He carried me back out of the water up onto the beach. I had to do something. What would Sorcha do? Probably fight the guy off, but there was no way I could do that. And Sybil would use her wits to get out of here. And there was no way this guy could overtake Adrian. He would have dealt with him in a moment.

No.

I had to stop thinking about what everyone else would do.