#tridentplotdrop

You’ll want to read this...

Typical clickbait. Easy to ignore, until the sender handle caught her eye. A trusted friend from her early Captain days had sent her something. Perhaps it was a picture of Roger; she’d gone a suspiciously long time without seeing a picture of the beloved Dalmatian. Tawny-colored eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she clicked the subject line. 

Inside was a clickable link to another party with a login. A ‘borrowed’ login and password easily entered and her phone rang beside her. Same friend.

“Yes, I’m looking now. What is it that I’m looking at?” she asked. “I’m not sure when I’ll have time to participate in any silly auction. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now.”

“I don’t know how to tell you, Tulach, but...I got the link from Ford himself. He’s selling coordinates. They’re to your father’s island. He’s betrayed your family.”

Emerson nearly dropped the phone in shock as the dollar sign ticked higher and higher. Bids. The dark grey and violet numbers mocked her and she stood up quickly, cradling the phone between her cheek and her shoulder as she stood up. Her first move needed to be to tell Roman. Tell Genevieve. Tell her sister. Tell Miles. Tell Kaileb. Tell every Tulach.

“I want you to sound the alarm, Beckett. I want you to call everyone in Oceania. If he’s there, I want you to hold him. Alive.” Her next move would be to call her sister and get that crew on it as well. She quickly disconnected the call and hit the speed-dial on her phone for her father.

“Da? It’s me. We’ve got a big problem.”

There was something about being back at sea. Something that filled a void she hadn’t realized was there. I’ll be back in a couple days, tops, she’d assured those who cared. Her fingers briefly traced the worn wooden wolf’s head that hung proudly near the door. 

There was also something about acting like a Captain again. Emerson had often worried she’d lost her edge in the nine months she’d been on the island. Granted, she had her rough edges, but soon she’d found her footing. By the time she went out to sea again, and this time for good, she felt confident enough to maintain her captaincy. 

Emerson made her way back out to the bow of the ship to see if she could spot Memories in the distance. If the coordinates were correct, they were almost there. They’d anchor, link, and go from there. The Tsunami was powerful enough to tow. 

She could spot something in the distance, something much larger than she’d anticipated. Then again, it had been a while since she’d last laid eyes on Memories. Her fingers quickly sending the message to Miles.

Found Memories. We’ll be back soon.

The ship soon circled back around and it was then that it became clear that this wasn’t Memories.

Oh...no.

The ship was far too large to be Memories. It nearly rivaled the Black Trident in size, she could see it from a distance, but it was too late to turn back now. When they sailed beside it, her thumb hit the call button on the walkie talkie. Everyone needed to get on deck now. “I need all hands on deck. We’re in trouble.”

As soon as she sent the message, she immediately turned to the phone.

Get all royals off the beach. It was a dummy call. It’s an ambush.

She stumbled back and fell to the ground, the world looking... fuzzy, and maybe like it was spinning just a little. She knew she should yell for help, or make her way back to the Main House, only a short way back up the path, but her head hurt like no headache she’d ever felt before, and she wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t fall back down if she stood up. 

The coves were a place Callie hadn’t fully explored as of yet. Exploring them alone was a big no-no; with the plethora of thunderstorms plaguing the island, the sea had grown temperamental. Yet she hadn’t resisted breaking away from the crowd and making her way the coves. The water lapped at her bare feet, the smell of salty air filled her lungs. 

It called to her like a siren song and Callista Nefeli Antanas was powerless to fight it. 

She splashed her way into the cove and traced the raised lines of the cave walls. It was almost easy to pretend that she could imagine pirates of legend making their home on the island, or some wayward discoverers taking refuge for the night. 

The further Callie ventured, the higher the water lapped. Upon getting knee-deep in the water, she knew she needed to get out. And it was then that she realized it was likely that no one saw her venture there, let alone know that she had made her way in there. Her fingers groped for the cellphone in her pocket, only to see an X where the signal bars should have been. High tide seemed to have arrived just a little too early and now she was stuck.