Although the mist still appeared as ominous as ever, the current no longer seemed to have as firm a grip on them. Einar had fished a piece of wood out of the water and was paddling through the sludge with powerful strokes. Not far ahead, the silhouette of a ship became visible against the setting moon. It appeared undamaged, floating alone as they drifted closer.

Severa kept glancing warily around, prepared for another attack. Einar, however, showed no signs of fear. He was convinced they had vanquished the evil, that the danger was gone, and that he could face anything.

Severa knew better. Even before she had allowed the Fomorian to escape, life had been a nightmare, and this misty graveyard that seemed to suck the life out of her was far from reassuring.

It wasn't long before the wreckage bumped against the edge of the abandoned ship. Severa couldn't wait to have stable, dry, and clean ground beneath her and stood up shakily. She leaned against the ship's hull with her hands, stretching her fingers to grasp the edge.

The wreckage beneath her feet slid farther away from the ship, and she realized the hull was too high. Soon, she was stretched out between the ship and the wreckage, unable to lower herself back down. She braced herself to fall forward into the muck, resigning herself to leaving her fate in Einar's hands, who was already chuckling at her predicament.

Pressing her lips tightly together and squeezing her eyes shut, she prepared for impact. But then she felt a hand grab her blouse and pull her back. Severa flopped down, and water splashed over the wreckage.

"Great plan," Einar grinned sarcastically.

Severa crossed her arms. "Did you have a better one, Captain Ósköp?"

He gestured toward her bow and quiver. "Hand me that quiver. How strong is it?" Since she was out of arrows, Severa handed it over—practically useless now.

She shrugged. "Probably nothing compared to what you use for your royal weapons."

Einar tugged firmly at the quiver's strap, satisfied with its strength. He pulled off his blouse and tied one of the sleeves to the quiver. He grinned proudly at Severa, prompting her to look away quickly. She couldn't deny she was more impressed by what lay under his blouse than the plan itself, even if the plan wasn't half bad.

Skillfully, Einar threw the quiver upward, hooking the strap behind one of the decorative knobs on the railing. With two strong swings of his arms, he climbed up and grabbed hold of the railing. His push-off moved the raft slightly away, forcing Severa to paddle it back into position.

Einar dangled from the railing and extended a hand toward her. Severa ignored it and climbed up his makeshift rope herself. She heaved herself over the railing, unhooked his blouse from her quiver, and threw it back to him without a word. He grinned.

"Oh, Veneficii, whatever would you do without me?" he teased, his recent victory clearly inflating his arrogance.

Severa rolled her eyes. "Do I really need to remind you of the horrors your existence has caused me?" she snapped. "But I'm glad you're making yourself useful while you still can."

She motioned toward the ship's wheel. "What are you waiting for? Get us out of here."

Einar moved toward the helm as Severa took in the ship's details. It was made of dark wood with elegant, swirling grain patterns—unlike any material she'd ever seen before. The mast rose from a large pot, where a withered plant curled around it, climbing toward a green, scaly leather that shimmered in the moonlight, forming the sail. The edges of the sail were adorned with gold-painted depictions of various sea creatures, including, to her dismay, a Jörmungandr coiled gracefully around one corner.

"Whose ship do you think this is?" Einar asked thoughtfully.

Severa shrugged. "Now, it's mine. I'm going below deck."

Einar smirked. "Aye aye, Captain Severa. Living the dream, are we?"

Severa shot him a hateful glare. "You can't even imagine my dreams in your darkest nightmares," she growled dramatically, slamming the cabin door behind her. Even she recognized how theatrical it sounded, making her second-guess whether it had been a joke. Einar's mocking chuckle confirmed his thoughts on the matter.

Inside, Severa was immediately hit by a strange chemical smell. The dim cabin was lit only by two small windows, half-covered by curtains made from the same green, scaly leather as the sail. Beneath the windows, she spotted bottles and test tubes gleaming in the moonlight. She brushed her hands along the curtains, pulling them fully open.

In the center of the room hung an unusual chandelier shaped like an octopus, carved from wood. Its tentacles dangled downward, each holding a candle. Suspended between them was a small copper sphere attached to a string. Severa pulled it, and the tentacles moved upward with a hiss, igniting the candles with a sudden poof!

The rest of the room was as strange as what she had already seen. On a long, dark wooden table alongside the bottles and tubes were small, intricate devices she didn't recognize. Posters depicting bizarre sea creatures adorned the walls, and a map showed only a coastline and a small island—the rest was an expanse of ocean.

What caught her attention most was a hatch, partially obscured by a half-rolled rug inscribed with unfamiliar symbols.

Severa opened the hatch and was greeted by the stench of rotting flesh. Hesitant, she peered into the dark void, seeing only a staircase descending into the darkness.

At that moment, Einar entered, joining her at the hatch. He peered down as well.

"Ladies first," he quipped, bowing dramatically.

Severa snorted, placing her hand on his princely behind and giving him a shove. He yelped, landing face-first before sliding into the darkness.

"All good down there?" she called, grinning with feigned concern. At first, there was only groaning, followed by some grumbled curses—most of which she couldn't make out beyond "...damned Veneficii."

"Thanks for the inspection, Prince Ósköp," Severa replied sweetly, descending the steps leisurely.

"Severa..." Einar's voice stopped her. It was shaky, fearful. "There's something... someone... down here, near the light."