Leila's reaction to Kat's explanations was something that the latter could have never predicted.

Kat had expected excitement or fear. She had not anticipated wariness from a seventeen-year-old girl who had been seconds away from being sold for her body.

"I'm not sure what to say, Kat," the girl said, her voice filled with doubt. "This doesn't seem fair to you."

Kat couldn't really agree. She saw no reason why she should get special treatment. "We're all in this together. That's why we think that you should train as well."

Leila hummed, for once looking thoughtful. "It could never hurt for me to learn to defend myself. I mean, it could stop any unpleasant situations similar to... You know."

Kat couldn't agree more. After all, being denied proper education in physical matters was one of the main causes men dominated women and abused them. She had felt so powerful when her father had first put a practice sword in her hand. She still did, every time she held a weapon, even if it took Trix mere seconds to knock it from her hand. Therefore, she found it a bit odd that Leila was not more excited.

"Is the magic bothering you?"

"No, of course not. I come from Endir, after all. Magic is praised in our kingdom. And most of us can only dream of meeting a Witch in our lifetime." Leila raised her eyes to look at Kat. "I just can't believe I had the chance to meet so many."

Kat bit her lip, feeling a bit inadequate, for once because of her lack of magic. It was an unwelcomed feeling, but she pushed past the unease, aware that she had to learn to embrace magic if she didn't want to lose her mind. Leila seemed to notice that because she glanced at her with excitement.

"So you have magic, too? No wonder you're so amazing!"

"Um... I must have some, or Cecile couldn't have bound Cage and I together."

"That is so romantic." Leila clasped her hand together.

Kat didn't really think so because the dire need corrupted their romance, but she didn't see the point in arguing. She also didn't think she was that amazing with how much she'd been messing up lately, but at least she now had the chance to make it right.

"So it's settled, right? You're going to start training?"

Leila gave a stoic nod and Kat couldn't help but smile. Despite everything, she was a good girl caught in a tight situation. She could be part of the crew and fit in. And then, just a tiny part of Kat would rejoice that, even if she'd gone about it the wrong way, she'd been right in the end.

Except that over the next few days, every thought about Leila fitting in left Kat's mind. As though stirred by the storm, the others took training to an entirely different level. She often found herself facing a Trix who no longer took it easy on her and sometimes even used magic while Jinx and Jazz tried to bring Cage down through any means necessary.

It meant that Cage had to actively use magic, too, and he'd gotten so good at it in such a short time that it was frightening. When they were alone, from time to time, he tried to somehow restore the protection of their ship which Cecile had ruined. The means to do it escaped him and he ended up extremely frustrated.

Kat herself had to admit that the grueling training was starting to get to her. From time to time, she even found herself glancing at Cage with envy, wishing she could at least throw an object without touching it and knock Trix over before he got to disarm her.

Jinx, Jazz, and Trix were proving magic could be used in many ways as they jumped great heights and pushed each other up with invisible forces, running circles around Cage before bringing him down. As much as he tried, his only improvement was lasting just a bit longer against them before finally facing defeat.

Kat herself had nothing but her sword and target practice until Trix decided it was time to attack Cage as well and leave her sprawled on the deck, drawing greedy breaths. She could feel he was exhausted, too, strained, nervous, and close to a breaking point. But he trudged on, insisting that the others don't take it easy on him.

"You think Wolfbane's men will give me a break? Or any of us for that matter?" he pointed out when Kat begged him to rest after a particularly painful fall from the beams of the mast.

She'd felt it, but not as hard as it had definitely hurt him. He tried to play it off, but he winced at every movement.

"He has a point," Jazz said, pointing at Cage with his sword for good measure. "This is great training for the entire crew."

"Why don't any of you get cornered then?" Kat protested.

Fortunately, they all laughed, Cage included.

"We do that all the time," Jinx said. "We've had our fair share of squabbles with pirates and other unsavory characters."

"I've been out of action for far too long, Kit-Kat. I need to get my ass kicked if I'm to return to my former glory."

She could understand that, but it still made her uneasy. "I just don't like seeing you get hurt."

"That's nothing, we could do much worse," Jinx said in a tone that implied that affirmation was supposed to be reassuring.

"Yeah, Jinx hasn't set him on fire yet," Trix supplied, his tone too cheerful.

"Please don't," Kat said.

"Huh," Cage said almost at the same time. "I think I might be able to block it."

In the blink of an eye, a small fireball appeared in Jinx's hand and she tossed it at Cage's face. He ducked and it hit the mast, tiny tendrils of flames spreading and dissolving in the mist.

"That's not blocking, Cage," Jinx said in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, please, can you not do that?" Kat pleaded.

"Okay, sure." Jinx extinguished the new fireball in her hand. "Understood. Don't do it with her around."

The last part was muttered, but loud enough for Kat to hear. She didn't reply though, aware that it was a useful exercise for Cage. The fact that she didn't have to witness it was victory enough at the moment. Even if she might feel the burn after. Literally.

It was true that their days had become exhausting, rain sometimes splattering over them as they tried to improve their skills, but the evenings were some of the happiest times Kat could remember. Maybe at some point, when she was a little girl, she'd enjoyed family dinners, but those were memories long buried by those of eating scarce silent meals with her father in their run-down, cold house. Now, it felt like she had a new family.

Leila and Harrison finished their training earlier and took care of dinner, so once they gathered around the table, starving and looking like drowning rats, there was food to be had. It wasn't the best, since Kat herself was no longer involved, but they were so hungry, they could've eaten wood.

Then, around the table, they would discuss their progress and what could be improved and they joked and teased each other. From time to time, Leila took part as well, the relationship between her and the crew finally thawing.

It made Kat happy that they could have this, that the awkwardness was gone and she had finally gotten used enough to magic to no longer feel judgmental about it. Cage had been right. Fherras had drilled the idea that it was evil so hard into their beings that it was hard to break free from the stigma. But like much of everything their present king had done, this was a load of rubbish as well.

Kat could see it in the way the Marauders used the magic for good and self dense. In how Cage had protected them all, even if he was unaware of it until Cecile decided to ruin it. And because of those thoughts and realizations, late at night, Kat found herself staring at her fingers and wiggling them, wondering where her magic was and what it could do.

At first, she'd considered it was the strange voices and the visions of fire, but those hadn't happened in so long and she wasn't sure how magical they were in the first place. They felt more like madness. And the voices... At times, she'd even tried to call out to them, summon them, but she'd only found herself.

I am special, I just don't know how yet.

Leila kept claiming it, and why would she if she were wrong? Endirians were much better equipped at sensing and dealing with magic, Jinx proved that tenfold. And yet...

"Kit-Kat, what's wrong?"

Kat jumped and turned to Cage. She'd zoned out again, focused on her own lack of magic, while the others joked around the dinner table. She'd been so downtrodden after her latest defeat that she hadn't even touched her food. Her entire body ached and she felt as if she'd stopped making any real progress.

"I guess I'm just tired."

"I don't blame you," Trix said, his mouth full. "It's been a rough day for all of us. By the way, Harrison, this thing is disgusting."

"I'm sure. That's why you're barely drawing breath while gobbling it down," the older man replied.

"Hey, we had it coming," Jazz said with a grin. "After all those days of beating poor Cage down, it was about time he knocked us around."

Which had been fairly frightening, really. Kat had even stepped in to help him as the Marauders pinned him down and dropped their swords in favor of punches. But Cage had somehow managed to blast them off and send them flying across the deck. He wasn't able to do it again at will, but Jazz at least had been very impressed by the force of the magical strike.

Kat wasn't sure if she was more impressed, scared, or jealous. Most likely the latter since all she could focus on since was her lack of magic again. She couldn't control anything, and if she didn't step up her game, she was convinced they'd soon send her to train with Leila and Harrison who still used butcher knives.

Cage took her hand and squeezed. The warmth of it made her feel much better instantly, and she smiled at him.

"Something's troubling you."

She bit her lower lip, unwilling to reveal that she now wished she had magic, too. "I wish I could make more progress," she said instead, which was also true.

"You are getting better," Trix pointed out. "And you are very determined, I'll give you that. But good skill just comes with a lot of practice and it's not like you've been spending your days swinging your sword while trying to make ends meet."

He had a point and it made her feel better. She wasn't a former soldier or a noble or a street rat. She was just Kat. Normal, plain Kat who had nothing but her determination and her beauty. The thought was oddly depressing.

"Trix is right," Cage said, as though sensing her turmoil. "You get better with practice, and this is the first time you actually had the chance of regular training."

"That's not true. You trained me at the castle, too."

Cage grinned. "I was too busy falling in love with you to train you properly."

Kat couldn't help but grin back, but it slipped off her face some when Leila gave a loud sigh.

"I swear," she said. "You two are like a fairytale."

"Fairytales are boring," Jinx said, once again sitting in Jazz's lap. "I'd much rather have the steamy adventure novels."

"Ugh." Trix rolled his eye. "You're steamy enough as it is. No more."

They all shared a laugh over this. Kat shifted a little closer to Cage, leaning her shoulder against his. Even if she'd found it odd and inappropriate at first, she now couldn't deny that she'd love to sit in Cage's lap as well, especially in company who wouldn't judge her. But he kept to his respectful conduct and did little more than kiss her. She loved kissing him. It was just so hard to stop at that.

He tightened his hold on her hand, caressing her with his thumb. When he looked down at her, she could tell he was exhausted, but there was also a fire in his dark-blue eyes that sent flutters to her stomach. She tilted her head, silently questioning him. The fire seemed to burn brighter and the fluttering turned into heat pooling inside her.

"Ew, get a room," Trix mumbled.

"Don't tempt me," Cage answered, not taking his eyes off Kat.

The intensity of it had her shivering. His hold on her hand tightened, and the heat of his touch seemed to move up her arm and towards her chest. Her heart started beating louder as hope nestled within her. Maybe she should tempt him. Maybe tonight was the night when he would renounce whatever held him back and finally give her more.

More, more. He is mine. His magic and his power.

Cage tilted his head and frowned the tiniest bit. "Kat, are you--?"

A loud bang tore through the room and the entire ship tilted dangerously. Kat sunk her fingers into Cage's forearm, trying to keep herself on the wooden bench. The overhead lanterns swayed dangerously and continued to throw deceiving shadows even as the floor righted itself.

Jinx, who'd fallen off Jazz's lap, got to her kneed, her elbows resting on the table. Her green eyes were narrowed, and tendrils of flaming hair covered his face. Jazz, too, seemed to be focusing on any peculiar sound, but all stood silent. Harrison and Leila stayed on the floor.

"What the fuck was that?" Trix whispered after a few seconds of utter silence.

For another few seconds, no one dared to even breathe.

"Maye we hit something?" Leila suggested.

"I highly doubt that."

Jazz got to his feet just as another loud bang tilted the room and threw him off his feet. This time Cage and Kat slipped off the bench as well. One of the lanterns fell on the table and shards of glass rained upon them. Between the legs of the table, Kat could see Jazz raising on his hands. His eyes were white, the mist inside them swirling.

"Shit," he said between his teeth. "We need to get up on deck. Now! Take your weapons."

Cage scurried back into a standing position as once. Kat, too rolled on her back and checked for her sword before standing. The pulse inside her drummed so loudly, her hearing was fuzzy. It didn't matter, she knew they were in danger, so as she rushed towards the door, her mind searched for where additional weapons were.

The ship tilted dangerously again, throwing her against the stove. The breath left her lungs and she coughed, but she pulled herself together and forced her body out into the hallway. Jazz and Trix were already near the staircase to the deck, swords already out. Jinx had a fireball in her open palm, lighting the way for them.

"Kat!"

Cage had stopped halfway along the corridor, looking back at her. She waved him forward.

"Go! I'll be right behind you." And as if to prove it, she sprinted up the hall.

Cage gave her a curt nod and continued his way out. By the time Kat reached the door to her cabin, the others had already stepped out into the rain. She ducked inside for the moment it took her to identify the crossbow she'd been practicing with and the quiver. In a few moments, she'd strapped everything on and headed outside again. Harrison and Layla had also reached the door.

"Kat, what's going on?" Leila asked, her eyes large with fear.

Kat didn't get the chance to answer, because the floor tilted worse than ever and tossed her into Harrison and Leila. The three of them barely managed to get untangled by the time the ship was hit from the other direction and threw them against the opposite wall. Leila cried out, but Kat was filled with adrenaline and only wanted to go out there and see what was happening.

With careful movements, she finally made her way up the stairs and pushed the door open. Cold rain hit her in the face at once, tiny shards of ice scratching her heated skin. The first thing that came into view were the sails, billowing in the wind like tattered ghosts. The sound of their desperate flapping as well as the raging sea covered everything else. After all the peace they'd had, it now felt like it was taking revenge upon them, punishing them for thinking they could ever contain it.

Cage, Trix, Jazz and Jinx stood towards the left edge of the ship, their weapons drawn, but there didn't seem to be anything around them. No rocks, no other ships. The blood still pumping through her veins, Kat headed towards them, pushing the wet hair out of her face. In less than a minute, she was wet to the bone, the shirt sticking to her like a second skin.

"What's going on?" she called over the sound of the rain and the raging waves.

"We're still not sure," Jinx said. She'd put out the fire in her hands, and now the darkness was only cut by occasional lightning.

Kat glanced to Jazz, because he surely knew what was happening. But he just stood there like the rest of them, his eyes as black as the night, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Waiting.

And then it happened.

The sound was even louder from outside, like the most violent thunder. But it was more than that because something had pushed the side of the ship from underwater and set them off course. Kat fell to her knees, but she quickly scrambled up, wondering if they could just look out the side of the ship and see what was happening. Maybe it was a whale hitting them or some other sea creature.

The answer became clear once what looked like an ice-blue tail the size of the tallest pine tree rose over the railing and hit their middle mast head-on. The sound of cracking wood joined that of distant thunder and splinters rained upon them.

The howling wind detached the sails and sent them over their heads, shredded and useless. And everything went dark.

Wohoo! We get action! We also get some training and some passage of time and Kat finally wanting some magic for herself. But, alas, all that is ruined by the appearance of this sea creature. Whatever could it be?

Stick around for the next exciting chapter and the epic battle it brings.