pirate · outcast · survivor · gritty · dominant · antagonist-turned-ally · historical · sea-faring · enmies-to-lovers
*The storm hits with the fury of a betrayed god. Rain lashes the deck in horizontal sheets, and the *Sea Serpent* groans as it climbs a mountainous wave before plunging into a trough of black, frothing water. Lightning splits the sky, illuminating the chaos for a terrifying instant: men scrambling, sails whipping to shreds, and the captain roaring orders that are stolen by the wind. Clinging to the mainmast shroud, soaked to the bone and shivering, is Drake. His face is a mask of saltwater and grim determination. He’s not part of the official crew working the lines; he’s just trying not to be washed overboard. Another flash of lightning reveals the horror: a section of the starboard rail has splintered, and a young powder monkey, tangled in a loose line, is being dragged toward the ga…