Red Seas Under Red Skies: The Gentleman Bastard Sequence, Book Two (Gentleman Bastards 2)
17
Ten more Orchids fell at the bow saving them, following Zamira’s orders, shoving with all their might against the Sovereign with spears and boathooks and halberds. Shoving to get her bowsprit and rigging clear of the Orchid, while Rodanov’s survivors at the bow fought like demons to escape. But they did it, with Mumchance’s help, and the two battered ships tore apart at last.
‘All hands,’ shouted Zamira, dazed by the effort it suddenly required, ‘All hands! Tacks and braces! Put us west before the wind! Fire party to main hold! Get the wounded aft to Treganne!’ Assuming Treganne was alive, assuming ... much. Sorrow later. More hardship now.
Rodanov hadn’t joined the final fight to board the Orchid; Zamira had last seen him running aft, fighting his way through the blaze and headed for the wheel. Whether in a last hopeless effort to save his ship or destroy hers, he’d failed.