*Sabrina*
The floor sways beneath my feet like I’m standing on the spine of some enormous creature, its breath rolling beneath the wood. Every surface creaks and groans. The walls lean in slightly, the ceiling feels too low, and the narrow ladder I’ve just descended opens into a hallway bathed in candlelight. Not the warm, faux flicker of battery-powered ambiance or the dim hum of emergency backup bulbs–real wax and flame. The scent of it curls into my nose—faintly smoky, threaded with tallow.
Isla moves ahead, leading me deeper into the belly of The Tempest’s Vow, her skirts swaying, her voice trailing behind her. “Mind your step. The boards warp near the galley door.”
I nod, still shivering despite the blanket wrapped around me. Everything smells of saltwater, pitch, and smoke, and t
