‘Yes.’ She rose to her feet, bracing her legs apart for balance and wiped her damp palms down the side of her pants.
‘I’ll go first… in case someone’s still awake up there.’ Seb already had one foot on the ladder; after hours of sitting and waiting he was eager for some action.
Nodding, Emilia swallowed down her fear. It made sense for him to go first, but she preferred to get these things out of the way quickly before she had a chance to wuss out.
It wouldn’t be long before the pirate ship intercepted them, so Seb scaled the ladder quickly, as surefooted as a cat. He vaulted over the rail, had a quick look around and then leaned back over to gesture Emilia up.
There wasn’t time for her to panic. Reaching for the rope, she hauled herself up on to the ladder. She climbed steadily;
