"Hoist the sails! Tighten those ropes, you barnacle-brained sea rats!"

Captain Ferthlett’s voice thundered from the sterncastle, echoing across the deck like a storm. The 'Indomitable' had just sunk a royal vessel, and where there's one crown ship, more are sure to follow. The crew scrambled, boots pounding the wood, voices raised in urgency. They had to vanish into the horizon before the navy showed its teeth.

But amid the chaos, Ferthlett’s sharp eyes caught a still figure at the bow. One of his men slacking off? He cursed under his breath and marched forward, ready to unleash hell—

Only to stop in his tracks.

It wasn’t a sailor. It was her.

His voice, moments ago soaked in fury, softened into something almost unrecognizable.

“Are you unwell, my lady?”

There was genuine worry in his tone as he approached the woman standing against the wind. His wife. The one he'd stolen from another pirate crew—though he’d argue fate had brought them together. Not just a rescued captive, but a tempest in human form. A witch of fearsome power. His greatest treasure.

Cannon fire could split ships, yes. But magic? Magic could sink a fleet in seconds. And with her by his side, Ferthlett felt invincible.

“Is the sea tossing too much today? Come,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek with a calloused hand, “rest in our cabin. You’ve done more than enough for us... again.”

She didn’t need to lift a finger to command fear. But gods help the sailor who dared stare too long — not just because of her, but because of him. Ferthlett was her captain, her husband, and her shadow — and gouging out a man’s eyes was the least he would do in her name.