There was a shift in the ind that night. It changed direction sometime after midnight, shifting from a hard push at their backs to a crosswind that forced the ship to lean uncomfortably toward starboard. The deck angled enough that barrels were secured twice over, and the crew moved with shorter steps and wider stances. The sea had grown restless and rather violent, as if it were testing their resolve.
Akelldema had been woken by the rocking ship long before the sailors called it out. He stepped onto the deck half-dressed, tying his sash as he moved, and the cool spray hit his face immediately. The lanterns swayed overhead, casting uneven light across rope and mast.
Takeshi stood near the midline of the deck, watching the horizon like someone would be out there to answer for this sudden change .
"Youre awake, you must have felt it too," Takeshi said.
"Yes," Akelldema replied. "I don't know how anyone could sleep with this racket."
He glanced over his shoulder and let out a small chuckle at what he saw.
Masaru emerged moments later, looking irritated at having been pulled from sleep. "If this keeps up, I am going to start resenting the ocean personally."
"It looks like ou already do," Takeshi said.
Ren appeared from the stern with his coat fastened and hair tied back, moving with the alertness of someone who had been awake longer than the rest of them.
"The wind has shifted," Ren said. "The captain is adjusting sail, but this angle will have to hold until sunrise at least."
Akelldema glanced toward the darker stretch of sea behind them. "Can they match this?"
Ren followed his gaze. "If they are still following, they will struggle more than we do in this swell."
The courier hull was not immediately visible in the night, but the occasional lift of a swell revealed a distant lantern flicker that confirmed its presence. It had not abandoned them.
A sudden jolt rolled through the deck, stronger than the previous ones, and a crate near the bow shifted before a sailor lunged to secure it.
Akelldema moved forward instinctively to help, grabbing one end while the sailor tightened rope around it. They both slid on the slick deck for a moment before regaining their footing.
The sailor looked thankful, but muttered a few curses under his breath. Akelldema, although not understanding any Dutch himself, still picked up on his tone and realized how restless everyone has become.
Another swell followed, and this one came with force enough to send a line snapping sharply against a mast. The crack like a whip echoed louder than the wind itself.
Masaru winced. "That does not sound encouraging."
Ren's voice cut through cleanly. "The Captain said to secure the forward line!"
The crew scrambled without panic. The captain shouted orders across the deck that were echoed by Ren, and the sail nearest the bow was trimmed tighter to reduce strain.
Princess Aiko stepped onto the deck again, and Lady Emiko followed with visible reluctance.
"You should remain below, it is not safe up here." Ren said evenly.
"I will not," Aiko replied. "If this worsens, I prefer to see it."
Akelldema shifted closer to her position without drawing attention to it. "The deck is unstable, my lady." he said.
"So am I." she answered, though her tone held faint humor.
Another gust tore across the sails, and the ship dipped hard to starboard before rising sharply again. Takeshi grabbed a railing with one hand and steadied himself.
"If the courier hull pushes too far in this," Takeshi said as he stood up straight again. "they risk snapping their mast."
Akelldema nodded. "They would not be foolish enough."
"Do not assume that, money is a powerful motivator." Masaru said.
Ren's gaze remained on the dark stretch of sea behind them. "Watch for any change in their lantern pattern." he instructed.
The lantern flicker in the distance wavered suddenly, dipping low and then vanishing behind swell for several long breaths. When it reappeared, it seemed farther back than before.
"They are falling behind." Takeshi observed.
"Or they are reducing sail, they may intend to catch back up." Ren replied.
Akelldema exhaled slowly. "Either way, they cannot maintain this pace."
The wind rose again, carrying with it a sharper edge that made breathing feel thinner. Salt spray struck harder now, stinging exposed skin.
Masaru moved to assist with another rope line, and Akelldema followed without being asked. They pulled together as the sail strained overhead, and the tension in the rope vibrated through his arms like a live thing.
"Hold!" Masaru said.
"I am holding!" Akelldema replied through clenched teeth.
The strain eased slightly as the sail adjusted, and both of them released the line carefully.
Ren approached once more, scanning the rigging before speaking. "If this continues, we will be long gone from them."
The captain nodded agreement from across the deck.
Princess Aiko steadied herself again as another swell lifted them high enough to reveal more of the dark sea behind. This time, the courier hull's lantern flicker was fainter, nearly swallowed by the rolling water.
Akelldema allowed himself a narrow smile. "They are losing us."
Ren did not smile. "They are certainly struggling."
Takeshi leaned closer to Akelldema. "You seem to enjoy this too much."
"Who doesn't enjoy a good chase? " Akelldema replied.
Masaru returned from the bow, wiping salt from his face. "If they fall too far back, they may attempt to circle around during daylight."
Ren considered that. "Possible."
"So we keep watch," Takeshi said.
"Yes," Ren answered.
The wind began to taper slowly toward the final stretch of night, though the swell remained unpredictable. The crew reduced sail carefully, and the ship's motion steadied slightly as the most violent gusts passed.
By the time the first pale light touched the eastern sky, the courier hull was barely visible. Its lantern had vanished entirely, and only a faint silhouette remained when the ship crested a particularly high swell.
Princess Aiko watched the horizon carefully. "If they abandon pursuit now, what then?" she asked.
"Then we assume they reposition," Ren said. "They will not give up without reason."
Akelldema rested his hands on the rail, breathing in the cold morning air. He felt steadier than he had days before, not because the danger had lessened, but because he had learned the rhythm of it.
Takeshi joined him. "You look satisfied with yourself." Takeshi said quietly.
"I am satisfied," Akelldema admitted. "But the sea did all the work."
"The sea does not take sides," Takeshi replied.
"I know," Akelldema said. "But it feels good when it favors us."
Masaru stepped up beside them. "You should not rely on that feeling."
Akelldema glanced at him but said nothing.
Ren approached last, studying the now distant shape behind them. "Distance is only temporary," he said calmly. "Do not grow careless."
Akelldema nodded. "I will not."
The sun rose fully over the water, casting long bands of light across the swell. The ship continued forward, steady now, sails trimmed for endurance rather than speed.
By then, the courier hull had shrunk to little more than a mark against the horizon. For the first time in days, it did not feel close enough to breathe down their necks.
The group simply took it for what it was; an advantage.