Free Sunset in Silvana (Da'ark Nocturne Book 1) by Paul Sims, Robert Warr Page B

an underwater reef that would rip us to pieces.  Let’s shadow the coast till we reach the dacha.”
    “Are you certain it’s safe?” Anoushka asked.
    “We’re well out of range,” Goran assured her.  He started to smile, but then his jaw dropped.  “Me and my big mouth – get down!” he shouted as he once more turned the boat sharply towards the beach.  There was an explosion just off the starboard hull and everyone was drenched by the spray of an all-too-near impact.
    “Where’d that one come from?” Boris yelled.
    “Up ahead,” Goran called back as he swung the yacht out to sea once more.  So began the second instalment of their dance with destruction.
    “Do you think it’s the same mortar?” Talia called.
    “Does it matter?” Boris replied, looking back at her.
    “I suppose not.”  She shrugged hopelessly.
    Goran chose that very moment to react to the next shell.  Unfortunately, this time Anoushka’s grasp slipped and she slid across the superstructure.  Goran instinctively let go of the tiller to catch her and the catamaran slid back on course.  The shell exploded just under the starboard bulkhead.  The boat was thrust sideways and there was an ominous cracking noise.  The tiller jerked in Goran’s hand, and he had to let go of Anoushka to control it.  She gave a cry of despair as she slipped into the water.
    Before Boris could react, Talia dived after her.  He knew that Talia was a far stronger swimmer than he was, so he waited, his nerves taut, for a chance to retrieve the two of them.  He tried to keep an eye on how they were doing, but the waves and the frequent course changes made it difficult: at one point he saw that Talia had got hold of Anoushka, and they were only a few yards to starboard, but a few seconds later they were much further away.  At least those bastards are firing at the boat rather than Talia and Anoushka, he thought.  It’ll give them a fighting chance.
    After one particularly violent turn, he lost sight of the two girls.  Several minutes passed as the boat continued its evasive course and Boris scanned the surface of the water in vain.  “I think we’ve lost them,” he called to Goran, his heart sinking.
    The sombre mood was broken when a voice from below gasped, “Don’t – give up – on us yet.”  Astonished, Boris looked over the front of the superstructure.  Underneath, between the hulls and clinging by her right hand to the hindmost inner strut of the starboard one, was Talia, her other arm round the chest of a bedraggled and stunned-looking Anoushka.
    “The girls are hanging on to the boat between the hulls,” he called to Goran as he made his way towards the back.  “Try and keep her steady while I pull them aboard.”
    “I’ll do what I can,” Goran shouted back as Boris roped himself to the back rail, but the latter had just reached down and grasped Anoushka round the waist when Goran yelled, “I’ve got to turn to port – now!”
    Talia gave a surprised yelp as Boris yanked Anoushka from her grasp, and her body swung away from the hull as the boat heeled over.  He lowered his burden as gently as he could down into the cockpit.
    He was worried that they lost Talia during the last manoeuvre, but she still clung on, though her knuckles were bloodless.  He took her now-free left arm and managed to haul her up onto deck and lowered her down beside Anoushka.  She slumped down on the one end of the bench, gasping for air and kneading her hand, while Boris checked Anoushka over at the other end.  Both girls seemed to be exhausted but otherwise uninjured.
    By now, they had once again reached the limit of the mortar’s range, so there was a short period of blessed peace, but after some moments, it opened up again from further down the coast.
    “How’s she handling?” Boris called to Goran.
    “Listing a little to starboard.  I think she’s shipping water.  We may have to swim for it.”
    Boris looked over at Talia, who