Free Seabound (Seabound Chronicles Book 1) by Jordan Rivet

family by being . . . the way she is.”
    “How long has this
been going on?”
    “A while.”
    “What about her
husband? She’s always talking about how the Lord has saved him and they’ll be
reunited on the Last Day and all that.” Esther couldn’t keep the scorn from her
voice. She didn’t even try.
    “Penelope knows
he’s gone. She’s kept up this story, this myth, for so long for her children
that she can’t let it go.”
    “Doesn’t it bother
you, though?” Esther said. “Enough that it’s not worth the physical comfort or
whatever you’re getting out of this?” She just stopped herself from kicking the
back of the seat in front of her like a child.
    Simon was silent
again. She glanced back at him. His face looked old and very sad. “Couldn’t you
have held out for someone who was at least half as good as Mom?” Esther said.
“We meet new people sometimes. Maybe on the Amsterdam .”
    “Esther, I’m not
looking for a new soul mate. That part of my life is over. You’ll come to
understand someday that it’s worth finding comfort with someone who understands
your sadness. You won’t always scorn the . . . physical need to be with
someone.”
    “I think I’d
rather be lonely.”
    “You’re still
young, Esther. I’m proud of you for working so hard to keep things running
smoothly on the ship. You’re so smart and capable; sometimes I forget how young
you are.” He paused. “You know Neal . . .”
    “Dad, don’t.”
    “I’m just saying
that Neal is a good young man. He’s your friend, and he will always be there
for you. Someday you may realize that it’s worth accepting the company and
partnership of another human being just to help you get through the dark nights
at sea.”
    The horn rumbled
through the ship. Esther and Simon waited, allowing the vibrations to fade
away. A second horn sounded. Then a third. Then a fourth. They looked at each
other. That meant everyone was supposed to muster on the decks. It was a rare
call. They stood at the same time, and Simon gripped Esther’s shoulder. “Be
kind to her, Esther. Please.”

Chapter 8— Orchid
    Esther and Simon rushed to
the foredeck. Nearly half the ship had already gathered there or on the upper
decks. More people crowded onto the balconies of the forward cabins, inviting
themselves in to get a better view. No one bothered to lock doors anyway. The
rest filed out from the lower cabins and workstations and jostled for position
along the portside lido deck.
    The foredeck was
bare. They’d bolted benches and tables to the decks in the early days, but
those were long gone, ripped away by the violence of the sea. With the entire
population flooding onto the decks from every nook and cranny, the Catalina looked like it was sprouting
anemones. Esther and her father pushed through the crowd. A crisp breeze
greeted them, and twilight had turned the sky to a soft lavender color. Esther
had to admit it didn’t look like a storm was coming.
    They found Neal on
their way to the railing. It was always strange to see him outside of his
tower.
    “What’s going on?”
Esther asked.
    Neal frowned.
“It’s not good.”
    When the quadruple
horns rang out, Esther had worried someone had discovered the catastrophe in
the bowling alley. But something in Neal’s face told her this had nothing to do
with that—or with their plan. She reached the front row of the crowd and
looked to the sea.
    Another cruise
ship floated alongside them. It loomed above their heads, blocking out the sky.
Far bigger than the Catalina , the ship probably had a capacity close to
three thousand. Like the Catalina , this ship had undergone modifications.
Entire decks had been removed, like layers on a cake. She must have been too
top-heavy for the biggest storms. The empty upper decks gaped like the rib cage
of a skeleton. For a moment, Esther thought they’d reached the Galaxy
Flotilla ahead of schedule, but this ship, grim in the twilight, did not
look like a