by Jordan Rivet
She was about to get even busier. Numerous ships had already asked her to come help them install her system when she arrived at the Amsterdam, and she’d made commitments for the first two weeks. They offered all manner of gadgets and tools in exchange for her help. She couldn’t refuse. She had started all this. She wanted to do the right thing this time. She wondered if the Catalina would wait for her at the Amsterdam or if this was the start of the new life she had once wanted so badly.
And then there was the expedition to the settlement on land. David wanted to take the Lucinda to the coast as soon as possible. He was already working out the best route. Esther wanted to go with him, but before she made any promises there was someone else she needed to see.
Esther’s father was waiting for her when she crossed the Amsterdam dock from the Lucinda to the Catalina. The rig officials had reserved a space for the Lucinda in anticipation of their arrival. The rig boss himself came out to meet them, but Esther slipped by and headed straight for the Catalina.
Simon looked small beneath the tall slope of the hull. He stood beside the gangway, expression unreadable. Esther walked slowly toward him. David was busy shaking hands with the Amsterdam rig boss. He said something, and the man laughed jovially.
But Esther’s father wasn’t laughing.
“Hi, Dad,” Esther said. “I’m back.”
“I was worried, Button,” he said quietly.
“I had to go,” she said. “It was me they should have taken, not David. I didn’t have a choice.”
“I wish you had come to me,” Simon said. “You didn’t have to sneak off like that.”
“I did come to you. It was right after the attack, remember? You and the council said we couldn’t do anything. You didn’t believe me when I said he was in danger.”
“We needed more information,” Simon said, “but you just took off.”
He brushed a hand through his curly gray hair. His eyes seemed to have more lines around them than they did a few weeks ago.
“I’m sorry,” Esther said. “There was no time. And I would’ve gone even if you tried to stop me.”
Simon’s mouth twitched. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he said. “But next time please say good-bye before you run off to save someone again.”
He stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. She relaxed against him and was treated to the familiar smell of his clothes and the scratch of his green scarf against her cheek.
“What did Judith say?” she asked, pulling back from his embrace.
Simon laughed. “She pursed her lips, like she does, and didn’t say a word about you for three whole days. Then she demanded that we launch a rescue mission immediately.”
“So she’s pissed?”
“Oh yeah.”
Esther grinned. “Let’s go say hi. I missed her.”
Simon wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “If I were you,” he said, “I’d avoid Cally for a while too. She’s even angrier than Judith.”
Together they turned toward the gangway. Out of the corner of her eye, Esther saw David clap the Amsterdam official on the back and jog over to join them. She stopped to wait for him.
“Simon,” David said formally as he came over, “I want to apologize for putting your daughter in danger by getting myself kidnapped. I’m very grateful she decided to save my life, but I’m sure you must have been very worried.”
Esther looked back and forth between them. David was half a head taller than Simon and was standing very straight, solemn and ceremonious.
Simon appraised him for a moment.
“My daughter is quite capable of getting herself in danger without your help. Welcome back.”
He stretched out his hand, and David shook it.
“Will you guys hurry up?” Esther said.
She led the way up the gangway. Soon they would be heading off again, beginning a journey she had long thought was impossible. But for now she stepped back onto the deck of the Catalina, her home, and smiled.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jordan Rivet is an American author from Arizona. She lives in Hong Kong with her husband. Prone to seasickness, she likes to watch the ships pass in Victoria Harbour while standing on solid ground.
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Read about Esther's voyage to land in the third book in the Seabound Chronicles called Seafled, releasing in late 2015. Find out how the Catalina's journey began in Burnt Sea, a full-length Seabound prequel coming this summer.
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www.jordanrivet.com
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks again to everyone who cheered me on during the writing, rewriting, and publishing of this book. I'm especially grateful to all the readers who told me they couldn’t wait for the sequel to Seabound. It meant a lot to me.
I'd like to thank my writing friends for keeping me company in various coffee shops around Hong Kong, especially Willow and Laura for the highly productive Friday sessions.
I’m grateful to my two sharp-eyed critique groups for their help in making this a much better book and for teaching me so much about the craft.
To everyone who read the book before publication, thank you for the feedback that was both encouraging and helpful. Thanks especially to Galina Mesko, Allison Ng, Brooke Richter, Sarah Merrill Mowat, Rachel Andrews, Laura Cook, Betsy Cheung, Rachel Marsh, Willow Hewitt, Sebastian Brown, and Ayden and Julie Young.
Thank you to James at GoOnWrite.com for the beautiful and atmospheric cover and Marcus Trower for the spot-on edits.
And thank you, family, for giving me feedback, cheering me on, and bragging about me to your friends.
Jordan Rivet
Hong Kong, 2015
CONTENTS
Dedication
1—Breakthrough
2—The Spin
3—Leaders
4—Communications
5—Games
6—The Engine Test
7—The Amsterdam Coalition
8—Amsterdam Bazaar
9—Night
10—Abduction
11—The Mission
12—Captain and Mate
13—Departure
14—Terra Firma
15—Harvesters
16—Sand Queen
17—Information
18—After
19—The Calderon Method
20—Caught
21—The Lifeboat
22—The Island
23—The Guardian
24—The Captive
25—Burns
26—The Workshop
27—The Canteen
28—The Harbor
29—Attack
30—Escape
31—Rescue
32—On the Lucinda
33—The Transmission
34—The Return
35—Catalina
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Table of Contents
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