I watched with bated breath as Caleb urged the vessel forward. It soon became apparent that we were nearing shallower water. The sea bed, covered in rocks, boulders and multicolored flora, was beginning to emerge beneath us. Eventually the submarine hit soft sand.

We climbed back out of the submarine again. Standing on the roof, I found myself gazing out at a pristine white sand beach lined with coconut trees. Further inland, there was dense vegetation. It looked like a jungle.

“What is this place?” Annora asked.

Caleb shrugged. We slid down into the water and made our way toward the dry sand. Caleb sped up ahead and rushed beneath the shade of the trees while Annora and I followed after him.

As I turned my back on the island and looked back out at the ocean, I breathed out deeply. Great. Now we’re stranded on a desert island.

If Annora hadn’t been with us, the idea of being stranded here with Caleb wouldn’t have been so unappealing at all…

I quickened my pace to reach Caleb before Annora. She was panting already and we’d hardly traveled far at all. Apparently her powers had allowed her muscles to grow weak and lazy.

I sat down with Caleb on a fallen tree trunk, staring at her as she struggled toward us through the sand. I looked past her at the submarine moored on the beach. At least there was still a stock of food for Annora and me on the vessel if we ended up stranded here for days. As for Caleb, I had no idea what we’d feed him. If he refused to drink blood from either one of us, which I knew he would, he’d have to go hunting.

Annora collapsed as soon as she reached the shade, panting and spreading herself out on the sand.

Drama queen.

I looked out at the horizon. I didn’t need a watch to see that it was evening. The bright orange sun was descending over the ocean. We had perhaps a few hours left of sunlight.

“The submarine must have a radio?” I said.

Caleb grimaced. “It’s capable of contacting my or Stellan’s island. Nowhere else.”

“Damn it.” I stood up, kicking sand beneath my feet as I paced up and down.

The truth was, I wasn’t sure where we could head to even if the submarine was filled with limitless fuel. Even if the submarine hadn’t broken down. The Shade of course was my first choice. But after what Hermia said, I didn’t know if going there would be like riding right back into the jaws of the black witches.

My breath hitched. I suddenly remembered Micah. I’d been so wrapped up in the idea of losing my family, and the situation with Annora and Caleb, I’d totally forgotten that we’d left him behind. I turned to Caleb.

“What happened to Micah?”

He looked concerned as he shook his head. “I don’t know. I lost sight of him in the waves as we were escaping Julisse and Arielle.”

I wet my lower lip nervously. I hoped the witches hadn’t gotten hold of Micah. Or perhaps he’d made his way back to The Shade… and whatever lay in wait for him there.

“You knew those two witches?” I asked.

“I knew of them.”

Annora began to fidget in the sand, annoyed no doubt that she wasn’t getting the attention she was seeking.

Caleb stood up, leaning an elbow against a low-hanging branch and squinting at our surroundings. “At least while we’re here, it makes sense to sleep in the submarine.”

I couldn’t have agreed with Caleb more. I didn’t fancy trying to sleep out here. God knew what kind of wild animals and insects came out on this deserted island at night. Even if we built some kind of shelter up in the trees, there could be poisonous snakes and dangerous insects.

At least the submarine offered some level of comfort in this situation. There were showers there too—basic amenities that I suspected we would begin to cherish in the days to come.

I shuddered as I realized we might not be any closer to escaping in a week than we were now. We had no communication device. Unless we found someone else on this island, we would be just as stuck here in a week’s time. No closer to escaping.

We had to try not to think about the future and just focus on surviving.

Annora finally stood up and walked over to Caleb, taking his hand in hers. She stood right in front of him, trying to meet his eye. “I’m human now. You don’t need to worry about blood. I can feed you mine.”

I rolled my eyes as Caleb scoffed. “You honestly think I would sink my fangs into you again?”

She took a step back, looking hurt as he brushed her away.

“Once night falls,” he said, “I’ll explore this island while the two of you remain in the submarine. I’ll scope out this place and figure out if it really is uninhabited or if there’s perhaps a town or village somewhere with boats.”

“In the meantime,” I said, noting how red Caleb’s eyes were becoming, “we should return to the cool of the sub.”

Nobody had any objections, not even Annora, so we walked back across the sand toward the sub. Before we climbed onto the roof, Caleb gripped hold of the front railing of the vessel, digging his heels into the sand and pulling the entire vessel with his bare hands until it was fully inland. He lowered himself through the hatch and reappeared moments later. He leapt back down into the water and, holding the vessel’s anchor, dug it into the sand. That would hopefully stop the submarine from getting swept away during the night.

Then he helped both Annora and me onto the roof, and we climbed back inside, sealing the hatch above us.

We headed to the control cabin where we all took a seat. Annora attempted to sit on Caleb’s lap, but he caught her by the waist and sat her down in her own seat. I heaved a sigh, rolling my eyes again. I wanted nothing more at that moment than to have time alone with Caleb. To hold him in my arms, feel his lips against my skin. But it wasn’t to be. Annoying Annora remained with us the whole time. Not many words were exchanged as we sat watching the waves becoming darker and darker.