I opened my mouth to say never say that out loud—but he suddenly stiffened and turned toward the right side of the ship.
Like he felt it. We all followed. The ship creaked slightly as we leaned over the railing—and there it was.
An iceberg. Small. Too small. Not majestic. Not threatening. Just… floating there like it was pretending to be innocent. The Nothingwood Royal ship drifted closer, its massive shadow swallowing the ice. The hull tilted just a little—
Then the ocean moved. Not violently. Not dramatically. It bubbled. Soft. Slow. Wrong. Air pockets rose to the surface. The water swelled.Something pale surfaced beneath us—And then—The sea gave birth to a ship.
A massive hull rose from the depths, water cascading off its sides like rain. White wood. Ancient carvings. Barnacles clinging like scars. Tattered banners unfurled as if remembering their duty—
MADEN FLAGS.
"What the hell?" I grumbled.
My breath caught. The name carved into the bow emerged last.
LADY MADEN
