“Hold on,” Ethan hissed to Liam. Before the younger man could react, Ethan seized his arm and yanked him sideways. Together they vaulted clumsily back across the narrowing gap to Aurora’s Wake. The deck rattled under their landing, but Ethan was already moving.
He grabbed the boom—the heavy spar jutting from the base of the mast—and shoved it outward with all his weight. The wooden beam swung wide, slamming across the space between the boats. It cracked against the pirates scrambling to start their engine, knocking two into the sea and sending the captain sprawling.