Chapter 43: Uninvited Guest
He hated this trip.
Things had been going so well too. For once in his miserable life, things were actually looking up. And then this happened.
It wasn’t the ship. The ship was fine. More than fine, actually—massive, beautiful, sails so wide they could catch a hurricane. Plenty of room. Enough space for an army.
And that was the problem. Too many people.
Well. One too many.
His eyes locked onto Luca.
"Why are you here?"
The look on his face scread everything his mouth was too polite to say. ’I don’t like you. I never liked you. Leave.’
The fool just shrugged. "I was bored."
’Go be bored sowhere else. Preferably at the bottom of the ocean.’
"Why is he here? Tell him to leave,"Shiro snapped.
"We’re late because of you, so we could use extra help," Richard snapped back, not even bothering to look at him.
"But—"
They ignored him and climbed up the ramp.
He stomped after them like a kid who didn’t get the toy he wanted. Each step louder than the last. Petty. Childish. He didn’t care.
And to pour salt directly into the wound, the mont Luca stepped on board, he beca invisible. She was too busy smiling. Too busy talking. Too busy being excited about the wrong person’s presence.
He hated the feeling. Hated it more than the bulls. More than his father’s mana pressure. More than anything rational should allow.
He started muttering under his breath. Sothing about driving his fist into a certain perfect face. Repeatedly. Until it wasn’t so perfect anymore.
’Calm down. Be mature. You’re a captain now.’
Pushing the feeling aside—or trying to, it kept pushing back—he followed behind them like a ghost nobody invited.
He waved Boris goodbye from the deck. The giant waved back with his whole body, nearly knocking a sailor into the water.
The ship set sail. And standing at the helm, guiding it with the confidence of soone born on the water, looking irritatingly heroic with the wind catching his hair at the perfect angle—Luca.
’That should have been .’
’Damn it. I should have read Rei’s diary sooner. I could have done that. That could have been
up there.’
He stomped his feet in frustration, then climbed—up the mast, past the rigging, all the way to the small wooden platform built for lookout.
’Perfect. Just
and my bitterness.’
Below, Ana and Darius disappeared into the lower deck where all the supplies were stored—clothing, gear, everything they’d bought for the hunt. He watched Darius lug Ana’s bags behind her like a pack mule in human form.
’Poor guy.’
He glanced back at Nora and Luca .
And imdiately wished he hadn’t.
Luca had Nora’s full attention. He was walking her through the ship—the rigging, the sails, the wheel—gesturing with the easy confidence of soone who’d done this a thousand tis. And she was hanging on every word. Nodding. Smiling. Asking questions.
’She never asks
about things I’m good at.’
’...’
’What am I even good at?’
He looked at Ari. She nuzzled her nose into his palm like she’d heard the question and wanted to answer it.
He put on a tiny voice—squeaky, high-pitched, nothing like a snake should sound. "You’re good at taking care of , dummy."
’Yeah. That’s definitely what she said.’
His jaw tightened. Eyes drifting back down to the deck against his will.
’He never cared about her before. Never looked twice. Never showed a single shred of interest. And now suddenly he’s Captain Teach-You-Everything standing six inches away from her like personal space is a suggestion?’
’Why now?’
"Because she’s amazing," he whispered with the squeaky voice.
Ari tilted her head up at him. The look in her tiny eyes clearly said ’you okay?’
’Yeah. I just need to keep busy. These thoughts are making
act crazy.’
He pulled out Rei’s diary, flipped to the pages he’d bookmarked earlier—the ones covered in ship diagrams and sailing instructions—and started reading.
That kept his mind busy until she showed up.
"Whatcha reading?"
Ana’s voice ca from nowhere. Right next to his ear.
He flinched, but managed to snap the diary shut before she could see anything.
"A book."
"Must be a good one."
"Yeah, it’s okay," he muttered, trying to shift the conversation.
And lucky for him, she didn’t push further. Instead, she held out a plate. Hot food. Good food.
He glanced past it. Down to the deck.
Everyone was sitting together. Eating. Talking. The kind of easy, comfortable scene that made his chest tight for reasons he refused to examine.
And Nora spotted him. Waved. "Co eat with us!"
He thought about it.
Until he saw the seat next to her. Occupied. By a man with a perfect jawline and zero right to be sitting that close to her.
"I’m good up here."
Ana settled beside him. That smug expression—the one she wore like jewelry—firmly in place.
"Oh, cheer up. They’re just friends."
He said nothing.
"Also—" She touched her lips thoughtfully. "The way she saved you. The way she waited by your bed. Cried over you." A pause. "You don’t have to worry about Luca stealing her from you."
"What are you talking about? I’m not worried about anyone." He muttered it fast. Too fast. His face went red, the kind of red that contradicts every word coming out of your mouth.
"Sure." Ana’s grin slowly widened.
"Then why are you eating so fast?"
He looked down at his plate. Almost empty.
"Shut up."
He stared at what was left. Surprised it all tasted like nothing.
"I wish I’d killed him that day." Flat. Honest. "Lucky bastard."
Ana laughed. She wasn’t mocking, she sounded almost fond. "You’re the lucky one. Surviving those chains isn’t sothing most people walk away from."
After taking a sip of water, his voice dropped to almost a whisper.
"Want to hear a secret?"
Her eyes sharpened. She leaned in. "Tell ."
He didn’t look at her. Just stared out at the sea. Voice even. Calm. Bored, almost.
"That fight with Luca—I was using less than twenty-five percent of my mana."
She laughed. But it ca out wrong. Shaky. The kind of laugh that happens when your brain hasn’t decided if sothing is funny or terrifying.
"You’re joking."
"Not even a little." He scraped the last bite off the plate and licked it clean. No manners, or sha. "Call it arrogance if you want. That’s what cost
the fight. But honestly—" He set the plate down. "I’m fine with it."
She stared at him. The smugness she usually wore had slipped.
"Why tell
this?"
"Because you’ve been watching
since day one." He t her eyes. Kept them there. "I figured I’d save you the trouble of guessing."
A short pause.
"I’m way stronger than before. After what I endured days ago—" A smile crept across his face. Not the funny kind. The kind that makes the air shift. "Way stronger."
She held his gaze for a mont longer than comfortable. Then laughed again—lighter this ti.
She stood. Brushed herself off. And climbed back down without looking at him.
’That rattled her.’
’Good.’
The satisfaction lasted only about three seconds. And then it was gone.
He settled back into his spot. Back pressed against the wooden barrel behind him. Ari clutched close to his chest.
’I should have chosen to leave. Taken the offer. Walked away from this place and everything in it. Forgotten the past.’
Ari pressed her nose against his cheek. Warm. Small. Trying to comfort him in the only way she knew how.
It kind of worked a little.
His eyes drifted to the sea. The salty scent filled his lungs. Cool air brushed against his skin. The water stretched out in every direction—endless, open, free.
Everything he wasn’t.
’How about we go for a hunt?’
Ari perked up. Head raised. Eyes bright.
She liked that idea.
At this point, anything was better than watching whatever was happening down there.????????????????????????????????
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