Chapter 39.1

The gun still pointed at the doctor’s head, Claude almost pulled a trigger. Canillian’s dead? That’s absurd. It wasn’t in the plan, Claude thought in shock.

Ian drew his sword and moved threateningly towards the doctor. The frightened man lay flat on the hard cobblestone road, grabbing Claude’s pants, holding on to the finely-made fabric tightly.

“No! Please! You don’t understand. I was called to treat a patient. When I saw a dead woman’s body, I ran.”

Without mercy, Ian thrust his sword through the back of the doctor’s left hand.

The doctor screamed, clutching his bleeding hand to his chest. Claude kicked the doctor for good measure, before jumping onto the anchored ship.

Seeing that they were being boarded, most of the men, who until now had been hiding in the shadows, jumped ship. Many of them looked too young to be mixed up in such serious crimes.

As he headed below decks, Claude felt his eyes catch fire.

“It couldn’t be true, Canillian couldn’t be dead. It just wasn’t possible,” Claude repeated to himself like a mantra. Cold sweat ran down his forehead. It was as if he was in a dream. Claude took no note of the fleeing people rushing past him. He kicked the door of the cabin open.

The sound of something shattering could be heard. A stray lantern rolled around the floor, amidst the chaos inside.

“Damn it!”

A man saw Claude, dashing towards him in the near darkness, spear in hand. Without hesitation, he pointed his pistol at the man and pulled the trigger. The bullet penetrated the man’s thigh, spraying blood everywhere. The man roared in pain, toppling out a window as the ship tilted to one side.

A lantern rolled past Claude’s feet, revealing Canillian curled up on the floor.

“Canillian!”

Breathing out in relief, some of Claude’s tension disappeared at finding Canillian alive. Supporting the other man, Claude helped Canillian to his feet. Together they began to make their way out of the cabin.

“Where are you hurt?”

“Nowhere serious,” Canillian said, his voice trembling.

Despite his ragged appearance, torn dress, blood-stained lips, and bruises, he didn’t seem to have suffered a major injury.

The cry of the military and police that had followed him into the cabin still sounded far away from them. He carefully wrapped a bandage around the back of Canillian’s head. His pale hands were unexpectedly shaking.

“The ship is sinking. Someone blasted a hole in the floor,” Claude heard someone outside yell.

Out of nowhere, Ian approached Claude, who was trying to help Canillian to his feet, saying, “I’ll take him from here.”

“He needs to get treatment.”

“I have combat medicine training.”

Claude’s gaze met Ian’s as he looked down at Lia. Canillian was safe, but his eyes would not focus.

Ian bent down and put his hand on Canillian’s shoulder.

“Shall we go home?”

“Ian?” Canillian asked, shifting his body.

“Yes, let’s go home.” Canillian nodded meekly, his eyes opening a little wider. He looked as if tears had been brought to his eyes at the friendly voice.

Claude silently looked up at Canillian, who had left his arms and held Ian’s hand. Ian supported Canillian as if holding something precious, and Canillian leaned on Ian. The feeling of the other man’s trembling body pressed against his own was still vivid. But all too soon it faded, and he was left with nothing.

After the pair had completely disappeared, Claude ordered the soldiers, “Find the survivors and arrest the doctor who had witnessed everything.” The men saluted him. “And find out who the owner of this ship is,” he added belatedly.

Claude calmly looked around as he left the cabin. The smell of the fishy river was carried on the breeze, mixing with the hot night air.  In the distance, he could see Canillian climbing onto a wagon, Ian by his side. Claude’s mouth had a bitter taste in it. But none of what he was feeling was reflected on his face.

After disembarking from the ship, Ivan led a horse to Claude. He stroked the mane of his horse, who looked pleased to be with its owner again. Claude took the reins from Ivan and climbed onto the horse without hesitation.

***

As Lia got off the carriage, Ian grabbed her arm, preventing her from stumbling.

She wrapped an arm around him, her wooded arm over his neck. His arm snaked around her in a gentle embrace. Lia was too weak to resist, and she wasn’t sure if she would even be able to walk without his help.

If the man who had been guarding her had not been distracted by the decoration on the dress, he would have heard the signal in time. She may very well have died.

Lia had succeeded in drawing her dagger while the man was overwhelmed by the chaos. But she froze, forgetting everything Ian had taught her. Her moment of hesitation put her in danger. The man, who was unable to find his gun, attempted to strangle her. So terrified, she couldn’t think straight, Lia forgot all about her dagger.

Claude had appeared right before she was about to lose consciousness. Why did he keep showing up just in time to save her?

Flashing back, she recalled gunshots.