Chapter 2
The ship’s horn blaring woke her up. She opened her eyes to see it was morning already.
The salty scent of the sea filled her lungs.
She pulled her aching body up from the cold floor trembling slightly. Last night, she had slept at the back of the ship.
The morning wind was wild, and she wrapped her arms around her body to keep warm.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she apologized.
She almost collided with a man carrying a barrel.
“Watch where you’re going, girl,” the man sneered.
“I’m sorry,” she said again.
“Why are they so cold hearted?” She thought.
The crewmen were busy as bees, moving fast and in coordination. They carried out their work with urgency and diligence.
As Emily moved about, she heard whispers from the crewmen. She knew they were about her. She felt their eyes following her wherever she went, watching to see if she would make any mistake.
She knew the men didn’t want her here. She had seen the way they sneered and made side comments whenever she passed.
They must think she doesn’t belong in a place like this, but she was willing to prove them wrong.
She couldn’t remember why she was here, but she knew something must have driven her to this point. Until she regained her memories, she was going to remain on this ship, even if it meant battling death itself.
She knew that in this place, rules were rules. You break them, and that would be the end of you. Mistakes were not forgiven here.
She spotted a man struggling to secure a rope and hurried over to help him.
“Wait, let me help you with that,” she offered.
She reached for the rope, but before she knew it, she was on the ground with a loud thud.
“What do you think you’re doing?” the man scoffed. “Do you think this can be handled by a lady?” His lips curled into a smirk.
She choked back her tears. “I was just trying to help you. You didn’t have to push me.” she said, her lower lips trembling slightly.
“Oh, my bad,” he said mockingly. “I only gave you a little push. Didn’t think you’d fall that easily. Your stamina is terrible.”
The other crewmen burst into laughter, their voices rising as they called her a weakling.
Emily’s hands curled into fists against the deck as embarrassment washed over her. Her gaze dropped to the floor. She tried to stand, but her legs gave out beneath her, causing her to collapse again and earning another round of laughter.
“Let me help you up,” one of them offered.
Emily didn’t move.
She knew his help wasn’t genuine.
“No, thank you. I’m better on my own.” She ignored him and tried to stand again.
“Don’t be stubborn,” he persisted.
“I can manage.” She angrily slapped his hand away.
“Oh, she’s got some power in her,” one of the men jeered.
She breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling.
She thought the man would get angry and strike her, but instead, he only smiled.
“So tell us,” he said, “are all the women in your village this beautiful?”
Emily ignored them and stood up slowly. She brushed the dust off her skirt and quickly checked herself for injuries from the fall.
“Do they all have long, shiny hair like yours?” another man added, reaching out to touch it.
She gritted her teeth, her fists clenching at her sides.
She was losing her patience!!
She had had enough of their mockery. But she knew she stood no chance against them if she fought back.
With her head bowed, she pushed her way out of the crowd.
“Oh, look at those hips swaying,” the men continued, their laughter following her.
Emily ran as fast as she could to the other side of the ship. Another crewman was there, fixing small cracks in the wood.
When they noticed her presence, they stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to her, grinning and nudging one another.
Emily could clearly read the meaning behind those smiles. She had had enough for one day and was not in the mood to face another group of madmen.
She slowly turned back, but her head struck something hard—and warm.
Her breath caught.
She lifted her gaze and realized a tall, broad-shouldered man was blocking her path.
She swallowed hard, and for a moment, it seemed she had forgotten how to speak.
“Please… let me pass,” she forced the words out.
The man ran his tongue across his lower lip. Then he let out a rough hungry, horrible laugh that sent a chill through her.
Meanwhile, at the far corner of the ship, Ezra sat quietly, sipping from a bottle of dry gin.
He had been watching everything that had happened on the ship. The way the crewmen treated the new girl. The way they tested her patience, pushed her to her limit, and took every opportunity to oppress her.
One thing he had learned from his father, the captain, was never to interfere in matters between crewmen.
He hated watching them taunt the girl, but there was nothing he could do. He had been observing her, and he knew she was stronger than she appeared.
But when he saw Big Jeff trying to forcefully kiss her, something in him snapped.
He gritted his teeth and slammed his fist against the table. The sound drew the attention of the men.
He rose to his feet, his fists tucked into his pockets. The crew parted as he walked through them.
His face tightened, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“What’s going on here, gentlemen?” His voice thundered.
“N–nothing, nothing is going on here. We’re all fine,” Big Jeff stuttered.
“This doesn’t look like nothing,” he said, pointing. “Get your hands off the girl. She looks scared.” He barked, his eyes cold and deadly.
Big Jeff quickly pulled his hand away from Emily.
“Get back to work, gentlemen,” he ordered, not sparing them another glance.
Emily ran her palms over her arms, trying to steady herself. What had just happened terrified her. A few droplets of tears rolled down her cheeks, but she wiped them away before anyone could notice.
If not for the captain’s son, whose name she had learned a while ago, she didn’t know what would have happened.
He had shown up once to save her from the hands of those men. Yet, despite helping her, he never spoke to her or even spared her a glance. Somehow, that unsettled her more than anything.
She understood now.
Surviving on this ship would not come from kindness. These men did not value the effort she was trying to give.
She would have to be strong. Fearless.
And learn the ways of the ship.
And learn not to trust anyone.
Chapter 3
The past few days had been hectic for Emily, working nonstop while trying her best to stay out of trouble. She had been assigned to assist in the kitchen.
The head cook was no different from the rest of the crew. He made sure she handled most of the work, piling task after task onto her.
By the end of each day, she was usually exhausted from fatigue. Even her coworkers weren’t any kinder. They treated her like a plague no one wanted near them.
She had gone to deliver food to the men working on the deck when the barking of a dog caught her attention on her way back.
“Hey, boy,” she cooed softly.
The dog continued barking, its tail wagging excitedly.
“Come here.” She stepped forward carefully.
But the moment she got closer, the dog darted into a nearby room.
“I must have scared it,” she thought sadly.
She glanced around to make sure no one was watching her. Without thinking twice, she slipped into the room after it.
“Hey, boy, where are you?” she called out quietly.
She had been searching for the dog for almost fifteen minutes. She checked beneath chairs, behind barrels, and even under tables, but she still hadn’t seen it anywhere.
She noticed a door slightly ajar and wondered if the dog had run in there.
She knew she had been gone for too long, and by now the head cook would probably be searching for her. Part of her wanted to leave, but as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat… though satisfaction brought it back.
Slowly, she pushed the door open.
It creaked loudly on its rusty hinges, the sound echoing through the silence. The hinges clearly needed oiling.
Her jaw dropped.
“What is this place?”
The room was dark, with cobwebs covering nearly every corner. The air felt cold and eerie. Vases and strange artifacts filled the room from wall to wall, their shadows stretching in the dim light.
Suddenly, a flash of light temporarily blinded her.
“Ahhhh!” she screamed.
“What are you doing here?” a sharp voice sliced through the silent room.
“I-I’m sorry. I know I wasn’t supposed to be here. I’m leaving now,” she hurriedly said before rushing toward the door.
Her foot hit a chair as she hurried toward the door, causing her to lose balance and fall hard to the ground.
Her heart raced wildly as she watched the shadow of the person slowly approach her.
“I swear, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” she cried out fearfully.
“Didn’t you see the ‘Do Not Enter’ sign?” the voice said sharply as the figure stepped into the light.
Emily’s breath caught in her throat.
“Ezra…” she mouthed softly.
His height towered over her. His arms were crossed tightly against his chest, his jaw locked with irritation. Up close, Ezra was far more intimidating than he appeared from a distance.
She tried to stand, but a sharp pain shot through her ankle, making her cry out.
“Ouch!”
She had twisted it badly.
A shiver ran through her as she looked up at him.
“I didn’t...”
“Do you always go around poking your nose into things that aren’t your concern?” he snapped, making her flinch.
“No… I don’t.” she stammered.
“You don’t?” His eyes narrowed. “were you sent here by someone. Who was it?”
“No one did. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ll leave now,” she hurriedly said as she struggled to get up, ignoring her aching angle.
But before she could move, Ezra grabbed her wrist.
In one swift motion, he pinned her against the wall, one hand braced beside her as he caged her in.
“That isn’t an answer to my question,” he growled.
Emily could feel the warmth of his body and the heaviness of his breath against her skin. She swallowed hard as cold sweat broke out across her body.
“I… I…” She opened her mouth, but the words failed her.
“Listen carefully,” he said sharply. “This ship is not a place for you to cause trouble or make mistakes. You don’t wander into restricted areas whenever you feel like it.”
His gaze hardened.
“And remember this, you do not belong here. So keep your damn curiosity, and your wandering legs, to yourself.”
She bit her lip to stop the cry rising in the back of her throat.
“I chased a dog down here. I didn’t know this was a restricted area.” she tried to explain..
“And you expect me to believe that lie?” he grinned coldly. “I know better than that.”
Even though he sounded harsh and angry, there was something buried beneath his tone that couldn’t be denied.
Protection.
He leaned closer to her ear. Emily inhaled sharply, catching the scent of coffee and sweat clinging to him. She closed her eyes briefly, unintentionally savoring it.
“A little advice for you,” he whispered. “Stay quiet. Don’t do anything that draws attention to you. And if you really want to survive on this ship, you need to learn its rules quickly.”
The words felt more like a threat than a warning.
“Can I hear the words?” he asked, arching a brow.
“Yes… I understand,” she replied, trying hard not to let the tension wash away what little confidence she had left.
The moment she stepped out, she quickly shut the door behind her. She inhaled slowly, then exhaled, trying to steady her racing heart.
She didn’t know whether to trust Ezra or fear him.
He always left her confused with his words and actions. She couldn’t tell if she was supposed to listen to him… or stay away from him entirely.
One moment, he was cold.
The next, he was fire.
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