Perfect.
Nick quickly taps a few commands, correcting course back toward the main island—but not before shooting his brother a glare.
“Seriously, are there only two islands on this planet?”I ask, playing dumb.
“I think so,”Rick replies.“If you’re hoping for a bar crawl tonight, forget it. The rest are just tiny rocks or bare stone.”
“Wow… show me!” I say, leaning forward with exaggerated excitement. “I’m dying to see what passes for nightlife around here.”
“Yeah, look over there. Flat desert island. Not a tree, not a blade of grass, only water,” Rick says, pointing to a barely visible strip of land just above the waterline. “And next to it, that little peak sticking out—but it’s not really usable.”
I spot the peak easily. It’s just prominent enough to serve as a visual marker. The flat island beside it… that’s the one. It’s low, discreet, and just big enough to hide the SIL while we board or escape. They’re close together, and there’s nothing else nearby that’s more accessible.
I scan the area, mentally locking in the landmarks.
“They’re not exactly spoiled for options, are they?” I ask, keeping my tone light. “Why haven’t they built anything out over the water?”
“I think they tried,” Nick says. “But the sea creatures destroyed the foundations right away.”
“Creatures?” I ask, instantly alert.
I’ve been considering a water escape, but I still don’t know what’s down there. And I’d really like to avoid any surprises.
“Yeah, I dunno. They gave up on it. No one’s eager to go swimming around here.”
Unfortunately, I can imagine why. Just the thought of diving into unknown waters makes my skin crawl. The nightmares, the phobia—it’s all still there, buried but alive. Ever since I left Asgarne, the ocean’s been asource of dread. And now I might have to dive right into it.
But I’m out of options. If things go south, the sea might be our only way out. And right now, it’s looking riskier by the minute.
The ship finally flies over the main island. It’s bigger than I expected. To the left, there’s a massive esplanade where small ships are landing in neat rows. To the right, a low structure—maybe one or two levels high—sprawls across the terrain.
Rick lands where instructed and powers down the engines.
That’s it. I’m in. From this point on, I need to be razor-sharp. No mistakes.
“Wingo?”
As expected, no response. Our link’s out of range. I’m on my own now.
Time to hide my intentions—and play the part.
I follow my two companions at a relaxed pace, a smile plastered on my face like I’ve got nothing to hide.
At the entrance to the complex, we stop at a guard post. Two armed guards—definitely Human—are checking everyone in.
One of them eyes the large bag slung over my shoulder.“What’s in there?”
“Asgarnian weapons,” I reply smoothly. “Payment for the sale. Ten of them. I’d prefer to keep them with me.”
“That’s not allowed. No one enters with weapons.”
“Butyouhave one. And your boyfriend does too,” I say, grinning.
“We’re Vagantu’s guards,”he snaps, straightening up.“We’re in charge of security. You’re not.”
“It was agreed with Noviosk…” I say, letting my voice trail off, just lazy enough to sound annoyed but not confrontational.
The two guards exchange a look. One of them steps away to verify my claim.
