“If this is your why, you can fucking keep it,” I’m talking to myself when a whistle blows to my left. I almost thankBaachan’sshifty spirits when I see two crew members, waving to me with flashlights in hand, having lowered a ladder from adoor in the hull.
I’d found them in the cockpit and left them to untie themselves while I dealt with the other intruders. I’m glad I’d made the decision now. Else I’d be sitting out here in the cold waiting for a rescue.
With a dead Christian.
I ignore the darkness in my chest as I swim towards them quickly, with Christian in tow.
Thankfully, they pull him up first to commence CPR right away, but I’m not entirely sure what happens to me after that. I think I spew some nonsense about the Adler Squad again. Some nonsense that’s making me grin.
I also think I might’ve lost my mind.
Because Christian isn’t responding.
“I'll be tempted to insult your team again,” I promise darkly, with narrowed eyes, “just to see if you'll get up and shoot me like you promised.”
Christian’s eyes don’t open, but I finally see a weak flicker of irritation in his energy.
“You.” When his voice breaks the air, it’s weak. Barely a rasp to one of the crewmen, “My gun’s in my left pocket… shoot the asshole in the foot for me.”
My deranged smile isn’t even close to fading off my face, but the relief injected into my blood is like a drug sifting through my system.
“I’d rather you did it yourself,estrellito.No throwing yourself in front of water slides in the future, okay?”
I think he mumbles a ‘shut up’ but it’s hard to tell. He’s going back under fast, his energy fading with his consciousness.
“I’m… going to sleep,” he mumbles just loud enough for me to hear. “So stop being noisy.”
He mumbles ‘asshole’ before passing out, and I can’t help but stare at him. At the wet strands of hair falling along his face. The icy hue of his lips.
Bastard looks fucking peaceful.
Rather that than dead I suppose.
I have to force myself to let the paramedics take him. Have to force myself back into my role as a Taiga to deal with what comes after.
Tobias helps me lock my shoulder back in.
While no one is looking, my team and I thoroughly deal with the incident in Room 206.
The freed crew members guide the boat back to the port… where father’s people are waiting.
An incident of this scale, including one of the Don’s sons? It was inevitable.
Aster is there to collect us at the shore, looking as imposing as ever, but although there’s a cold fury in his body language, it doesn’t reach his eyes.
And it doesn’t reach his energy.
It’s moments like these where my own blood scares me the most.
Christian tries to cover up his emotions with a stone mask, but his energy always betrays him. His is bright and untamed and beautiful.
Aster is the opposite. A monster wearing emotions on his face to appear human.
The cops try to take me in, but Aster doesn’t let them, and they can’t force it, not with so many guests as eyewitnesses. They have no choice but to take our statements there at the port.
It’s in our favour, at least, that all the guests and crew members say the same things:
‘The Mezzi boy unveiled the Queen’s Diamond on the ship.’
