Chapter 106-The motto

Chapter 106: 106-The motto

By the time they reached the medical room, Celyn had been given clean clothes and a warm drink. She sat on the edge of the bed, holding the cup between trembling hands.

When Aymara entered, Celyn immediately tried to stand out of respect.

"You don’t have to get up," Aymara told her.

Celyn hesitated before settling back down. She didn’t like that Aymara was being formal with her, that meant that she could be disposed of at any given moment.

"I’m sorry," she whispered. "I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring trouble onto your ship," she immediately apologized.

Aymara pulled a chair closer and sat facing her. She hated how quickly Celyn apologized, it reminded her of the times in her past life when she’d apologize too quickly to Dylan for things that needed no apology.

It saddened her to remember those bitter memories. She cleared her throat and pushed them to the back of her head before taking a deep breath.

"You warned me when you could have stayed silent. That’s why you’re here and not there with them," she tried to sound as kind as she could without being too friendly.

Celyn’s eyes filled with tears. "I was afraid they’d kill me."

"You were right to be afraid. But you’re safe now," Aymara nearly held her hand to comfort her, infact, her hand had stretched out only to stop in the air before touching hers.

She caught herself and remembered the survivors she’d saved that threw her into the ocean and stood still while Dylan bombed her and Nathaniel to death.

A bitter tightness settled on her chest. Aymara inhaled deeply but even the fresh air did nothing to ease her heart ache.

She pulled back her hand. "I gave you shelter so of course I’d protect you," her words sounded a little forced.

For several moments, Celyn struggled to compose herself. Then she looked at Aymara with desperate urgency.

"They weren’t the only ones involved. The pirates had been receiving instructions from someone else. Daniel and Marcus were supposed to help them identify your ship, but when the attack went wrong, they pretended to be victims so they could get aboard."

Aymara’s expression hardened. "Who gave them those instructions?"

"I don’t know his name. Daniel called him the employer. I only heard them talking about him when they thought I was asleep."

Nathaniel stepped closer. His flirty form disappeared the second he learnt someone was hunting his woman. His woman? The thought scared him. But since she hadn’t refused for the moment, he didn’t correct himself either.

"What exactly did they say?"

Celyn swallowed. "They said the employer wanted the ship intact. He didn’t care about the supplies. He wanted to capture the woman who owned it."

Aymara exchanged a glance with Nathaniel. Someone wanted her alive. Again.

The memory of the intercepted pirate transmission returned to her mind.

’Bring us Aymara Ellington.’

She had hoped to learn more from the two survivors, but now it seemed Celyn might hold information that could help her uncover the person behind the attack.

"Did you hear anything else?" Aymara asked.

Celyn nodded slowly. "One thing. Before the pirates attacked, Daniel received a message. He said the employer had confirmed your identity and that someone had been watching you for longer than we realized."

Silence settled over the room. Nathaniel’s expression lost its playful warmth. "Watching her from where?"

"I don’t know," Celyn whispered. "But Daniel said the employer already knew about the ship’s defenses. He seemed surprised by how powerful they were."

Aymara leaned back in her chair, thinking. That meant her pursuer had information about her, but perhaps not enough to understand the full extent of her system’s capabilities.

’Good. That leaves me an element of surprise.’

She intended to keep it that way. "Thank you, Celyn. You’ve done enough for now. Rest and let the medical team take care of you. I’ll make sure those men don’t bother you again."

Celyn’s shoulders relaxed. "Thank you."

She wanted to ask for a place on the cruise, to offer her services that she could cook, clean and wash. Or do every menial task that Aymara had on hand just for a place in the ship.

But she held back. She was afraid that she might seem too eager and that might set Aymara off. However, she badly needed a place to stay, with warmth and food without being used by greedy men in the cruel apocalypse.

"I’ll send food and water in a while. Rest."

Aymara stood, and Nathaniel followed her toward the door. Just before they left, Celyn spoke again after mustering all her courage.

"Miss Ellington?" She called.

Aymara turned. "Yes, Celyn?"

Celyn hesitated, then offered her a small, trembling smile. "I’m glad it was you who found me and I’m thankful that you saved me again."

For a moment, Aymara said nothing and then she returned the smile but it didn’t quiet reach her eyes. She didn’t intend to form a bond with Celyn that would make it difficult to send her away later.

"So am I," she said politely but hoped deep down that she wouldn’t hold her kindness like a bargaining chip later and insist on staying with them.

As the door closed behind them, Nathaniel slipped his hand into hers. "You did well, Mara."

Aymara looked up at him. "I only did what anyone should have done."

"Perhaps. But not everyone would have risked their own safety to save someone they’d only just met."

She lowered her gaze to their joined hands. Nathaniel’s thumb brushed gently across her knuckles.

"And for what it’s worth," he added, his voice turning teasing again, "I think you’re even more beautiful when you’re saving people."

Aymara groaned. She didn’t want him to get used to that image of her because she didn’t want to be a savior. She just wanted to live a peaceful life with him.

"Are you ever going to stop?" She asked feigning offense.

"Probably not."

She shook her head, but she didn’t let go of his hand and for now, Celyn was safe, the two traitors were in custody, and Aymara had gained another clue about the person hunting her.

But somewhere out in the scorching ocean, someone was still waiting for her to make a mistake and Aymara Ellington had every intention of making sure that person regretted choosing her as their target.

"Let’s just live well," she said, hoping that’s the motto they both follow to the very end. "Just us," she added.