Page 54 of The Last Guardian

“So what is it? The feeling you’re seeing in my eyes?” I asked at last.

A gentle smile curved her lips as her gaze found mine once more. “The same thing that every person aboard this ship is searching for—the burning desire for peace.”

NEFELI SPENT HER entire evening giving me a tour of the ship. We walked through the five different floors, starting with the lowest level, where they stored food and drink, and where they also had a few empty cells with the kind of weapons that looked to be used for torture.

The second floor was divided into two: the workers’ offices—the healers’, the cooks’, the armorers’, and workshops for the workers, like the carpenters or sailmakers—and the sailors’ offices. They had their own personal cabin for their rest time.

“You will find that in simpler ships, the cabins are shared by eight sailors,” Nefeli explained, as we walked through a narrow corridor. “Here, the Hawker is large enough to provide personal space for everyone.”

My eyes drifted to the ten doors on this corridor, the creaking wood, worn by years of salt. “How many people can the ship accommodate?”

“A lot.” Nefeli held my gaze, eyes widening slightly. “One hundred rooms for workers, soldiers, and sailors alike. We also have a few private guest quarters—like yours. Plus, Command’s quarters.” Nefeli led the way, passing the dining room where I ate on my first day here. Then she added, “Rows of hammocks are set up on the lower floor, in case people need to be evacuated.”

“Has that happened before?”

Nefeli looked over her shoulder, and sorrow crossed her eyes as she nodded. “The second time we left Keraneeth, a lot of Evarim and Surani left with us. A few died on the ship, sadly…” Nefeli sighed, averting her gaze. “Anyway…” she said. A soft smile hung on her lips, one that didn’t reach her eyes. “Come, I’ll show you the rest.”

I didn’t push the subject, even though I was quite intrigued by what had happened to her that made her leave Keraneeth not once but twice. A flicker of surprise crossed my mind at my curiosity creeping back, begging to know more about her.

When we reached the main deck, Nefeli smiled and greeted a few members of her crew. The emotion that had crossed her eyes a moment before—the sorrow—had vanished. As if it had never existed. Only the present mattered, the laughter she shared with others. And something awakened within me: a deep and indomitable longing. The wish to be able to smile, without letting the darkness extinguish even the slightest glimmer of hope within me.

“Here are the cabins reserved for Command and soldiers,” Nefeli said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “My quarters are at the rear of the ship.” Nefeli pointed out her rooms, spanning the width of the hull behind the main cannons. “Dax, as general, has his quarters located on the same floor as his men.” She nodded her head at the end of the main deck, directly opposite the captain’s quarters.

“Why are the commander’s quarters not on this floor?” I asked Nefeli as we took the stairs.

“Zaid is the Commander of the Southern Legion,” Nefeli said, her hand touching the wooden railing, “But here, on the sea—I’m in charge. When he had his title bestowed upon him, he chose me to lead his fleet. Dax needs to be around if we are under attack, to lead his men, but Zaid can handle his paperwork in his tower up there.” Then she added, “Plus, he can be so moody sometimes; it’s better if he stays there.”

I chuckled at Nefeli’s comment. As I remembered why I had left my quarters that evening, I asked her, “Is he there? I need to speak with him.”

Even though Zaidkiel’s presence was unbearable, I wanted to know more about the mark.

But Nefeli said, “Urgh, he’s constantly in meetings with soldiers and Dax, or Arystan, when they are not with you. Even I haven’t seen him much… But he’ll be more approachable once we land on Shavaar soil.”

Approachable was a state of mind that didn’t occur to me when mentioning this man, but I kept my thoughts to myself.

“And when will we dock?” I asked when we finally reached the fourth floor, as the sun sank on the horizon and exploded into a cloud of colors.

“In two days, if the wind is favorable,” she replied. Her gaze drifted to the horizon for a brief moment. Then she said, “Come, I’ll show you the rest.”

Unlike the first three floors, the fourth and fifth were split in two, between the stern and the bow, with a perfect view of every open deck.

On the fourth floor, stern side, there were twenty guest quarters and a few cabins for officers. On the fifth floor, stern side, stood the helm on a slightly raised quarterdeck. It was higher than the rest, flanked by the observation balcony and the signal stations for the helmsman to view the horizon and the sails.

My quarters were on the other side of the ship—on the bow side, just below the commander, who had an entire floor for himself. On my floor, there was the study and the library, where I met Arystan every day, the training rooms, the council room, and the navigation room, but not a single other guest room.

As night gently settled in, lanterns illuminated our path as Nefeli escorted me back to my quarters. For the first time in days, no thought of Haedeon or Father had invaded me, and it felt right.

“Thank you,” I whispered to the captain, with a small smile, “For this evening.”

“My pleasure.” Nefeli smiled back. “Please, if you need anything, tell me. Even if it’s just talking.”

“Alright.” I nodded. I reached for the knob, and before I could open it, I said, “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, for breakfast?”

Nefeli’s smile widened. Her eyes sparkled, almost glowed, in the night as she replied, beaming, “Of course! I look forward to it.”

Finally entering my quarters and closing the door behind me, I realized that for the first time in days, I was looking forward to tomorrow.

“GO!” DAX ORDERED, raising both hands, padded gloves open and waiting.