Kingsley's Bride

Chapter 25: The Half Truth

The ship gently rocked beneath me, I stood on the deck, feeling the chill of the sea breeze against my cheeks. My gaze was locked on the soldiers escorting Nikolai and Meredith aboard, their wrists shackled and legs chained. The clinking of metal and the low murmur of the crew filled the air, but my focus was solely on Meredith.

For a fleeting moment, her eyes met mine, and I was struck by the sight of bruises marring her face and body. Her eyes, filled with a silent plea, seemed to beg for help. But before I could even begin to react, the soldiers roughly pushed them forward, guiding them into the ship's hold, presumably to a dark, grim cellar room. My heart sank as I watched them disappear below deck, the weight of helplessness pressing down on me.

"I have to do something," I murmured.

The recent argument with Lord Darius felt like a heavy shadow looming over me. Our words had been sharp, our hearts hardened, and since then, we had remained in utter silence. I felt a burning gaze at the back of my head, the kind that seems to bore right through you. Looking up, I found Lord Darius's striking eyes fixed on me from the captain's deck. He stood alongside the ship's captain, his presence commanding and intense.

Our eyes locked briefly, and in that moment, I felt a tumult of emotions rise within me. But the intensity of his gaze was too much to bear, and I quickly broke the connection, turning my attention to the vast, rolling sea before me. The waves seemed to echo the turmoil inside me, a relentless reminder of the chaos that had become my life.

It would take only nine hours of sailing back to St. Ives and I have got nine hours to have a talk with Meredith. I have to hear her part of the story and whether she knew Nikolai had assassinated Lord Darius' family. Knowing Lord Darius, he must have guarded Meredith's cellar room and top of that I don't even know the ship's layout. But I had to do something.

Lord Darius had tasked Mr. Albert and Mr. Ralph with keeping an eye on me, undoubtedly to ensure I stayed away from Meredith. Their presence was a constant reminder of my confinement. I needed to trick them, to find a way to Meredith without raising suspicion.

Pretending to comply with their watchful eyes, I feigned a desire to retire to my quarters.

"I need some rest," I said softly, masking my determination with feigned weariness. They exchanged glances but nodded, satisfied with my apparent submission.

Once inside my cabin, I waited for the opportune moment. The ship's rocking provided a natural cover for my movements. As the sounds of the crew's work echoed outside, I slipped out of my room and navigated through the narrow corridors, staying close to the shadows.

I made my way to the lower deck, where the cellar rooms were located. The dim lighting and the smell of damp wood filled the air as I approached the guarded door. Peering around the corner, I saw the guard seated on a chair, his attention divided between the dimly lit corridor and the sound of waves outside.

Drawing on my knowledge of the ship's layout, I moved stealthily, using the ship's creaks and groans to mask my footsteps. Reaching into my pocket, I retrieved a small pebble and tossed it down the opposite end of the corridor. The guard's head snapped towards the noise, and I seized the moment to slip into the cellar room.

Inside, the sight of Meredith chained and blindfolded broke my heart. Her once vibrant spirit now seemed diminished, replaced by a quiet resignation. I hurried to her side, gently removing the blindfold and wrapping my arms around her in a tight embrace.

"Scarlett," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

I hugged her tightly, my own tears flowing freely. "I'm here, Meredith. I'm here."