𝐁𝛐𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 | Nikolai Lantsov

5 | 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬

𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚

In the chaotic life of Ketterdam, I was a girl just trying to survive, my sharp tongue often my only weapon. But as I slipped aboard Sturmhond's ship, I had no inkling that I was stepping into a storm of secrets. Sturmhond, renowned for his audacity and wit, was like nothing I'd ever encountered. He had the looks of a prince-blonde hair that caught the sun and striking blue eyes that seemed to see straight through to my soul-but he ran wild on the seas as a mercenary captain, not as royalty.

Dinner was a peculiar affair. The fish served was bizarre, its texture slimy yet bearable, unlike the rubbery monstrosity from last night. I managed to choke down a few bites while my mind fluttered between thoughts of survival and inexplicable curiosity about Sturmhond. We fought more often than not-his gravitas a stark contrast to my brazen spirit. Each time we clashed, it only drew me closer to him.

Afterwards, I found myself in the steering cabin with Toyla, one of the Shu twins. His laughter echoed around us as I struggled to turn the ship's wheel, my strength waning under its weight. "You think this is a game?" I huffed, cheeks flushed with effort.

"Of course! You're VIP, after all!" Toyla grinned, the small tail of his hair bobbing as he leaned against the wall.

I feigned an exaggerated push against him, delighting in the stupidity of the moment. But my laughter was cut short as Toyla stumbled and, in a split second, my clumsy maneuver sent the ship veering sharply.

"SHIT!" Panic clawed at my throat.

Footsteps thundered outside. Sturmhond was coming, and I was not prepared for his ire. Heart racing, I dashed behind a crate, sinking down to the cool wood, hoping that my turbulent breathing wouldn't betray me. Toyla, quick on his feet, grabbed hold of the wheel, trying to hide the chaos I'd just created.

The door swung open, and Sturmhond stepped in. His posture radiated authority, and doubt clouded his azure eyes. Scanning the cabin, he approached, his boots thudding heavily against the floor. To toy with him now was dangerous, but my fingers itched with the urge to scoff at the irony of my predicament.

"What happened in here?" he demanded, voice low and laced with suspicion.

I squeezed my eyes shut, praying he wouldn't see me-even though he was right in front of me. If I pretended hard enough, maybe I'd vanish into the woodwork?

In a swift motion, Sturmhond kicked the crate aside. My heart plummeted. "Amora," he said, annoyance dripping from his voice. I reluctantly opened my eyes, meeting his glare, but the challenge in my spirit wouldn't let me bow down.

He scoffed, "You think hiding behind a crate will save you from my anger?"

"I think it's better than facing the wrath of a spoiled prince," I shot back, then regretted it.

"Princess, you have no idea how the other half lives-this is not Ketterdam's gutter you're playing in." His tone shifted from irritation to something softer, a hint of amusement lurking in those captivating blue depths.

"Spoiled? You know nothing about me!" I retorted as he took a step closer, towering over me.

"Enlighten me, then," he challenged, arms crossed. "What do they teach you in Ketterdam?"

"That not everyone out there is consumed with power and arrogance!" I spat. "I'm not like you. You sail these waters without a care in the world!"

"Oh, but you are wrong." Sturmhond leaned against the cabin wall, contemplative. "Power isn't always an external force; sometimes it's one's heart that wields it."

I felt my walls slacken at his words, pulling at the seams of my defensiveness. He had a knack for unearthing truths I preferred buried. "What would you know about me?" I whispered.

But just then, his gaze shifted, and I sensed the weight of his title lurking in the shadows. "I know enough to see through masks," he replied quietly.

Before I could respond, Sturmhond's attention turned to Toyla, who was trying hard to keep the ship steady. "Are you incompetent, or just reckless?" he demanded.

Toyla shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye. "A little of both, captain!"

Sturmhond rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself. "Next time, steer with purpose, or this ship will be testing his sea legs."

Laughing, I scooted out from behind the crate and shrugged, "At least I know how to make an exit with style!"

"Is that your trademark? Disturbance?" Sturmhond's frequent smirk pulled at my heart, igniting a fire in my chest.

"Only with accompanying laughs," I muttered, embarrassed by the words that were spilling too easily from my lips.

He sighed, conflicted. "You are lucky to be here, Amora. Ketterdam is ruthless. So is the sea."

"But there's more to living than merely surviving," I interjected, staring up into those piercing blue eyes.

Sturmhond's expression transformed into something vulnerable, as if the weight of disguise was heavy on his shoulders. "You're young, adventurous, and too bold for your own good. But you need to learn restraint."

"What would you know of adventure?" I challenged softly, throwing his earlier wisdom back at him. So many lives lurked behind those blue eyes; a flicker of defiance danced there.

For a moment, nothing else mattered-I stood there, trapped in his gaze. The air was electrified with unspoken words, fencing us in with shared laughter and heated arguments. But the truth hung between us; he was a prince, a hidden one, cloaked in the bravado of a mercenary.

"Let's get you back to your hammock before I decide to toss you overboard," he teased, retreating to his cool demeanor as if my revelation had never existed. Yet everything had shifted with those whispered truths-the beginning of something I didn't completely understand.

"Fine, but only if I get my own room next time," I called after him, a mock haughtiness on my lips.

He turned, holding back a laugh. "Spoiled princess."

"Don't you forget it!" I grinned, rushing past him while the ship rocked beneath us, carrying our secrets into the deep abyss of the night.

And in that moment, as the waves crashed around us, something inside me fell beautifully out of sync-Sturmhond, the boy who commanded the seas, had unknowingly stirred a tempest within my heart. I didn't yet know the depths of our intertwined destinies; just that the shadows of Sturmhond and the prince he truly was would forever ripple through my journey across the vast, uncharted waters.

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