Noble Hope| General Kirigan

𝟘𝟘𝟚

{Chapter two}

USUALLY, THE PORT OF WEDDLE WAS PACKED WITH SHIPS. As the group of three crouched behind a huddle of barrels, they peered warily at the only ship docked in the harbor. Crewhands scattered the deck, doing regular jobs that would occur just before they departed.

"Only two ships in a harbor town? Something's not right," Mal stated the obvious. 

Alina shrugged. "Maybe Bohdan ordered them away."

"First army doesn't have jurisdiction here." The hunter replied.

"Perhaps the promise of 20 million kruge is good enough to buy our access to the docks," Alina said, pulling a newspaper out of her sack. On the thick paper laid a well-done drawing of Adaline, her sister, and her lover whose name she couldn't bring herself to say. In the picture, he and Adaline were holding hands, both surrounded by darkness while Alina shone her light.

The second her eyes met the paper, she turned away. The risk of bursting into tears at the sight of his face was too great.

Mal let out a short sneer. "I wish he was alive just so I could punch that face again." He glared at the paper image of him.

Adaline's hands twitched at her side, and flickers of shadows curled around her shoulders that neither of the two noticed. They itched to take Malyen by the throat and choke the life out of him for the statement.

Alina scoffed and looked down at the newspaper. "Thanks to him, the whole world sees me as a traitorous villain that-"

"Have you no sympathy for what you've done?" Adaline snapped, turning to face them and throwing the dirtiest look she could muster at the couple. "You can gloat in private about your 'accomplishments', but don't you ever say shit like that again in my presence." She realized she mainly had appointed her anger at Mal and then turned to stare her sister in the eye. Adaline would take no part in their incessant bullying and make sure the threat was clear. 

She took the newspaper from her sister's hands and ripped it in two, then threw it to the ground.

Mal and Alina were quiet for moments. They exchanged looks with one another which made Adaline's blood boil. She could always tell what they were thinking; and right now, they thought she was crazy for loving him and wishing things hadn't been the way they were.

"So, what now?" Alina finally cleared the silence.

"We find that Sea Whip." Mal shrugged, squinting at the ship once again. "Hang on. That ship's not flying any flag. It's private."

"Which means it can be chartered," Adaline murmured, gathering her things and standing. She began to move towards the ship while pulling another gold pin from her bag when she realized she heard no footsteps following behind her. She turned back to glance at her sister and Mal, just to find their lips locked in a clearly passionate kiss.

Watching the action made Adaline despise the pair even more. She didn't understand how they could love each other so freely in front of her when they were the reason she could never have that happiness herself.

Pictures of his lips pressed against hers as he pressed her into the table flew through her mind in bright flashes. Her fingers tugged on his silky dark locks while his calloused hands gripped her hips, pulling her as close as possible. It was as if his body was made to mold against hers. He felt like a perfect, warm, and solid wall of utter man to keep her safe and cared for.