Chivalrous

Chapter Fifty-Two - By the Sea

They had enough money to rent the whole of the seaside guesthouse and they did. However, perhaps because they were too used to the poor farmer days, Xiao and Cole were sitting on the small bed in the smallest room that they shared, arguing. 

"Cole, please, just one, small boat," Xiao said.

Cole glared at him. "We can get boats when George comes. He can use government papers and get however many boats we need for the island excursion."

"Oh but let's just have one for fun," Xiao said.

"Why do you need one for fun?" Cole demanded.

Xiao opened his mouth but no words came out. "I - "

"You want to save Rose on your own, don't you?" Cole accused. "Look, we will get her when we have enough strengths. Even Reece and Kun aren't here yet."

Xiao looked away and pouted. "I used to despise and envy her, being able to marry Bradley without fearing any ... whatever ... from people. Now I just want to protect her."

Cole stared at him open-mouthed for a moment. "They were engaged?"

Xiao sighed. "The mentors settled the matter. Bradley overheard the conversation. Rose probably knew too."

Cole thought about it. "I suppose there was a partiality towards Bradley," he said slowly. "Though, I always thought that she liked you."

"It's gratefulness for saving her," Xiao brushed it off.

Cole looked at him with sad eyes. "Do you still - "

Xiao looked away. "Cole, let's just get a boat for old time's sake?"

Cole couldn't begrudge him that, not with him grieving for Bradley so he nodded.

Xiao's heart somersaulted in excitement. "I'll interrogate the priest in the meantime." 

Cole frowned. "Shouldn't we be doing that - "

"Hey! Priest!" Xiao dragged the priest, cleanly shaven and groomed, into the room and sat him down on the bed. "How do you like the luxury of a bath?"

The priest glared at him.

Xiao laughed. "In any case, it makes being around you so much more pleasant."

Cole scoffed from behind him. "Xiao, I'm going now. Getting a small boat shouldn't take too long. No funny business until I'm back, alright? And remember, this boat is not for us to scout around the island on our own."

Xiao nodded and waved him away. Hurt, Cole left.

Grinning, Xiao looked at the priest. "Alright. What's the island like? You have no reason to not tell me."

"Only that you kicked me out of my temple and my place of prominence in the organisation."

"It's a fucking horrible organisation."

"I am now a disgraced member of the Anlang Sect."

Xiao would have said "a fucking horrible organisation" if he hadn't known Cole. Thus, "you have always been a disgrace with all your playing around with maidens."

The priest's cheeks flushed and he looked away.

"You are not in a position to hold back answers," Xiao told him.

The priest was silent for a count of ten before answering. "I'll help you."

Xiao grinned. "Great. So the island ... "

The priest nodded. "They have cornered themselves to a place where it's either them being captured or all of you dying there. I've been to the island once and there is a pagoda where they would hide everything they have to hide."