Ryan remained standing at the center of the deck His eyes moved slowly from one pirate to another, measuring their stances, their weapons. Every single one of them were ready to strike. The captain, who stood a few steps ahead with his hands clasped behind his back, suddenly let out a low, amuse

“What…?” one pirate muttered in disbelief. “How is he doing that?” another asked, his voice filled with confusion. Ryan seized the moment. As one pirate overextended his swing, Ryan stepped in, grabbed the man’s wrist, and twisted sharply. The sword slipped from the pirate’s grip. Ryan caught i

“No…” she thought desperately, her mind recoiling from the idea. “I cannot do this…” The knife was too close. One wrong movement, just one and everything would be over. She could already imagine the sharp sting, the sudden darkness that would follow. Her fingers trembled faintly at her sides, refu

“My… boyfriend…” she said slowly, her voice trembling as she struggled to form the words. “You said… you would tell me where he is.” Her grip tightened further, almost painfully so. “Ryan, please,” she added, her tone breaking slightly. “Do not say anything else that does not matter. Just tell

Elara stood exactly where she was, her feet rooted to the ground as though the earth itself had decided to hold her in place. Her mind was still reeling from everything Ryan had just revealed, and no matter how hard she tried to piece it all together, the fragments refused to form anything coheren