Someone was there with them. Darius could feel it.

He had ordered Aloysius to stay with the crew as he decided to check inside the ship. His footsteps echoed as he nods at Elysaria's men saluting him before going back to their duties.

Darius felt like there was something wrong. His eyes narrowed as he went inside the gun deck. Usually, there would be no one in here unless some sailors would eat or sleep.

But most of the men were outside, so he was pretty confused as to why there were footsteps inside, the wooden floors of the ship creaking.

The tables seemed to be cleared, with no plates or any bowls. The hammocks were still empty, none of the boxes nor weapons were moved or displaced. Darius furrowed his eyebrows at this but decided to pretend to leave, making footsteps and closing the door in his curiosity.

Suddenly, someone finally got out of the large wooden crate, stepping lightly and quite slowly to make sure that they hadn't made a sound. As they turned, Darius only sighed, rubbing his temples furiously.

"Calista, I told you to stay back in Arkenheilm. I can't believe you snuck on board."

Calista's guilty expression was as clear as day. She looked like a naughty child caught in the act.

"I couldn't help it, Darius," she answered with her voice barely above a whisper. "I wanted to be with you and the crew. I can't bear losing you as much as you don't want to lose me.

"Whatever it takes, I want both of us to face the danger and not only one of us should face it alone."

Darius sighs, his hands lying still on his hips. "I understand your worry for me, Calista. But I left you behind for a reason."

"Gryndale is not a place to take lightly. It's filled with dangers and mysteries we've yet to unravel. We can't say it's safe or deathly. I don't want you to suffer. I don't want you getting hurt from anything we should encounter," he said firmly.

"You have a family, for heaven's sake." Before Darius could even turn around and walk away, her arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace. Her head leans to his back in an attempt to make him stay. They stood still, unmoving, as he heard Calista's soft voice calling out to him, almost like a whisper in the silent ship.

"You're my family too. I am your wife." Calista felt his hands on hers as he pulled it closer in an attempt to make her feel as if he understood her aching heart. He then pulls away, raising her hand near his lips to kiss it before gently cupping her face, the other hand softly wrapping around her waist to pull her close.

They both remained silent, no words exchanged. Their actions were enough to show how much they cared for each other. The ship swayed as their breath lay still before Darius finally decided to close the distance between them.

His hands kept still behind her waist, pulling her closer. Their lips moved in rhythm before pulling away, their gazes unmoving and focused on each other.

They stood there, eyes locked in a wordless exchange of affection and understanding. Their hearts beat in unison. Face flushed red, they both distanced themselves and Darius broke the silence.

This time, he knew he couldn't do anything. Considering that they were already far to go right back to Arkenheilm. Even more so when he noticed Calista's decision to go with him remains unwavering.

"Just promise me this, Calista," he said, his voice soft, slow, and steadily trying not to show how much this situation Calista was in worries him. "That you will stay close to me so I can protect you. So that my heart and mind can be at peace, my love."

Calista looked deep into Darius' eyes, her heart swelling with love. At this point, her lips curled into a smile, leaning on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "I promise. I will stay by your side during this venture."

"Good," Darius nods before pulling away and putting his hands in his pockets. "Now, are you hungry? Tired? I can't really tell after you hid inside that crate." 

Calista chuckled softly at Darius' playful remark, feeling a sense of relief that he now wasn't too upset with her.

"I could use a meal and some rest," she admitted, her hand slipping into his as they made their way back up to the deck.

As they emerged from the gun deck, the crew members were there, chatting and going about their duties. But as soon as they spotted Calista, a hush fell over them, and their eyes widened in surprise and even possibly, their eyes hinted fear.

"Mrs. Thorren?" one of the sailors whispered to another, eyeing Calista cautiously.

"That's Calista, the captain's wife," came the hushed reply from another.

"But wasn't she left back at Arkenheilm?" Darius cleared his throat at this. 

Aloysius, who was standing near the helm, turned around to see Calista walking alongside Darius. His eyes widened in astonishment. "Calista? How did she get on board?"

Before Darius could respond, Calista stepped forward, her demeanor calm and composed despite the crew's shocked expressions. "I invited myself in actually."

Aloysius nodded a mixture of surprise and amusement evident in his tone. "Well, I suppose we can't really say no to the captain's wife, can we?" he said with a chuckle. "Welcome aboard, Mrs. Thorren. We're honored to have you with us."

Calista smiled gratefully at Aloysius, relieved to receive a warm welcome. "Thank you, Aloysius. I promise you, I'll help however I can."

With that settled, Aloysius gestured for Darius to follow him away from the prying ears of the crew. As they walked to a more secluded corner of the deck, Aloysius couldn't help but chuckle softly. "You must have quite the woman there, Captain. Inviting herself onto a ship, I wouldn't have expected that from her."

Darius let out a small laugh, though there was a hint of worry in his eyes. "Yes, she's quite something. Stubborn, determined, and full of surprises."

"So, how did it happen?" Aloysius asked, genuinely curious.

Darius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Well, she managed to sneak into one of the cargo crates while I was busy talking to Arsen. I didn't notice until I was already on the ship and it was too late to turn back."

Aloysius raised an eyebrow. "And you just let her stay? Gryndale is no place for someone like her. You know that. We have yet to discover what danger awaits us there."

Darius nodded, his expression serious. "I know, Aloysius. But there's no turning back now. Besides, I can't leave her alone in Arkenheilm after she went through all this trouble to be with me. Since she's already here, I'll do everything in my power to keep her safe."

Aloysius sighed, understanding Darius' dilemma. "Just be careful, Captain. We don't know what we'll find in Gryndale, and we wouldn't want anything to happen to her."

"I know," Darius replied, his gaze filled with determination. "I'll protect her with everything I've got."

"Let's just hope the seas would be forgiving enough."