Dragged not Journeyed

Mr. Helberton’s stern voice echoed through the room. He sat on the sofa while in front of him, Laura was combing Kaira’s hair. Kaira’s fractured hand rested on her lap, and with her other hand she was gently stroking the neck of her nephew, Calfius.

“What do you mean, ‘I can’t believe it’? You slipped past me and took two days off to run off to Costa Rica?”

“What was I supposed to do? You know I almost had them, if your rat hadn’t betrayed me…” Kaira continued, rambling in a rush.

Calfius had just turned two this year. Her brother and sister-in-law had left him behind to go traveling. Right before Kaira arrived, her brother had begged their father like a puppy (right the same man who kills without any emotion)for a day off. The poor man couldn’t spend any time with his wife. Kaira still remembered how happy her brother had looked this morning when he was heading out with his wife. The memory made her smile faintly. Then something else occurred to her—

“Oh, right, Papa. I’m certain no one from our family is involved in the illegal bird smuggling going on in Costa Rica. I didn’t pick up any hint of it in the cargo.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Trust me. I’m sure Julian’s running around on his own. He’s not easy to catch,” Kaira said, placing a biscuit on Calfius’s cheek as she spoke.

“Well, you’ve come a long way. The journey must have been tiring—”

“No, I didn’t come by journey. You dragged me here by the scruff of my neck.”

“Don’t talk back to me. Your wedding is in a month and you’re still acting like a child. You know Calfius is more mature than you,” Mr. Helberton replied. His tone was cold, but there was warmth in his eyes.

“Please forgive me this time. I was helping you, anyway. Sitting at home was driving me mad. Laura, comb a little gentler, would you~”

The Helbertons’ playful bickering continued…

The sound of several gunshots echoed through the dense jungle. Robert and Zayid’s horses galloped in sync, chasing a deer to bring it down.

“Still got that fire, Zayid? Come on, ease up a bit. Leave the deer to me.”

“If I didn’t have fire, how would I be a cheetah, Robert?” Zayid answered with a smile, though it never reached his eyes.

“Is that so? Then let’s see who gets it today.”

As he submerged himself in the bathtub, the water splashed outward and Zayid’s adrenaline-fueled body finally cooled down. Today had been long and exhausting, and he could barely remember anything. But there was one bird he couldn’t forget.

Those earthy-green eyes had looked at him with tenderness, just like they had on his wedding day. But this time, something was different. Yes, it was different. This time there was no pale shadow in those green eyes—only cunning, affection, and unblinking curiosity.

Today, he’d shot that deer straight through the head. The first time, Robert had only hit its leg, and the deer had writhed in pain, so Zayid had decided to end its suffering himself.

Would his bird be angry at him if she found out? She never liked pointless violence… He’d have to break the habit before the wedding. Zayid had promised himself he’d learn to feel everything properly this time, and change himself.

But as they say, you can’t wash the black off coal, and one stitch in time saves nine. The proverbs were true, and it was no different for Zayid.

This cold water couldn’t melt his agitated heart. Only she could.

“Felix, the sir is calling for you,” Hans panted as he spoke to the man training in the yard. Instantly, the man’s mechanical movements stopped, and annoyance flashed across his face.

“May I come in, sir?” Felix knocked on the captain’s door and entered the room without waiting for permission.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***