Eventually, we returned to the Nothingwood Royal ship, the Lady Maden drifting silently behind us like an unanswered question.
I ordered the captain to head home.
And as if the sea itself disapproved—The storm returned. Waves rose like walls. Rain lashed sideways. Thunder cracked so close it rattled the hull. Lightning split the sky, illuminating towering swells that looked ready to swallow us whole.
The ship surged forward, groaning under the strain.
Inside the chamber, Sir Jin and I stood near the narrow window as seawater slammed against the thick glass in rhythmic, punishing bursts. Each impact sent a dull vibration through the walls, as if the ocean itself were knocking—hard—demanding to be let in. The lantern overhead swayed on its chain, light flickering across maps, crates, and half-secured equipment.
Outside, chaos moved with practiced discipline.
