Stolen by the Rebel King-Chapter 526: Tumultuous Waves

The sea was a treacherous stretch that Daphne had come to the conclusion that she hated crossing. It was filled with volatile winds, the waves that had no mercy for the weak, and one could only pray that the weather would be kind to them. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

Daphne sat in her cabin, her fingers digging into the skirt of her dress as she peered out of the small porthole to look at the world beyond. There was nothing but endless tumultuous waves, a dark blue that was only lit up when a bolt of silver lightning would split the skies into two.

"Why did I agree to this?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head and regretting every decision she had made, starting from the moment she brightly replied ’sure’ to Atticus’s ludicrous suggestion.

She couldn’t believe it. Her husband was willing to part seas and cross deserts just to look for his best friend― at this rate, Daphne should really revisit her previous suspicions that Jonah might actually be her love rival!

When the ship lurched across a particularly bumpy wave, Daphne pressed her hand against her lips, suppressing the nauseating sensation that had crept up her body. The fastest way to get to Nedour was by ship, unfortunately. And even if it wasn’t, Daphne wasn’t sure how willing she was to remain cramped up in a small carriage with Atticus for days in a row. At least in this wooden prison, she had a little more space and her own cabin to hide away in.

Yet, there was nothing she wanted more now than to be at home and away from this rocky mess.

Right as she began to entertain the idea of flying back home, the seas calmed down significantly. There was still a light drizzle outside, but there was no more rocking and no more thunder. Even the clouds had parted just a little for the moonlight to shine down onto the waves.

Daphne took a deep breath, breathing in the salty sea air before peering out.

That was strange. How could Mother Nature’s rage be quelled so quickly?

Seeking answers, she grabbed the shawl that had been thrown onto her bed before wrapping it around her body. With haste, she made her way to the top deck, her eyes scanning everywhere until she found Atticus standing behind the ship’s wheel, peering out into the horizon.

Of course. Why hadn’t she immediately linked it to her husband, who now had the power to shape and alter reality as he saw fit? He was the only one capable of such a feat now.

Daphne’s feet were rooted to the ground as she debated on whether or not she should approach Atticus. For one thing, she was supposed to be resting at this hour. For another, she was worried that she might actually hurl the contents of her supper onto him at any given time.

In the end, she decided to proceed ahead. The heavens knew that she was in no mood to rest, and sleep was the furthest thing from her mind right now. They had been traveling for quite some time already and it was estimated that they would see shore in the next day or two.

Atticus heard her footsteps against the creak of the wooden boards before he even saw her. He turned, the wind serving as a paid actor to add to the scene, tousling his hair as he did. Daphne couldn’t help but allow a flutter to run through her heart.

"Couldn’t sleep?" Atticus asked, stretching out a hand for Daphne to take so that he could help her up the stairs to the helm. "Was it the rain?"

"The seas are a little rocky," Daphne admitted sheepishly.

Thank goodness for the dark. It hid the red blush that had crawled up her neck and cheeks the second she took hold of Atticus’s hand. It was huge and warm, and with her hand in his, her stomach began to do cartwheels as though she was a maiden who had just fallen in love for the first time.

"Thank you," she muttered, gaining Atticus’s attention.

Golden eyes met hers, and her breath was stolen away in an instant. Daphne breathed in deeply, her throat turning dry as she stared into those orbs which resembled the golden sun during noon.

"Yeah," Atticus said, reaching back to scratch the back of his neck. "The winds were pretty rough just now."

Daphne said nothing, and neither did Atticus. They just awkwardly stared at each other before peering back at the ocean again. A bolt of bravery shot through Daphne as she moved in a little closer to Atticus, just a hair’s breadth away from touching him skin-to-skin.

He immediately turned rigid where he stood, but Daphne paid him no mind. Rather, her eyes scanned the ocean at night.

"How long more till we reach Nedour?" Daphne asked, finally breaking the silence.

Atticus cleared his throat as well, gesturing out into the distance.

"We should be there in about―" All of a sudden, he cut himself short. "Wait a minute... Daphne, look!"

He pointed out into the dark expanse of the ocean, forcing Daphne’s eyes to instinctively follow his movements. When she peered out, she had to squint, but it didn’t take long before she caught sight of the very thing that had her husband squealing and croaking.

"That― Someone is in the water!" Daphne exclaimed in realization.

Without waiting, she reached her hand out as well and flicked her wrist, an action that was all too familiar. The person was lying across a piece of driftwood, his lower body submerged in the water while his upper body clung onto the small piece of wood for his life. He seemed unconscious, however, and from this distance, Daphne couldn’t tell if he was even still alive.

Under the manipulation of Daphne’s magic, the water twisted and curved, lifting the man from the surface of the water as though it was the tentacle of a giant kraken. It placed the man down on the deck of their ship before Daphne flung her hand, causing the water to scatter and return to the sea.

"Daphne, wait! Be careful!"

Lifting her skirts, Daphne clambered down the steps again with haste, running straight for the man. The floor was slippery, but she managed to make it to his side without having a great fall, Atticus hot on her heel.