I opened my eyes slowly. My body felt much better—recovering, as expected from the head of the medical team. The bandage had even loosened slightly.
I got up slowly and stretched. The scar on my side was healed, now a badge of honor for my survival. I ran my fingers over it. Rough. Raised. A reminder that I was still alive.
A knock came at the door. I hadn't heard any footsteps. That was definitely Dominio.
I opened the door to find him shirtless, as always, holding two plates of sandwiches with beans on the side and some tortilla-type meal. His shoulder wound was wrapped in fresh bandages, a small stain of red seeping through.
"So you really just decided to come here?"
"Hey, I was in a long line to get this." He stepped past me and set the plates on the small table. "Some big guy named Orion ordered five plates for himself. He's a beast, but he did order me some beer."
Orion. One of Rowan's friends. The one Alexandria told me was the most loyal to Rowan.
"You should be more careful. What if that beer was poisoned? Orion is Rowan's left-hand man."
He just shrugged and jumped onto the bed, making the old wooden frame creak beneath him. "If he wanted me dead, he would've tried already. Besides, free beer is free beer."
"Listen, man, we've been through a lot of near-death experiences. And how long will we be on this damn ship? Two weeks. That's like forever."
"He's not lying."
I turned to see the source of the voice. Aurelia and Rela entered the room with their own plates of food. Aurelia had boiled eggs with herbs and spices sprinkled on top, plus a goblet of dark red wine. Rela carried a mountain of food—eggs, sausages, bread, and what looked like a small wheel of cheese tucked under one of her four arms.
"We need to rest," Aurelia said, setting her plate on the table. "Rowan gave us this truce, and it's better to just relax. Our bodies need it."
"Yeah," Rela added, already biting into a sausage. "Plus if he comes spewing that sun god crap, I'll just shove one of these in his mouth."
I exhaled slowly. They weren't wrong. We really did need rest. I sat on the chair beside Dominio and pulled one of the sandwich plates toward me.
I thought I should enjoy this peace. I'd barely had any since I arrived here. I came onto this ship alone, and now I had a whole team.
The food was simple but good. The bread was dense and slightly sweet, the beans warm and seasoned with something I couldn't name. It reminded me of home. Of my mom's kitchen. Of Sunday dinners.
"So you have a pet rhino?" Dominio asked between bites.
"Yeah, it's furry, though." Rela wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "My people use them for milk, fur, and ivory for tools."
Aurelia leaned forward, curious. "I heard the Blood Steppes army is unstoppable. Is that true?"
"It's true." Rela's chest puffed with pride. "Our Khagan is strong. An army of five hundred thousand ogres mounted on rhinos, shooting giant bows."
I nearly choked on my bread. Five hundred thousand. Mounted on rhinos. Shooting giant bows.
If Rela alone was this strong, I couldn't imagine half a million of her.
"So what do you eat out there?" Dominio asked, genuinely curious.
"Meat. Mostly. Rhino milk cheese. Fermented mare's milk if we're feeling adventurous." Rela made a face. "I never liked the fermented stuff. Tastes like regret."
Aurelia laughed. "In Zendorium, we have wine. Fish. Olives. Honey cakes." She sighed. "I miss honey cakes."
"Back home," I said, surprising myself, "we had pizza. Burgers. Fried chicken." Their faces were blank. "You've never had fried chicken?"
"Is that a bird?" Rela asked.
"Yeah. You fry it. In oil. With spices."
"Why would you fry a bird?" Aurelia asked, genuinely confused.
"Because it's delicious."
Dominio shook his head. "The Sultanate has the best food. Lamb. Rice. Flatbread. Spiced everything. They eat better than kings."
"You sound like you miss it," I said.
He shrugged, but his eyes were distant. "Maybe."
The conversation drifted. We compared foods. Argued about which nation had the best bread. Rela described a fermented drink that sounded like poison. Aurelia defended Zendorium's wine. Dominio swore by Sultanate coffee.
I just listened. Smiled. Let the warmth of the moment sink in.
This was peace.
The door opened, and Alexandria walked in.
The mood shifted instantly. All eyes were on her. Dominio sat up. Aurelia placed a hand in front of Rela, who had already tensed.
"What do you want?" Aurelia asked, her eyes narrowed.
Alexandria looked at me, her eyes locked onto mine.
"I come in peace. I'm not here to fight." She dropped her axe. It clattered against the wooden floor.
"Then what do you want?"
Alexandria's expression was serious. Heavier than I'd ever seen it.
"Five rookies have been killed."
The room went cold.
I set down my bread. "How?"
"I don't know the details. But they're dead. And everyone is looking for someone to blame."
She looked directly at me.
"They're looking at you, Zain."