The Hidden King's Stolen Wife-Chapter 234: Lifeboats

"Orion!" Soleia screamed out helplessly, her hands stretching out instinctively as though she could just reach out and grab him back. But of course, her fingers curled around nothing but empty air. She struggled to break free from Ricard’s hold, trying to get to the side of the boat to take a closer look. "Orion! Where are you!" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

The waters were pitch black, and she barely made out the silhouette of two heads bobbing in the water as they fought. The waves sloshed violently between the men.

"Well, that’s it for my brother." Ricard’s voice was loud against her ear as he gave a theatrical sigh. "He had a good run. I’ll make sure to leave some flowers at his funeral."

Soleia paused, stunned by the cavalier way Ricard spoke about Raziel. "You have so little faith in your brother?"

He wasn’t going to save him?

"Raziel can’t swim. I know, I know, it’s unbelievably pathetic," Ricard replied boredly, and Soleia’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"I had always told him that this would be the cause of his death one day, but he didn’t believe me. I bet he’s regretting it now. Aren’t you, brother?" Ricard raised his voice at the end, causing it to echo over the ocean waters.

Hope began to bubble within her― Raziel being unable to swim would dramatically improve Orion’s chances of victory. Orion would live, and he would return. Soleia kept her eyes and ears peeled, hoping to catch any sign of life. However, the ocean was depressingly still, save for a few splashes that could have been due to fish.

After all, water was still steadily rushing into the ship, thanks to Orion’s earlier blow. The one crewmember who could have fixed this mess was also overboard, and Soleia hoped he was knocked unconscious.

"But don’t look so hopeful," Ricard added. He had caught the glimpse of hope in Soleia’s eyes, and it gave him great pleasure to snuff it out. "Once Orion Elsher makes it back to this ship, I’ll gladly send him on his merry way to accompany my brother into the afterlife. Men, keep an eye out for him!"

"Yes, Sir!" His soldiers responded, immediately spreading out around the ship to keep watch.

Soleia’s heart began to sink the same way as the ship under her feet. There was a pained groan that seemed to swell from the belly of the ship, and Soleia could hear the sound of splintering wood and the rush of water flowing in. Soleia let out a tiny shriek of surprise, staring at Ricard, who didn’t seem to care that they were minutes away from flooding.

"Your Highness! Our ship is flooding! Should we get on the lifeboats?" The men that were on the lower deck had rushed up in droves, staring at the huge hole in their ship with horror. Some of the men tried to escort Prince Ricard, but he merely waved a bored hand, ordering them to return to their lookout posts.

If it were up to them, they would have immediately escaped. But their lives weren’t their own. They couldn’t move without Prince Ricard’s express permission, but their liege seemed remarkably unbothered about the incoming water.

"Yes, I have eyes," Ricard said flippantly. "We have time. Get back to your stations. I have to make sure my brother is dead first before we leave."

"You really have a death wish," Soleia noted, morbidly curious. "No one can see anything when it’s so dark out."

She personally had no qualms about dying on this sinking ship, but she didn’t think Ricard, with his fervent wish to become Raxuvia’s new king, would be content to die swallowed by the watery ocean depths.

"Sweetheart, I can swim," Ricard said, patronizingly patting her on her head as though she was a pet.

Soleia bristled, but she made herself remain calm. Her eyes darted around, finally spotting the lifeboats that the men were talking about. They were small but relatively well-built vessels that were hanging precariously from the other side of the ship.

No wonder she had not seen it when she was captured.

Her heart raced. Slowly but surely, she inched her feet closer to the nearest lifeboat. All she needed to do was subdue Ricard for long enough time that she could get on the boat and sail herself back to the wreck to look for Orion, and then they could make their way to Santok.

The alternative was death by drowning. Either way, any of the above outcomes would be preferable to being dragged back to Raxuvia in chains.

She sucked in a breath. It was now or never. She slowly shuffled closer to the ship, feeling the rope seemingly loosen. Her legs were free, even if her arms remained bound flat to her sides. Perhaps Ricard was distracted. The distance between them slowly increased, but just as Soleia caught a glimpse of the boat, a sharp tug brought her to her knees. Ricard’s mocking laughter rang in her ears.

"Princess, you certainly amuse me greatly," Ricard exclaimed in delight. "To think you would attempt to sneak away from me right before my eyes! Despite your claims of preferring to die, you certainly have a very strong will to live. Or maybe it’s your motherly instinct kicking in."

And it made it all the more sweeter for him to break her into pieces.

Soleia gnashed her teeth as she glared up at him from her spot on the ground. The deck was already damp, and the wetness was seeping into her dress.

"You can wait here for Raziel if you wish, since you want to die with Raziel so badly― although if you ask me, Raziel might just be keeping himself hidden until you end up drowning on this sinking ship," Soleia said snidely. "It would be highly ironic if you were to die on such a big ship, wouldn’t it?"

Ricard paused, and Soleia knew he was considering her words.

"He knows you well enough to do something like that, yes?" Soleia added. "But don’t drag me into this mess. Let me get on the lifeboat. If you finally get your head straightened, then feel free to join me."

Ricard’s eyes twitched, and he scoffed dismissively, but he took one step closer to the lifeboat. His hand came to grab Soleia by her arm, hauling her up without any courtesy and shoving her into the boat.

She stumbled and fell, wincing in pain.

"Men, get on the lifeboats!"