Susanna was gently ushered into the room, the man''s arm warm and steady around her shoulders.


    She spotted the food Hull had brought her stomach growled, starved as she was. But all she reached for were the strawberries and sliced apples. The grilled salmon, jumbo shrimp, and oysters sat untouched.


    Hull raised an eyebrow at her picky appetite. "Not a fan of grilled seafood, huh?”


    Susanna nced at him, looking almost woeful. "Honestly, all I''ve hadtely is fish," she admitted, her voice small. "I''m so done with it."


    She looked so fed up with seafood that Hull couldn''t help but chuckle, his tone teasing but affectionate. "Guess you really have had it rough if you''re turning your nose up at salmon."


    Susanna just sighed, remembering the past days with Yvonne. That time? Total nightmare. Still, she couldn''t deny she owed Yvonne a lot for everything she''d learned.


    Back in Portis City, she never imagined she''d wind up as tough as Ste, who''d managed to walk away from a guy like Yorick without a backward nce. But here


    she was.


    "My phone-where is it?" Susanna asked suddenly. "I should call Yvonne, let her know I''m okay."


    She''d left so abruptly; Yvonne would be freaking out by now.


    Susanna had no idea how long she''d slept-long enough for the light outside to changepletely. She rubbed her eyes, still groggy.


    "No need," Hull said. "She already knows."


    "You told her?" Susanna asked.


    He nodded, cool and calm. "Yeah."


    She believed him. If Yvonne was in the loop, that was enough for now. She''d thank her properly when she got back to Ferrond.


    Hull had more food brought in-this time, blissfully, no fish in sight. Susanna dug in, finally eating her fill.


    "Oh man, that hit the spot," she groaned in satisfaction. It was the best meat she''d had in ages. Sinceing to Ferrond, she''d been living off scraps-one good meal followed by a day of nothing Back in Portis City, she''d never gone hungry. Thinking about it made her chest ache.


    Outside, ck Gate was in chaos. But the ind Hull had brought her to felt like a secret world-quiet, safe, untouched.


    Night fell, the ocean outside shimmering with soft lights from the docks. The


    sound of waves washed away the tension from her bones.


    Later, someone arrived on the ind. Ss called Hull away, leaving Susanna alone. Bored, she thought about calling Ste, but realized her phone was missing. Yvonne had taken it back on Cybele Ind, and she hadn''t seen it since.


    With nothing else to do, Susanna looked down at her sunburned skin and decided to treat herself to a long, hot soak.


    She slid into the tub. "God, that feels amazing," she sighed. The warmth seeped into every ache and bruise melting away the


    exhaustion-especially after what Hull had put her through. He whole body ached, in ways she didn''t want to think about.


    Eyes closed, she let herself drift,pletely unaware that someone had been watching her slip into the bath.


    Meanwhile, in another of the wooden cabins lining the beach, the atmosphere was tense. Hull sat across from a sharply dressed man nked by two armed guards.


    Barnaby, slick in his tailored suit, radiated danger—a glint of cunning in his eyes.


    "So, Mr. Miguel, are the terms eptable?" Barnaby asked,ying out the details of their deal.


    Hull barely seemed to hear, one hand holding a cigar, the other his phone. His gaze kept flicking down to the screen, reying the image of Susanna stepping into the bath.


    Whatever Barnaby was saying, Hull didn''t seem to care.


    Ss, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. Barnaby leaned in, trying to sneak a look at Hull''s phone.


    Before he could catch a glimpse


    Hull flipped the screen over, shielding it with his palm, and shot Barnaby a look sharp enough to cut.