May you, my little bird, never doubt me.
I sing, “I will never be far from you.”
Leila read the verse again and again, wondering how it sounded on the lips of an ancient Egyptian, accompanied by a harp or flute. Or if the words were the reassurings of one lover to another. There had probably even been a little trinket inside the box at one time.
Using her fingertips, she eased the lid off. The box was empty.
A loud cough came from the bathroom and Leila looked up. The door was still locked. She checked the clock. Seven-thirty. She’d been working on the box for two hours.
“How are you feeling?” she yelled.
“Not so hot,” Xander groaned.
Poor guy. Leila didn’t feel so great herself, but not so bad that her stomach wasn’t growling for more food. She supposed Xander wouldn’t want anything to eat. She stood and crossed the room on wobbly legs.
“I’m going to the dining room, want anything?”
“Maybe a Sprite?”
“I’ll see what they have. You want any food?”
“Absolutely not.”
“I’ll see if I can find some Dramamine.”
Leila headed out the door and made her way down the hallway again. The dining room was much busier this time, the well-seasoned sailors seemingly unbothered by the constant rocking. She grabbed a plate and browsed the selection of pasta and potato dishes. The food also looked much better than what she’d expected from a cargo ship. This was turning out to be way more fun than traveling by airplane. Maybe she’d take a ship back to the US sometime.
If there’s ever another chance.
Someone approached the counter to her right. “Having fun?” he asked, his South African accent loud and crisp. The man, who was about her age, flashed a polite smile.
She smiled back. It was Jack, one of the ping-pong guys. “Yeah. Almost wishing I could stay on the ship for a few more days.”
He set a pot on the table. “Don’t blame you. How’s your husband? He left pretty quickly.”
Husband. It was weird to hear people refer to Xander that way. She would have soon been getting used to it, but now… “I think he’ll be okay. It’s just seasickness.”
“Got any Dramamine? That might help.”
Leila shook her head. “I was hoping to find some here.”
“I’ve got a stash in my room. I’ll bring some to your cabin later.”
“That would be awesome. Thanks.”
“Ginger also helps. I can get some from the galley.”
He left, and Leila resumed filling her plate. Pesto chicken. Salad. Creamy pasta. She put extra on her plate, even though she wouldn’t be able to finish it all. She was sure once Xander felt better, he would finish it off for her.
Jack returned with a cup full of ginger shavings. “This should help until I can bring the Dramamine. The other passenger was asking for some too. The sea is really rough today.”
“Thanks so much,” Leila took the cup, then frowned. “Wait… Did you say there’s another passenger?”
“Yeah, there’s one guy, I think. He was just here half an hour ago.”
Jack couldn’t be talking about Xander, then. “I thought my, uh… husband and I were the only passengers?”
Jack shrugged. “The captain doesn’t fill me in on all the details.”
Leila smiled weakly. “Well, I better go give Xander the ginger.”
“Sure thing. See you later.” Jack walked back through the galley door.
Leila stood by the buffet for a moment. She didn’t like the sound of this. The fleet manager had been clear yesterday that they were the only passengers on board. He was the only one handling it, so he would have known. Whoever it was must have come on board after they did. Coincidence?
She put the plate on a tray and grabbed two cans of Sprite, then strode out of the dining saloon. She would just stay in their room until they got to Athens the next morning.
Walking quickly, she made her way down the hall, then waited for the elevator. She gripped the tray tightly, swaying with the flow of the ship. She wasn’t sure she was hungry anymore. The elevator dinged and she held her breath as the door slid open. It was empty.
Of course. Who did she expect? That crazy SIS guy?
She shook her head and walked into the elevator. A few moments later, she stepped out onto their floor and strode down the hall toward their cabin.
The cabin door was in sight when she was jerked to the side. An arm wrapped around her neck and squeezed. She tried to let out a scream but only managed a strangled gurgle.
“Game’s over,” a man hissed into her ear.
Desperation surged through her chest. Leila flung the tray over her head and into the man’s face. Porcelain shattered and crashed to the floor. The grip around her neck loosened as the man stumbled backward. She rammed an elbow into his stomach, and he bent forward with a wheeze. She broke free and ran to the cabin door. It was locked. She banged on the door and pulled at the handle as the man approached from her left.
