The Third Crossing

23. Farewell, Koya

Since Riku's safe return to her, Natsu hadn't been able to stay a single night away from him. Not like 'away from her house'—that seemed to be impossible, at least for the time being. It was more like 'within the walls of his bedchamber.' The sight of Qianfan's bastards stabbing his grandmother to death still haunted his sleep, and obviously, that would be the case every night for many nights still to come. How long would a five-year-old boy need to recover from such a traumatic experience? Because Natsu was starting to worry that it would break him instead of making him stronger.

All the way to the dock, Riku locked arms with his mother although they were trapped together in the carriage; no way could he stray far from her. Sometimes he clutched her hand so hard he almost dislocated her finger. What should she do to kill that fear in his heart?

"Excited about your first voyage across the sea?" She managed a smile at Riku. "I was six when your grandfather took me on his boat for the first time."

Riku hunched his shoulders. "Monsters dwell there, I was told."

Believe me, the reality is scarier than your fairy tales, Natsu thought, picturing the sight of Shnakar's massive hands. "They will never dare to harm us. Do you know why?" She chuckled, rubbing his head playfully, and then she pointed to Jirou, her coachman and personal guard. "Because they all fear Jirou Sen, our gallant hero."

Riku gaped at the heroic Jirou Sen. "Can he beat monsters?"

Natsu glanced at Jirou, who seemed to be amused by the conversation. "He will do whatever it takes to protect us."

Silence fell over them, and no sound was louder than the thudding hooves of the horses of her convoy. No ordinary Hokydoan was insane enough to brave the road outside the town at midnight. The only living beings they might encounter at such a late hour would be bats, flying squirrels, or raccoon dogs. There could be bandits as well—they were a fundamental part of Hokydo's natural environment—but they had some sense left to avoid intercepting the Murderous Widow.

Torches flickered on the horizon, the road becoming less quiet as they approached the docks, and the closer she was to her destination, the harder her heart pounded. Why was she anxious tonight? Was it the scale of this operation? Was it her son's presence? Or was it both? It's better this way, she reminded herself. I would never be able to focus, knowing that he needs me beside him.

Manshik was in her reception when she arrived at the docks. She took note of the look of disapproval on his face upon seeing her son clamber down the carriage alongside her. "You are not taking him with you, are you?"

One lesson Natsu had learned the hard way about this fierce business was that family could be a liability. A burden. A weak point her rivals could squeeze on. But it wasn't a weak point she could just get rid of. Fortifying it was her only possible course of action. "The earlier we teach them, the stronger they become," she said, gripping Riku's bony shoulder. She was certain that Manshik was not convinced, and she didn't bother. By all means, it sounded better than telling him that she wouldn't be able to maintain her sanity if she spent all these days away from her little boy. Yes, Manshik was a loyal man. He wouldn't betray her for that hint of softness, but he might start to question her ability to manage this dangerous business. They were living in a world where only the ruthless would survive.

Manshik leaned forward toward her, lowering his voice as he said, "You could have picked a less dangerous voyage to start teaching him."

"Less dangerous, more dangerous," she scoffed. "All voyages are dangerous, Manshik."

After giving her right-hand man her last instructions regarding the shipments of this week, she signaled Jirou to take her baggage to the ship. She walked hand-in-hand with her son across the pier toward the anchored Wraith, her men's murmurs and smirks not lost on her. The only one who received her with a genuine smile was Mushi. "It's the little boss!" she exclaimed. The Wraith's helmswoman snatched Riku from Natsu's hand and lifted the little boy up, squeezing him with both arms against her chest. "Come! Let me take you on a tour of the legendary Wraith."