The Relic: Deadly Liaisons at Sea

Chapter X: A Mistake Made Is a Lesson Learned

As they mentioned Olivia, Cesium barked in delight, which caused both Charlotte and Damien to jump in fright. They both reached their hands over to cover the Great Dane's mouth so that it didn't reveal they were talking much.

Aden, having heard the bark, lowered his book slightly and gazed over the top of it. He gave a slight glare to the Great Dane before shaking his head and returning to what he was reading.

When Aden had returned to his book, the two relaxed and gave each other a silent expression of laughing before releasing Cesium. The poor robot rubbed its nostril between its paws before looking up at Charlotte with a frown. Charlotte merely rubbed the top of its head and raised her index finger to her lips indicating to be quiet.

In the meantime, Damien threw the piece of rustic paint into the discarded pile within the bucket while Charlotte was warning Cesium about Aden. When Cesium understood, it gave a resolute howl and began its futile efforts to scraping off the rustic paint on the opposite side of the mast with its paw, thus leaving the two to sigh in frustration. It wanted to finish work on the deck so that it could play with everyone like that one day in the market.

Charlotte silently sighed before going for the last bit Cesium had missed and was about to scrape it off but found her tool chalked up too much paint and grime. She grabbed the extra handkerchief she possessed and wiped down the metal so that it was not piled with pasty old paint. She examined the tool closely, making sure it had not been chipped or damaged from the removal process. She then began to scrape off paint, indicating that it was still a good tool to use. Charlotte gave a victory peace sign to Damien, and he could only shake his head in amusement.

Now she needed to jump right back into the whispering again, "Olivia's really fashionable with the times, so she knows what would look good on others. I think she wears the lab coat because it's comfortable while she is working though." Charlotte got up from her kneeling position to stand. She stretched her arms to the sky, and when she was done stretching her arms, she started to massage one of her shoulders to release the kink that formed there.

"That's better," she replied happily before she found herself finding eye contact with emerald eyes. She stared for a couple of seconds before remembering the night of the masquerade, realizing that she had been way too close and couldn't find a way to stop gazing into his eyes.

The male in question merely walked over to the mast with his book in hand and looked at their handiwork. "It's a decent job done by a duo and a stupid Great Dane who just chatted halfway through their duties."

"Oh, come on!" Charlotte guffawed at the comment while Damien laughed earnestly. "You have ears like a fox mate."

Damien went to stretch the muscles in his arms just like Charlotte had but couldn't quite get it out. "Though I doubt you'd rat us out, Aden." He gave his brother a genuine smile, which Aden just smirked at.

"You're lucky I don't give a rat's ass about Cheric's haze. What I don't see is why you got sucked into it, Damien. It should just be Miss Ditz who somehow managed to be damsel in distress again." He emphasized the "again" with a roll of his eyes to the girl in question. He watched her puff her chest out, which was strangely accentuated by her vest, and she crossed her arms resolutely in discontent.

"I'll have you know this ditz took a gentleman's sword from an enemy after she incapacitated him. How is that being a damsel in distress?" she defiantly said, and Damien turned to Aden with a bemused expression. The blond, knowing something good was about to happen, merely egged his best mate and friend on.

"I'm curious too, Aden. How is that being a damsel in distress?"

Aden gave Damien the "you know exactly what I'm talking about" side glance. "Okay, I'll give you five points as to why she"—he pointed with his thumb over his shoulder to Charlotte—"was a damsel in distress."