Chapter 308: Going Private With Lyra

The sea breeze kept playing with Lyra's hair as she stood right beside me at the railing. She turned her head a little more toward me, her eyes curious and warm.

"Yeah, what is it, Austin?" she asked softly.

I looked out at the water for a second, then turned to face her.

"How's Afa?" I asked.

The question hung in the air. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The only sounds were the low hum of the ship's engines and the waves slapping against the hull. My mind flashed back to that horrible moment — Alaric's fist punching straight through her chest, the way she crumpled to the ground in a pool of her own blood. It made my stomach twist.

Lyra noticed the silence. She exhaled slowly, like the memory weighed on her too.

"She is… as far as I know," she said quietly.

"She was seriously injured, right? Is she okay?" I pushed the question a little more, my voice serious.

Lyra nodded, her gaze drifting to the ocean for a second before coming back to me.

"Last time I saw her, she was being taken into a chopper with the knights. She was breathing, though. The heart monitor was still beeping, so I'm sure she must be fine."

I folded my arms across my chest and lightly kicked the deck with my shoe.

"She was working with Alaric and his alien force," I said. "She brought them all here and risked so many lives."

"Yeah, that was hurtful to see. And in the end, she only got betrayed by the same aliens she served." Lyra answered with a small, sad smile. She gazed right into my eyes.

"Yeah…" I said, letting out a soft chuckle.

We both giggled a little — quiet, tired laughs that broke the heavy feeling in the air. The wind picked up again, cool and fresh against our skin.

Lyra stepped closer, closing the small gap between us until our arms almost touched.

"But at least she is okay now," she said.

"Yep," I replied, reaching out and gently holding her by the waist. I pulled her in a little more, so she stood right against me. "The knights and the Queen will investigate from here. No need for us to worry."

She didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into my touch, her net top brushing softly against my jacket. The ship kept sailing forward, the sun shining bright above us, and for a moment the whole crazy mess on the island felt a little farther away.

We stood there together, side by side, watching the endless blue stretch out in front of us.

Lyra kept her arms wrapped loosely around my neck, her body warm and soft against mine. She let out a small, contented exhale, her breath brushing my collar as she looked up at me with those bright, hopeful eyes.

"Hey… till when you are here?" she asked, her voice soft but full of quiet excitement.

I slid my hands around her waist, feeling the smooth fabric of her net top under my fingers, and pulled her closer. Her full tits pressed firmly against my chest, the thin material doing almost nothing to hide the warmth and softness there. The ship rocked gently beneath us, making our bodies sway together in a slow rhythm.

"Till evening," I said, my voice low and steady. "It's still 3-4 hours before I have to leave."

Her lips curved into a playful little smile. She lifted one finger and gently pressed it against my lips, her eyes sparkling as she gulped nervously, like she was trying to hold back everything she was feeling.

"So you will stay here with me, right? For the next few hours…" she asked, her voice turning a little breathy.

"Yeah," I replied, my hands slowly sliding lower from her waist. I cupped her ass firmly, squeezing the soft curves and pulling her even tighter against me. "I'm here to spend some quality time with you."

"That makes me so happy…" Lyra said, sounding a little dizzy and giddy. Her cheeks flushed a deeper pink. She cupped my face with both hands, thumbs brushing lightly over my jaw, and pulled me down into a kiss.

Our lips crashed together, hungry and eager. We started munching on each other's mouths, tongues sliding and colliding in a hot, wet dance that made everything else fade away. My hands kept kneading her ass, fingers digging in just enough to make her press harder against me. We were right there on the open deck, sunlight pouring down, people walking past us chatting and laughing. Some carried drinks, others were still in their swimwear, towels slung over their shoulders. A few glanced our way, but nobody stopped or cared. The whole ship was still buzzing from the wild night and the fight on the island—everyone was in their own little bubble of fun, loud music thumping from the pool deck, the smell of sunscreen and cocktails mixing with the sea air.

Lyra let out a soft, needy sound into the kiss, her body melting against mine. After a long, heated minute, she finally broke away with a gasp, lips shiny and a little swollen, breathing fast.

"I think we should relocate…" she whispered, her forehead resting against mine for a second.

"Yeah, you're right," I said, still catching my breath, a grin tugging at my lips. "There are lots of people around here."

She giggled, the sound light and happy, and grabbed my hand, tugging me toward the glass doors that led inside the ship. Her fingers laced through mine tightly, like she was scared I might vanish if she let go.

"More like my husband might come up at any time," she added, still giggling as we stepped into the cooler, quieter hallway. The air inside smelled like fresh carpet and faint perfume from the passengers walking by. "Obviously I don't want him to see you with me."

I laughed along with her, the sound low and easy as we moved deeper into the ship's corridor. The gentle rocking of the waves followed us inside, and distant music from the deck faded a little behind us.

"Haha, right," I said, squeezing her hand. "Then I have to use my powers and vanish away before he kills me."

Lyra laughed louder this time, bumping her shoulder playfully against mine as we walked. The hallway lights glowed softly overhead, casting warm shadows on the walls lined with framed pictures of the ocean.