Cristiana stared at Milly's dead body. The plate her friend had brought her had shattered on the ground, small pieces scattering across the floor.
"What…what did you just do?"
Gerard smiled, wiping off his sword with one of the cloth napkins they used in the cruise's dining hall. "I killed a traitor. She was supposed to bring you food and leave. Nothing more."
She took a wary step back, her foot crunching pieces of the glass plate.
The tears wouldn't even come to her eyes. It had all been so sudden. Their reunion had been so short-lived, she wasn't even sure it was real.
Her eyes moved to Gerard's sword. Then to Gerard. "What now?"
"Security is on the way," he said. "Just stay right there, and we'll have no problems."
A voice began speaking on the overhead speakers. "Good afternoon everyone, this is your Captain speaking. I just wanted to let you all know what a pleasure it's been sailing with you. Sadly, our journey is coming to an end. We will be reaching our final destination in just an hour!"
No…no…not yet. Cristiana wasn't ready. Authorities would be waiting for her there, and she would be sentenced to confinement for the rest of her life. She needed to be free. She needed to escape.
1 hour.
Gerard studied her. "I know exactly what you're thinking, girl. It's not worth it. You'll never get out of this room. And even if you did…where would you go? We're miles and miles from shore."
Cristiana charged at him. "SHUT UP!"
Gerard stepped back in surprise, stumbling over Milly's body.
She reached out, her hand closing around his sword. Gerard pulled back. He was physically stronger, and Cristiana let go a moment later.
Gerard kept pulling the sword, and he stumbled backward.
As he recovered, Cristiana bent down and grabbed a chunk of the broken plate from the ground. She closed her hand around the glass, its jagged edges cutting into her palm. Cristiana paused. Liam. Her arm began to shake as she remembered how she'd killed him. That satisfaction she'd felt when the glass had sunk into his neck.
In her other hand, she grabbed a couple smaller pieces of glass. She ran forward, throwing those at Gerard's eyes first. The distraction worked, giving her an extra second. That was all she needed.
Cristiana tackled her waiter to the ground, causing him to lose grip on his sword.
Gerard's eyes were wide. "Wait! Wait!"
She ignored him, plunging the glass into his throat. Gerard's face began to change. First into Liam. Then into her father.
Finally, its form settled on one…Travis.
Cristiana pulled the glass out of his throat and stabbed him again. And again.
She didn't stop until she heard the footsteps approaching.
Four people spilled into the room, taking in the scene in front of them. Two dead and a woman covered in blood, holding a piece of glass.
They wore familiar suits, Cristiana realized. They were waiters too.
She watched as each of them pulled out a weapon. One held a dagger. Two of them held pocketknives. And the fourth aimed a pistol at her.
Cristiana rolled out of the way as the first gunshot sounded.
Her knee struck something, and she looked down. Gerard's sword. She snatched it up and charged forward.
Not today, she thought furiously. I will not die today.