"Captain!"
Mirabella's heart skipped a beat at the panicked call. She looked at Pipo, who was irritably wiping something off his butt, and ordered him to stay with the prince before she flew out of the window.
The sparrow's eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before her. Gideon stood frozen, while a short distance away, a massive wall of sand had risen, slanting like a protective slope. Embedded in the sand was a sharp knife, halted in its deadly trajectory, unable to pierce through the barrier.
Her round black eyes slowly shifted to the king, who stood with his hand stretched out, his fist clenched tightly. When he relaxed his hand, the sand barrier along with the knife crumbled to the ground.
Everyone, including Mirabella and the crew, stared in stunned silence.
Thaddeus was the first to react, hurling the saber in his hand toward the assassin who had thrown the knife, killing him instantly.
