“Why don’t we go together and find my mother’s island,” Dalia says in a despaired voice and her tears roll down her eyes. Tirad wipes her tears from her face and embraces her.

“I am not going to sit around anymore and watch people die in a meaningless war. Besides, we don’t know where the island is and we have to go to Atlan first. I can’t risk getting caught there, it would only justify the war and prove Mart’s claim that I had fled to Atlan. Your due date is close. I don’t want you giving birth on a passenger boat. Atlan is three weeks away from here. You can have your baby on Parsana and leave with the baby for Atlan. I only trust Armina with your life. We have enough coins not be worried about anything,” Tirad tells her trying to calm her down. But Dalia is worried.

“What if the Saviour soldiers attack Parsana? What will I do then?” she asks.

“Mart is looking for me! He wants to take over Atlan. He has no business there! I doubt he would waste his time and his soldiers on Parsana,” Tirad says with a bold tone and drowns in his thoughts. Dalia pours some water from the bucket by the boat cabin on her head and her belly and goes to prepare food. Tirad watches her bending and moving with difficulty, putting the dinner plates on the cabin floor. Her belly seems to have moved down a little.

“When do you think the baby will be born?” he asks Dalia. She doesn’t know.

“Maybe it is better that you stayed here… The baby seems to be coming soon! It might be dangerous for you to sail now and besides Ardaz would probably spare you…if you’re with a new-born,” Tirad suggests, but Dalia doesn’t accept.

“My mother was pregnant when Ardaz threw us out. He didn’t care even though my father was not a fugitive…he had gone fishing! Ardaz will throw me out with the baby! I will not stay,” Dalia says and looks down. She seems more depressed than ever,

“If I am to be separated from you, I would like to be with you until the last possible moment. I even prefer to go with you to the Saviour Ship…” she says and looks the other way, scared of Tirad’s angry reaction. Tirad doesn’t accept. He repeats that they will be looking for Dalia as his accomplice. He has made up his mind and will not change his plan. He changes the subject and tells her about his diving trip today. Dalia listens excitedly to Tirad giving details about the large hall and the long railroad caves under the city. Dalia definitely knows the worth of this discovery and wanted to be there and see it for herself. When Tirad finishes his victorious talks, Dalia goes out of the cabin and checks the rain. It is still raining but lighter than the previous days.

“It will be dry season soon!” she says from the boat deck.