“Don’t worry! They can’t do anything against the Circle’s will,” he says to her, as he sends her off. Mart and Yuma stand on the deck waiting for the boat to reach the harbour. Lealy comes too with her heavy, shark leather bags and Dalia goes to help her.

Tirad feels as he is nailed to the wooden floor by the fences and he can’t take his eyes from the land that they soon have to step on. He doesn’t know which thought to focus on, Hurmaz, himself, Mart’s agenda? Is Hurmaz’s life really in danger? Dalia should have warned him sooner. He has to go back and tell these to Hurmaz and protect him from any possible harm. He can send a note but it will take nearly the same time to reach the Saviour Island, as he would go back. He better go himself, this way Mart will not be able to harm him. He can save both his and Hurmaz’s life. But what about Mart’s plan? What incident were they talking about? Perhaps he should stay and stop Mart from carrying out his evil plan, even though he knows nothing about it and Mart is always too careful to let anything slip. Who was the old man that Dalia had heard? Was he one of the Circle members? He can’t believe any of them would cooperate with Mart in a plan that could hurt Hurmaz. But no one from outside the Circle was allowed on the harbour that day, except for the passengers.

Tirad is brooding on his many unanswered questions that he feels someone touching him on his shoulder. The boatman ties the boat to the wharf and the passengers step on the wooden bridge from the boat to the harbour. Mart takes his hands off Tirad’s shoulders. Tirad turns his head towards him. Mart is smiling and apologises for the fight they had. He says they should have each other’s backs from now on. Tirad doesn’t say anything and wouldn’t smile back at Mart. But he takes Mart’s hand and accepts his help in pulling him up the floor. Maybe it would be better to get closer to him and find out what he’s about to do. But he knows he can’t bear it and would sail back to the Saviour Island with the first boat.

Chapter 16

The boatmen prefer to stay the night on their boat. Mart and Yuma lead the way and Tirad follows. Asin and Dalia are helping Lealy carrying her heavy bags. Tirad wants to make things up with Lealy before they arrive at the Oxan gate, he turns and offers to help her but Lealy refuses. She still doesn’t want to talk to him. Tirad had never felt the urge to speak to someone like he does now. Having spoken to Dalia has made things worst. He needs to get guidance from someone who knows him best, like Lealy but she is still frowning. He has to wait until she calms down and then tell her everything. She has to know about Mart’s agenda and the danger that threatens Hurmaz. What if Lealy is also involved in Mart’s plan? He knows that Mart has private times with the maids even though Tirad never cared to know for sure, but others talked about him. What if Lealy is one of those maids? But if she was, what was that fight about two nights ago. Mart could easily go to her cabin and do whatever they wanted. It doesn’t make sense. He is starting to become suspicious to everyone. This pessimistic view is not going to help. Of course, he needs to know whom to trust and whom to avoid. But questioning everyone is not the right way. He will trust Lealy and confine in her, Tirad says to himself.