From a corner of the dimly lit cabin, a huge man emerged and shoved me back with enough strength to make me lose my balance. I had barely time to let out a scream before I fell over and hit the floor hard. A new pang shot up my shoulders. The man scampered out of the room, hitting my stomach with a kick in the process. The groan of pain I meant to release remained trapped in my chest as I curled up into a ball, pain bursting through me. Agony radiated from my belly to my brain, a burning sensation that punched the breath out of my lungs. Even my head spun.
“Monia.” Rennie’s rough voice came from somewhere in the cabin.
There was a noise of feet shuffling across the floor. Then his warm hand was on my shoulder.
“Did he hurt you?” Lord, his voice sounded wrong, all raspy and broken, as if he were about to cry. What had happened to him?
Gasping, I opened my mouth. “F-fine.”
He stroked my cheek with so much kindness that I leant against his touch. “Let me turn on a lamp.” More groans of pain rose from him.
He limped around and rummaged through the room lit by the light from the corridor. A yellow glow spread from the nightstand, illuminating the chaos in the cabin. Shards of glass littered the floor. The bed sheets had been ripped, and Rennie’s clothes were scattered around.
As the pain in my belly faded, I sat upright, my body shivering. “What happened? Who was that man?”
“I don’t know.” He limped back towards me and crouched.
The light revealed all the red spots marring his face and a deep gash in his side where a wet dark patch stained his waistcoat.
“Rennie.” On pure instinct, I put a hand on his cheek, feeling the light stubble. “Did he stab you?”
“I’m fine.”
Maybe I was too shocked by what had happened, but I could swear he leant against my touch as well.
“You aren’t fine. You must go to see the doctor immediately.” I stroked his cheek. His skin was surprisingly smooth.
“I don’t need a doctor. Don’t worry.” He held my hand, his breathing returning to normal.
“Don’t worry?” I stood up on wobbly legs. He staggered to his feet too, wincing all the way up. “You aren’t fine at all. Let’s go.” I slid an arm around his waist and dragged him towards the door. Or tried to. He didn’t budge. “Rennie.” I squeezed him harder. “You’re injured.”
A softness relaxed his features, which didn’t make any sense. He’d been attacked. “I don’t need a doctor. Trust me.”
“You’re bleeding. Why do you have to be so stubborn? We must report the attack to the security officer. For Pete’s sake.”
He put a hand over mine and sucked in a deep breath. A battle was raging inside him, judging by the way his lips were pressed together and the worry lines creased his forehead.
“All right,” he gritted out, as if reluctant to accept the evidence that he was bleeding and needed medical attention. Rennie and his stupid stubbornness.
We inched out of the room with Rennie’s heavy body nearly dragging me down.
“What happened?” I asked as we slogged towards the stairs.
He swallowed hard. “I entered my cabin and shut the door. The next moment, the man jumped out of a corner and attacked me. Then you came.”
“And your leg?”
Another grimace twisted his mouth. “The man nearly broke it with a kick. He’s strong.”
A sickening lump of anxiety swelled in my throat. “Good Lord, Rennie. The gush? Is it a stab?”
“I think so. It was too dark to see his blade, though,” he said as if he were talking about a stroll in the park.
A few passengers glanced at us when we reached the main deck. Whispers and mutters followed us.
“I don’t understand.” I shook my head, Rennie’s arm weighing me down. “What did he want? If he wanted money, he should have broken into a first-class cabin. I mean no offence by that.”
A smirk tugged at his lips. “None taken.”
