Eris POV

The days after my confrontation with Rubeus were some of the hardest I had ever faced. I had expected difficulty adjusting to life on the ship, to the constant motion, the ever-present danger. But nothing had prepared me for the emotional turbulence of being rejected, of being told that I didn’t belong.

I could feel the gap between us, widening with every passing day. Rubeus had retreated into himself, just as he always did when something was bothering him, and every time our paths crossed, there was a tension between us that was too thick to ignore.

I spent most of my time below deck, avoiding the crew...