45

Ava's POV

I woke up with my heart racing as I heard the sound of shouting and scuffling outside our cabin.

‘What is…?” For a moment, I was consumed by fear, unsure of what was happening. Then I remembered William's words from the day before—we would be arriving at a new port in the morning.

I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes and trying to clear the fog of sleep from my head. As I did so, I heard William's voice outside, barking orders to the crew.

"Hurry up," he shouted. "We need to be ready to disembark as soon as we arrive. I want no delays!"

I could hear the crew scrambling to carry out his orders. I got up and peeked out of the window, feeling a surge of excitement at the prospect of exploring a new country.

I turned to William, who was standing a few feet from me, giving orders to a group of crew members who were hurriedly preparing crates for unloading.

"William," I whispered. "Are we here? Are we at the new port?"

William turned to me, a smile on his face. "Yes, Ava," he s