All Chapters of Where Ashes and Oaths Collide: Chapter 171 - Chapter 174

The ships moved with a slow, rhythmic grace, their hulls slicing through the golden surface of the ocean as they pulled further from the island. Below deck, the prisoners were huddled in the dim, salt crusted hold, the rhythmic creaking of the timber above them serving as a constant reminder of their captivity. Among them sat Emile, her eyes red rimmed and her frame trembling. She pressed her forehead against the rough wooden wall, her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. She did not cry out for her father anymore; the silence was far heavier than any scream. Back on the island, the ruins returned to their stillness. The morning bustle had faded, leaving only the sound of the tide and the distant cry of seabirds. Estrela stood on the highest precipice of the cliff; her gaze fixed on the retreating ships. The wind whipped her golden hair around her face, but she did not blink. Brain walked up behind Estrela and asked, “Are you ready to see Cidade dos Esc

“When I saw you the first time, you reminded me so much of my father,” Estrela added, her body still relaxed from the memory of the academy to saved her from her grief. Mar listened in silence, his jaw set tight. He did not interrupt. He had heard a thousand stories from a thousand people, most of them lies told to buy time or mercy. But there was something in the way Estrela’s voice wavered– a small fragile crack in her composure– that made him stay still. “I am not your father,” he said finally, his voice devoid of malice but equally devoid of warmth. “And I am not a man you can find solace in.” he turned back to the wheel, the movement deliberate. “People look for familiar faces when they are drowning. That is survival, not connection.”Mar paused, his greyish blue eyes drifting toward the captain quarters where Emile slept. “But if you want to use that memory to keep yourself honest, go ahead,”