Novel & Cerita Poirot: Problem At Sea

Some ship technicians were there too, looking rather worried. Adrian walked into the room and asked, “Mr. Casey, you asked for me?” Casey hastily said upon seeing Adrian enter, “You’re here, Theo. We’ve got a big problem. I’m afraid it’ll get really bad.” “What’s going on?” asked Adrian. Sormus reported, “Our radars detected a hijacker ship heading straight for us. These people are pirates, and I’m afraid none of us will survive if we are to cross swords with them.”

“These clothes were not meant for high speed chases and salt water.” “Shut it, Serif, or you’ll be a permanent fixture in the sea,” Lottie snapped, her voice cutting through the tension. The enemy ship suddenly veered, altering its course to follow Dahlia Lite. The water around their smaller boat exploded as a cannonball narrowly missed them, sending up a spray of saltwater that drenched everyone on board. “We just have to make it close to shore, and we will be fine!” Delilah shouted over the roar of the waves, her voice edged with determination.

Larissa quickly hugged Vincent tightly. Vincent tensed as Larissa hugged him. His eyes momentarily flashed red before gradually returning to normal. His gaze regained clarity. He whispered hesitantly, "Mommy?" Larissa's voice trembled as she said, "I'm here, Vincent. Don't worry." A relieved smile appeared on Vincent's face. He once again fell into Larissa's embrace. But this time, his breathing was steady from fainting. A large hole in the ship caused seawater to flood in rapidly, submerging half of the cabin.

She realized that simply running away wouldn’t resolve this. “Elliot, stop the—” Her words froze in her throat as her eyes widened in terror. Sophia, seated in the passenger seat of River’s car, suddenly lunged for the steering wheel in desperation. River’s car veered sharply, skidding out of control. With an emergency brake and a sharp left turn, it crashed into the railing and plunged into the sea. Paramedics arrived swiftly. Though both River and Sophia survived, they were left in comas and sent to the ICU.

it replied. The vessel’s eyes opened and they were mine. Everything broke at once. Kye charged the Harbinger with a scream. Rowan lit another torch and hurled it at the pit. Mira drew steel. The fire hit. The vessel screamed, a noise like shattering glass and thunder all at once. The chamber shook. The walls peeled back revealing more shapes, watching from behind the stone. I drew my blade and lunged for the vessel. It moved like water then we clashed steel against bone, fire against shadow.

He stared at the little girl and remembered the boy he had seen before. He seemed to realize something, too. For a moment, his eyes flashed with wild joy. With the support of the warships, the pirates were routed and left in disarray. They were defeated before they could even board the ship. Tabitha didn't remain unconscious for long. Her will to live brought her quickly back to her senses. She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Wilmot, drenched in water. "Ms. Hartley, how are you? You..."

I signalled the bartender for another drink again. I looked around the dingy bar. Couples and groups of friends filled the booths, laughing and having fun without a care. A feeling of jealousy and bitterness twisted in my gut. If only I could be so carefree. If only I could live a Normal life like every other person. I had drank more than six bottles of beer yet I wasn’t satisfied. A memory flashed as I remembered my first mate sisters harsh words at her brother's funeral: "Stay away from him unless you want to end up in the grave too." More tears stung my eyes. How many times had I heard that I was...cursed?

"If the system didn't see them, they were never truly bankrupt." A smaller rowboat lowered from the lead vessel, the rhythmic splash of oars echoing across the still harbor. When the boat hit the silt, a man stepped out. He was older, his face a map of sun-baked lines and salt-spray, wearing a coat made of heavy, dark wool. He looked at the charred remains of the Lotus, then at the skeletal ruins of Aurelia, and finally at us. "The signal stopped," the man said. His voice was deep, lacking the harmonic resonance of the Sovereign or the cold precision of the Archive. "The hum of the Spire finally went quiet. We came to see if there was anyone left who remembered how to speak without a signal.

"When you were handing out the ceremonial wine, someone bumped into you, and the wine spilled on my dress. My mate, Kyle, wiped the stains off for me, and you even said he was attentive. You remember that, don't you?" Helena shook her head. "Nora, I did pour the wine for you, but nobody bumped into me, and neither did anything spill." I looked down at my dress, and she was right. Not a single drop of wine marred the fabric—it was spotless. "This is impossible…" I mumbled. Just then, Garrett stepped forward. "Nora, we've searched the entire territory. There isn't a trace of the mate you described. We've also asked everyone here, and no one saw a mate by your side."

Elias remains behind me, his broad chest pressed against my back, one of his enormous hands splayed over my stomach as if even in sleep he needs to keep me anchored. The Noel Imperial is sailing at reduced speed—I can feel it from the change in the sway, from the different sound of the engines. We are approaching port. In a few hours, this floating world that became both my prison and my liberation will be nothing but a memory. I get up carefully, wrapping the sheet around my body. I go to the suite’s balcony, open the glass doors, and position myself at the railing. The morning wind is cool and salty, carrying the distant scent of land. On the horizon, I can already see the faint line that