NOVEL NEXT Chapter 39: The Lone Bird
Moments later, Rigo regained his usual self as he looked at the two behind him while saying:
"Message was sent successfully."
"Let's hope they understand what danger they are at," James commented in discontent tone that Dora neglected as she said:
"Wait for a few minutes and they will send you a reply."
Rigo gave her a silent glance, as he felt something was off between the two, so he turned to look to James and asked:
"Is everything alright supreme leader?"
"Yes, she is just a little touchy for that enemy of hers," James replied, and his words seemed to irritate Dora again who turned sharply glaring at him, but he just ignored her like she did with him.
"Supreme leader, huh?" she sneered in a humiliating tone.
"Yes, do you have any comments too on that?" James didn't back down as he replied looking back to her refusing to show weakness.
"May I suggest we all calm down, as we are allies not enemies," Rigo interfered trying to mend between the two and preventing an incoming conflict.
"We are allies, yes, but we aren't friends," Dora stated her position clearly.
"The same goes for me too," James also agreed on that state of relation with her.
"Good, I don't need friends anyway," Dora muttered lowly to herself as if she was reminding her own soul with some old decision and a far memory.
"Hmmm, I now understand your message, lone bird. No wonder you are lonely," James said as he understood why she called herself like that, as she was really lonely.
"What do you mean?" Dora again said aggressively. Before James could reply, Rigo received a transmission from outside, which he announced putting an end to this growing conflict:
"I have got a reply from your ship princess."
"This fast?" Dora said in doubt.
"The transmission time between here and our people out there takes hardly anytime at all," Rigo explained.
'It's not the time for the message to reach my ship that's I'm worried about, but the rapidness of their reply,' Dora whispered that to herself, and then she said:
"Tell me their reply."
Her worry and change of her mood was spotted by James and Rigo, but Rigo started to say the message he received after James nodded to him motioning him to do that:
"The Phoenix is a die-hard bird, it seeks death to be resurrected again, especially if there are many on the tree to protect or fear," Rigo then paused before adding, "this is the message I received from your ship, princess."
James noticed how angry she became, and also some fear he felt from her, which made him wonder if this ice cold princess knew what fear even meant.
"What does this message say?" James asked.
Dora glanced at him for a moment in a way which made James didn't know she was about to strike his neck or give him a hug, then she looked away and said:
"They aren't coming."
James wasn't satisfied by this short answer of her so he asked again:
"Can you explain what happened? Aren't they your men? Did Rigo perhaps target another ship?"
"No, the message was sent to my ship, but…" Dora said and paused as she was hesitating.
"But what?" James pressed further on this point, as he wanted to know what was going on up there. Dora turned to look at him, and this time he saw a worry sad look over her face, which was strangely alluring at this moment.
"They aren't alone in the ship," She again replied briefly.
"Is it your mother, the queen?" Rigo asked.
"No, it's not her, it's… it's something else," Dora again paused while explaining, which made James feel she was trying to evade even thinking about who was there. He didn't know her well, but he knew what would put her in such a state.
"Touchy as ever, why don't you just say it's the Immortal?" James expressed his thoughts calmly, but he was met by a fiery look from her, a look of anger and deep hatred.
James knew she wasn't feeling this way towards himself, but towards that enemy. So to avoid any more unneeded dispute at this critical moment, he added:
"The possibility of the presence of this murderer aboard your ship is dangerous, and also it makes sense. He is there to guard against any intervention to his plans, like what we are trying to do now."
His words managed to bring some senses back to Dora, who took a deep breath and controlled her hatred while saying:
"You are right, he is there to prevent anyone from finding that device of his."
"Should I send an order for our troops to head to the princess ship and capture it?" Rigo suggested.
"No!"
Both James and Dora replied instantly to his words, which was the first they both agreed upon since meeting each other. Rigo felt strange to their reaction, as James explained:
"You saw what that Immortal was like, we can't just throw our people like this, he will kill them all."
"If he sensed danger, he won't hesitate to destroy his device and so all of this would be for nothing," Dora said, then she looked at James as she said:
"This is a one man job, so I will handle it."
"I'm not sure I can agree on that," James replied as he stood to block the road of her towards the outside as he added:
"You have a grudge against him, so I can't guarantee you will do your job and search for the device."
"Do you doubt my judge on things?" Dora didn't back down an inch, instead she moved a step forward and nearly was face to face with James, who was feeling some tension but he didn't accept to lose to her as he replied:
"I'm worried your inner feeling would cloud your judgment."
Dora kept silent for a moment before saying:
"If you feel so, then come with me and help me not to be misled."