Chapter 279 - The Dead through the Doorway (2/2)

Aegin followed her shaky hand to spy a young boy half hidden under the debris. He moved quickly, shifting the food, pots and trays out of the way to fish the boy out as the ship began to climb another wave.

”Look out!”

Aegin sensed it coming for him just as he scooped up the boy. He braced himself, shielding the boy.

Something heavy hit him hard in his back. The air whooshed from him, and something stabbed right through his abdomen and into the boy.

Aegin looked down in horror as the boy was woken in shock by the pain. The boy met his eyes, blood starting to leak from his lips. He can't have been more than six. To die in such pain...

Aegin didn't even hesitate.

As his fangs sunk into the boy's neck, he pushed only peace and painlessness forward. He took away the pain. Took it away and drank quickly so that the boy died quickly. As he withdrew, the heavy object that had impaled him pulling away as the ship tilted again, Aegin gasped air and felt his body desperately repairing the damage to his abdomen.

He closed his eyes as he looked down at the boy, then shifted and heaved himself over to the mother whose tears had dominated her eyes.

Aegin held the boy up, and she took him in her arms.

Aegin looked at her, meeting her gaze.

”It was painless and peaceful. I made sure,” he said.

He didn't know what it was about his words that made her believe him. But she could see in that instant that she did. His question to her was silent, and she closed her eyes in response.

Aegin leaned forward and gave her the same end.

He withdrew a minute later, l.i.c.k.i.n.g over the wound as he had with the boy to conceal his presence, then he turned away.

He didn't know how long she'd been standing there. But the horror in her eyes was plain to see right up until she met his gaze. Her words then were perhaps not as condemning as she had originally intended.

”What...what have you done?”