GENUINE LIFEGUARD

They both darted their eyes to identify who it was. Zoe was cloaking under the colossal figure of Raigon. On the contrary, his brawny arm was outstretched backward to carefully hold Zoe's back behind him.

'I am not allowing another assaulter to lay his dirty hand on Zoe. She has experienced so much trouble!'

The nose of the motorboat captured the sight of Raigon. He tensed up and lengthened out his other arm on the defense of her. He was willing to do whatever it takes to pull her out of the fire.

The man operating the boat was wearing a fisherman's hat, a beige long-sleeved shirt, and dark brown pants. He was veiling his face under the distinctive hat when he entered the sacred cave.

But Raigon recognized who he was.

"Azra." He relaxed as he thrust his chin and widened his stance. And he has no one else on the private boat with him.

He turned back to face Zoe. She was staring fiercely at Azra with nervous fear and ghastly horror in her dilated eyes, and she was trembling uncontrollably.

"Calm down. As long as you're under my wing, you're protected. I'm your lifeguard, did you forget now?"

Raigon gave her his most reassuring smile. 

He sketched to her those words the first day that they met.

At that point in time, she was inquiring about his identity. And he informed her that he was the lifeguard to guise himself.

He may be using a masquerade during that time, but its official job descriptions were genuine. He was even happy to risk his life to get her off the hook of any drowning situation she was in!

"I remember now."

Zoe looked up at him as she figured out what he just said. The moment that she fondly recalled that time, her lovely lips twitched upward and smiled tenderly at him. 

She had paused for a moment before she added. "Thank you."

She then lowered her head. As soon as she flicked her hair back and elevated her head, she beamed at him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Raigon chuckled delightedly. 'Why is she now being so adorable?'

He recalled the former bubbly Zoe that he knew. It seemed to regain its extraordinary strength in this therapeutic cave and overtook the irritable side of her.

He suddenly grimaced. Just a few minutes ago they were the solitary people in the cavern and were about to enter into a deeper level.

"It was very short-lived."

But he was grateful now that Zoe could escape this enchanted island.

She was not free from imminent danger merely on the grounds that she was here. She was foreign to this hidden land.

The local citizens might think of her as an intruder, or as an instigator for another bloodbath in the secured city. They could be the ones who want to harm her.

'Unless I could find a way where she could be in here...'

He properly introduced her to Azra, who was waiting for his explicit instructions. While he was standing by, he was examining Zoe from head to foot with a wary look.

Raigon cleared his throat. "Zoe, this is Azra. He is my longtime assistant. Azra, this is Zoe. The Zoe." He presented her, emphasizing the word 'the'.

He also encountered Zoe when she initially went to the island fifteen years ago. It is possible that he just forgot what she looked like now because she was still a teenager back then.

Azra scrunched his forehead. The thought that she was the 'Zoe' that his dear Crowned Prince saved then, dawned on him, he jerked up and quickly bowed to her. "Sincere apologies, my lady."

Zoe timidly curtsied back to him. Raigon snatched her hand and supported her to step down from the jagged rocks and into the boat.

She immediately obliged and instantly followed him. Raigon smirked. 'I really like the old Zoe.'

It seemed that she was more comfortable now to reveal her soft side.

Azra graciously assisted her once her foot was on it. Raigon also trod down the ragged rocks to the boat. While doing so, he detected sounds coming from the interior chambers of the cavern.

In a swift movement, he swiveled back and sought the rear end of the cavern. There was no one around. But the unusual sounds were drawing in closer and closer towards them.

He moved backward. "Take her back to Lord Howe Island immediately," he instructed Azra.

He was planning to buy time, so they could slip away. Whoever the unknown assailant is, he was clearly after her and not him.

Azra nodded in slavish obedience to his beloved master and was about to launch the boat again. However, Zoe halted him back. "Wait, come back to me alive, okay?" She asked Raigon with pleading eyes.

He gave her his most reassuring smile. "I will."

They were on that note when another peculiar sound came from the dark ends of the cavern. It was louder and noisier.

"Hurry!" Raigon shouted furiously to Azra. Azra bowed respectfully and started the boat, so they could leave the enchanted isle.

He swiftly turned back to face whoever it is cunningly hiding behind the impenetrable darkness of the mysterious cave.

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Keeping your loved ones safe from harm is one of life's greatest achievements.

- Prince Raigon

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