Chapter 82 : Cursed Because of Me

*Jared*

Life aboard the trading vessel was… confined.

The ship was taking us up a river that went directly into the Light Realm. Eliza and I had been given a room that was normally reserved for the crew. Since they were short-staffed, we’d managed to get passage on the trading ship as crew members.

The manifest has us listed like that, so if anyone boarded or inspected the ship, we’d look like we were supposed to be there.

I stood on the deck of the ship, looking out over the river as we slowly moved against the current.

“First time?” a gruff, masculine voice asked, coming up beside me.

I glanced over at the crew member. I’d seen him around, but he hadn’t spoken to me before.

He was wearing a crew uniform, but he was practically bursting out of the sleeves with his thick arm muscles. His hair was shaggy and he had a scruffy beard.

“Excuse me?” I arched an eyebrow.