{Chapter: 359 The Island}
Jane stared at William in stunned silence, her wet hair clinging to her face. "Change back to human!" she demanded, her cheeks flushed.
William's wide turtle-like head surfaced a little higher out of the water as he smirked. "Of course I'll change back. Otherwise, it'd be very inconvenient to kiss and… fuck."
Jane gasped, eyes wide. "You're going to die one day from thinking like that! Your head is completely full of dirty thoughts."
He gave her a wounded look, dramatically placing a hand over his chest. "Dirty? Jane, kissing and sex are perfectly natural. You make it sound like I suggested sacrificing puppies to the moon. I'm genuinely disappointed in you."
"Oh please." Jane rolled her eyes. "You can't say anything without twisting it. You could make reading a book sound indecent. Hypocrite."
Without warning, Sif swam closer and gave Jane a small push toward William, her expression cold and unreadable.
"Ah!" Jane squealed, surprised by the shove. "You could've warned me!"
William immediately caught her in his arms, holding her above the waves with ease. "Don't worry. I've got you," he said softly. Jane wrapped her arms around William's neck, smiling lovingly.
Jane relaxed slightly in his hold, gazing up into his face. "It's because you've 'got me' that I'm always in danger."
William laughed, the sound warm and infectious. "That's fair. But come on, danger makes life interesting, doesn't it?"
Sif spoke from behind them, her voice calm but laced with irritation. "Do you two want to stay floating in the sea forever?"
"I am uncomfortable," Jane muttered, shifting in William's arms. "The saltwater makes everything sticky. And I'm getting cold."
"I have a solution," William said, the grin on his face unmistakably mischievous.
Jane narrowed her eyes. "No. Whatever you're thinking, don't say it. I know a dog can't spit out ivory."
"How can you judge the plan before I even say it? Maybe it's genius," William said innocently. "For example, if you just take off your clothes—"
"Go drown!" Jane snapped, pushing lightly against his chest. "I knew it. You can't go five minutes without being inappropriate."
"We should head to that island," Jane added quickly, pointing to the distant strip of land on the horizon.
Sif had already begun swimming toward the island, her strokes clean and efficient. "You two can flirt all you like, I'll see you there," she said without looking back.
William's eyes followed Sif for a moment, something unreadable flickering across his face. "She's so cold sometimes. Like the Arctic in armor. I swear, that woman needs someone to knock sense into her."
Jane smacked his shoulder playfully. "Pervert."
He turned his attention back to her, grinning. "Come on, let me be your turtle. Hop on."
Jane tilted her head, looking mock-arrogant. "You made me fall into the sea, remember? Now you have to carry me. It's the least you can do."
"Oh? That sounds like blackmail," William said, chuckling as he turned around and offered his back. "Alright, princess. I'll be your turtle taxi, but I expect a reward."
Jane rolled her eyes but smiled affectionately. "What kind of reward?"
William grinned, his voice dropping low. "Let me ride you one day."
"You giant pervert!" Jane yelped, blushing hard. "You're such a pig."
"Guilty as charged," William said cheerfully, lying on his stomach and letting her climb on.
Jane settled on his back, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, holding tightly. "This feels weird. Like I'm sitting on a very warm sea-dog."
He snorted. "Careful, you're going to hurt my feelings."
Jane giggled. "Let's go, Turtle Boy. Catch up with Sif."
William gave a theatrical sigh. "Being a noble steed is tough, but for you, I'll endure."
He began swimming powerfully, creating waves that splashed behind them. The sea danced around them like silver ribbons, sunlight glittering off the surface.
"Ah! The waves!" Jane laughed as the water sprayed over her face. "It feels like I'm surfing. Faster, William, faster!"
He grinned and picked up speed, slicing through the sea like a dolphin. "You think this is fun? Wait till I ride you, then we'll talk about waves."
Jane pinched his ear. "You insufferable flirt! Big pig-headed sea turtle!"
Ahead, Sif paused and looked back at the two, her eyes narrowed. She watched the way Jane clung to him, the way William laughed freely — and her jaw tightened. The sight stirred something inside her. Anger, yes… but also that gnawing bitterness she couldn't quite suppress. Jealousy. Maybe even longing. That should've been her, once.
She turned and swam faster, as though trying to escape her own feelings.
Behind her, William shouted playfully, "We're catching up! Sif, wait up!"
"Don't bother," Jane muttered with a teasing smile. "She's probably mad you didn't carry her like this."
William raised a brow. "I did offer once. She nearly broke my jaw for saying it."
"Serves you right," Jane whispered, resting her cheek against his shoulder, her voice soft now. "But I'm glad it's me."
He slowed slightly, just enough to glance over his shoulder at her. "So am I."
Their eyes met briefly, and in that moment, the crashing sea seemed to quiet around them.
And far ahead, Sif swam alone—her strokes steady, her face still, her heart quietly roaring with a storm she'd never speak aloud.
Sif glanced over her shoulder at the sound of laughter behind her. Her gaze landed on William and Jane rapidly gaining ground. With a soft snort, she narrowed her eyes and surged forward through the water, cutting through the waves like a spear.
"Look at that," Jane giggled, tightening her grip on William's shoulders. Her voice was light, but a twinkle of teasing shone in her eyes. "Sif's speeding up. She must really hate the idea of you catching up like this."
William grinned, his wet hair slicked back, his arms pumping like twin propellers. "She can try all she wants. But when I go after a sexy warrior, no one escapes—not even the indomitable Goddess! Lady Sif."
With a surge of effort, William pushed harder, his strokes faster, smoother—until the water split before him. Within seconds, he closed the gap.
"Hey, Sif! That was cute," he called with a smirk as he came up beside her, still carrying Jane on his back like some absurd but cheerful sea-beast. "But you're way too slow. I've only used three levels of my strength."
Sif didn't look at him. Her tone was as cold as steel. "I'm only using one."
"Oho? Still playing it cool," William chuckled. "Tell me, Sif—do you still want to kill me?"
"Yes," she said flatly. "I want to kill you. Ten thousand times. Preferably in increasingly creative ways."
"That's quite the confession," William replied with a half-smile. "And now's your best chance. I'm tired, nearly out of strength. All I've got left is this well-sculpted body. Go on—strike me down while you can."
Sif turned her eyes to him, dark and stormy. "You think I'd fall for that, you insufferable despicable villain, charlatan? Even when you're half-dead, you're still dangerous. It will be easy for you to deal with me, right? You have so many shameless means, I can't kill you at all. You twist words, trick hearts, and always come out on top."
"Oof," William placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "Wounded, right in the ego."
Jane smiled down at him, resting her chin gently on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll bandage your ego when we get to shore."
That small touch—soft and familiar—wasn't lost on Sif. Her gaze flickered to Jane's hand on his shoulder, and something unreadable passed through her eyes. Then she looked away, the waves trailing behind her like a wake of unresolved tension.
William gave a low whistle. "Careful, Sif. If you keep glaring like that, you might melt the ocean."
"Don't test me," she growled. "I told you I'd follow your command. I never said I'd enjoy it."
"I admire that kind of loyalty," William declared, raising his voice dramatically like a victorious king. "In fact, I love it!"
Jane yelped at the sudden volume. "Could you not yell in my ear, turtle boy?"
He turned his head to grin at her. "What? Don't you think declarations of love should be shouted across oceans?" He inhaled deeply and bellowed: "JANE, I LOVE YOU!"
The cry echoed out over the water.
Jane flushed. "You're ridiculous," she mumbled, her lips twitching into a smile. "But... I kind of love you too."
Sif clenched her jaw. A stab of something hot—jealousy? longing? regret?—twisted in her chest. She forced herself to swim harder, refusing to look back.
A few minutes later, the sandy shoreline of the island came into view.
"We're almost there!" Jane pointed ahead excitedly. The shallow water kissed their knees as they stood up.
William straightened, water cascading off his body. Jane slid off his back, lingering behind for a moment, reluctant to let go.
"What a shame," she said wistfully. "I was starting to enjoy that ride."
William gave her a devilish grin. "You'll enjoy it even more when I ride you."
"Pervert," Jane laughed, smacking his arm. "Your brain is full of nonsense."
"I prefer the term visionary."
She darted forward with a playful glare. "I'm choosing not to hear any more of your nonsense today!"
The three of them stepped onto the sand. It was warm, soft, and untouched. Palm trees swayed in the breeze, and the scent of salt and tropics filled the air.
Jane shielded her eyes and looked around. "Wow... this place is beautiful. This seems to be an uninhabited island with lush vegetation and tropical scenery. It should be an island around the equator." Jane looked around and said, "It looks beautiful. It's a good place for vacation, A tropical paradise. It's like something out of a dream."
"It is," William said, spreading his arms wide. "We're on a vacation. A little break from the chaos."
Sif remained silent, her eyes scanning the island with a warrior's instinct, not a tourist's wonder. "We don't know what's on this island," she said coolly. "Don't let your guard down."
"Always the buzzkill," William sighed. "Fine, let's look around and see if it's inhabited. If it's not—" He raised his hand theatrically to the sky, "—then I, William the Glorious, claim this island as my personal realm!"
Jane laughed. "What are you going to do with an entire island?"
William lowered his hand and looked into the horizon, suddenly serious, his tone deep and reverent. "You wouldn't understand. This is where I build my dream… a place of peace, laughter, and—"
"Let me guess," Jane interjected, raising an eyebrow. "Your so-called harem paradise?"
He smiled. "Exactly."
Jane crossed her arms. "You are the worst. And somehow, I still love you."
That admission made William pause, warmth flickering in his gaze. "And I will make this place worthy of you, Jane. Harem jokes aside, you're one of the many I'd want beside me at the end of the world."
Sif turned away, her expression darkening. Her fists clenched at her sides, not from threat—but from emotion. She had once imagined hearing those words from him. A long time ago.
But now?
Now, she couldn't tell if she wanted to embrace him... or plunge her blade through his heart.