Cruise of Shadows

By Katheryn Kaufmann

Dive into the heart-pounding mystery of "Cruise of Shadows," where the high seas hold secrets deeper than the ocean itself. Emily Parker's dream graduation cruise aboard the luxurious St. America High School liner turns into a nightmare when a chilling incident unfolds—a body plunges into the icy embrace of the Atlantic Ocean right before her eyes. Was it an accident, or is a murderer lurking among the passengers?

With the ship's records confirming no one missing and the captain dismissing her fears, Emily finds herself alone in her quest for truth. Undaunted, she embarks on a perilous investigation that uncovers a web of deceit and secrets swirling beneath the deck. As she navigates through the murky waters of trust and betrayal, Emily realizes that the serene voyage meant to celebrate the end of high school is morphing into a sinister plot of revenge.

But Emily isn't completely alone; Peyton Reed, her notorious nemesis and the most unbearable passenger, becomes an unlikely ally. Together, they must solve the mystery before the cruise reaches its final destination, or risk their secrets—and lives—being swallowed by the deep.

"Cruise of Shadows" is a gripping YA thriller that invites readers on a treacherous journey through suspicion, alliance, and intrigue in the vast, unforgiving ocean. This novel will captivate you from the first wave of suspense to the last whisper of the sea breeze.

Will Emily uncover the truth before it's too late, or will the shadows claim more than just her dreams? Step aboard the "Cruise of Shadows" to uncover a story of survival, courage, and unexpected friendships that will leave you breathless until the dock.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katheryn Kaufmann
• Release date: Mar 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224790036

Katheryn Kaufmann

Katheryn Kaufmann, born on September 27th, 1993, in the picturesque town of Gelsenkirchen, Germany, emerged as a literary luminary from a lineage steeped in storytelling. Influenced by her grandmother's enchanting tales, Katheryn's early years were marked by a deep connection to the magic of narrative. Her works stand as a testament to the enduring power of words, inviting readers to embark on literary adventures where imagination knows no bounds. Beyond her literary pursuits, Katheryn is a lover of art, music, and a dedicated traveler who finds inspiration in the diverse landscapes that shape her narratives.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

December 29, 2023.

Emily Parker was about to throw Peyton Reed overboard.

The St. America graduation cruise was supposed to be the highlight of her high school years. She had spent the last year alongside her best friend, organizing the best suppliers, decorators, and chefs to make the event unforgettable—and Peyton Reed had ruined everything in a single morning with her presence.

She took a deep breath, considering that if the mysterious redhead were to somehow trip and fall from her suite at Serenity Voyager straight into the shark-infested waters of Recife, she might be considered a suspect in the crime.

She turned her back on the group of students as one of the girls from the swim team popped a champagne bottle, splashing the main deck. They hadn't even waited for the ship to set sail and were already yelling like animals, turning the vast space of the vessel into pandemonium.

The sea breeze tousled her hair, tossing the voluminous curls in front of her face. Emily adjusted her locks and walked across the deck, descending the stairs to the ship's entrance, where the last passengers were boarding.

Beatriz was talking to one of the staff at the entrance and smiled at her, waving in her direction. Unlike Emily, who had been struck by a sudden bad mood upon realizing that Peyton hadn't, like, had a stomachache and missed boarding by chance; her friend was radiant, moving among the staff and giving orders as she liked to do.

Which was a relief, she had to admit.

A part of her was less irritated seeing Beatriz happy. She didn't know what was going on in her personal life because it was difficult to access the girl's privacy and get her to admit that she was going through a rough patch, but she had noticed small signs over the past year that had put her on alert—her friend's grades had plummeted, she skipped classes she used to love, and she even quit the swim team claiming she was too busy with her French classes.

She considered that Beatriz's parents might be getting divorced, but that wasn't the case. The Trajano family remained intact, which was great, because their marriage had a beautiful story—Emily even got emotional when she remembered that Beatriz's mother worked at the Trajano cruise company before meeting her husband, it was a Titanic vibe, but without the shipwreck and poverty, just the romance. If they were going through a divorce, she might as well give up on love altogether.

Everything going as planned? Beatriz asked, approaching with a smile and her new Hermès bag she had received from her father a week earlier. We're about to close the boarding. No one's missing. All aboard.

She wanted to say that everything was wonderful, except for Peyton's presence, but she swallowed hard and smiled. She wouldn't ruin that special moment because of the redhead.

Upstairs has already turned into a party, her eyes drifted from Beatriz to the port, where some of the students' relatives gathered at the entrance to say goodbye and watch the ship set sail. Did your parents come?

Oh, no, the girl shrugged. They're in New York, but they wished you a safe trip and sent you a kiss!

Emily nodded, feeling a bit sad for her. Although not showing it, she was sure her friend would prefer them to show up to say goodbye rather than giving her a new Hermès. She let out a soft sigh, some people had a confusing way of showing love—like putting your name on a ship as a tribute and spending rivers of money on foreign brands.

Beatriz excused herself when the ship's captain called her with a wave. She watched her friend walk towards the boy and took the opportunity to analyze how he seemed too young to hold such a high position. Her friend had told her something about choosing the captain for his proximity and trust—they were afraid of the atrocities that a bunch of rich teenagers could do on a five-day cruise and how it would reach their parents' ears—but Emily would have been a bit more resistant if she knew she would choose an amateur for the role.

She felt her arm being pulled and turned abruptly towards Raquel, who had grabbed her with a mischievous smile on her lips.

I have some gossip for you, she whispered, leading Emily away from the ship's gangway.

The staff was already starting to collect it. Boarding was officially closed.

Can't wait, she quipped, rolling her dark orbs.

Raquel gave her a light push, and Emily dragged her dark eyes over her body, noticing that she was wearing the denim overalls she had given her for her birthday. She was right about the gift, it matched her dark brown hair, light brown skin, and that country girl air she had inherited from her family—although she doubted she had ever set foot on a farm in her seventeen years. The 'farming' was only in her bank account.

It was strange to think that most of St. America's students had no interest in their parents' work or where their fortune came from. Except for her and Beatriz, Emily thought no one in the graduating group wanted to pursue the family business. Maybe the idea didn't sit well with her because she never considered there was another 'option.' Being a doctor and later the director of the Parker family hospitals was like a destiny she had been molded for since childhood.

So, about the gossip, Raquel dragged her to the main deck and then to the ship's railing. You know the Hermès bag Beatriz got?

Yeah, what about the bag?

Emily looked towards the port of Recife, searching for her moms among the small crowd of people. The ship was tall, but not enough that she couldn't see them from where she stood.

She still couldn't believe Beatriz had convinced her parents to provide one of their most expensive vessels for the graduation cruise. It was a boat too big for the number of passengers.

The bag, her friend approached, whispering softly, it's fake.

She furrowed her brow and turned to her, a bit confused and disappointed. That was the gossip she had been building so much suspense for? Boring.

Although it was, at the very least, curious that Beatriz was using a fake bag. Rich people buy knockoffs all the time, but the Trajanos weren't just rich, they were heirs to an empire that spans generations. Her mother always said that what they had wasn't just wealth, but tradition, status, a name, and an image to uphold—they were similar to the Parkers in that regard.

How do you know? she asked.

I saw it, Raquel clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. With my own eyes. Checking if a bag is original or not is kind of my hobby. It's a good replica, but it's still fake.

She wrinkled her nose, not quite sure how to react to that information. It wasn't a big deal if the bag was indeed fake, but Raquel made it seem like the end of the world in a way that made her uncomfortable to tell her that it didn't matter whether the piece was original or not.

She let the subject fade away, and shortly after, her friend's attention was taken by the students who approached the ship's railing to say goodbye to their families. She looked for Beatriz, feeling like she needed to be by her side so she wouldn't feel so alone, but there was no sign of the girl on the main deck.

Only Peyton and her coppery hair, laughing loudly and leaning over the railing to wave towards the small crowd at the port of Recife.

Emily spotted the two mothers of the redhead down there, blowing kisses and hearts to their daughter. She noticed that beside them were her own mothers, arms intertwined, a bit more restrained in their displays of affection. They both smiled when their daughter's gaze met theirs and blew her a kiss, murmuring something to each other before chatting with Peyton's mothers.

The brief interaction between the families made her roll her eyes. As the only two lesbian couples in a school of rich, white, and elitist people, it was obvious that their mothers and the redheads would end up becoming friends—and for a long time, when they were kids, they tried to get the daughters to bond as well. Unfortunately, Peyton was unbearable and Emily had a superiority complex.

The ship's engines started up, and slowly they began to distance themselves from the port. Applause, whistles, and shouts of we love you were lost in the sea breeze, the strong morning wind shaking the words and their hair.

Emily waved to her moms, analyzing how happy they looked seeing her there. The sun illuminated their dark skins, her mother with a deep black tone, and her 'mommie'—as she had nicknamed her when she was a child to differentiate them—with a dark brown that resembled more her own skin tone. Both illuminated by a golden light from the early morning. Their faces content with the destination their only daughter was following.

She resembled them so much, her mother's serious gaze and straight eyebrows, her 'mommie's' full lips and round chin. It was like looking at a mirror of herself older, a perfect blend of the best of each. That was both a burden and a relief because in part Emily was satisfied to be the daughter of such incredible people—competent professionals, good mothers, great friends—but another part of her feared she would never be as good as them.

Satisfying them brought her an inner peace she had seldom experienced during her life. Following what they expected was comfortable, it made her body light and her thoughts less hurried, however, in moments like that, Emily was sure she was one step away from disappointing them and ruining everything.

Watching them drift away and turn into dots amidst the port of Recife, she felt it would be easier to drown in the surrounding ocean than to meet all the expectations placed upon her role as an heir of the Parkers—maybe that was the burden of her life as a baby who had been so desired: there was too much expectation on her existence.

For a moment her chest weighed as if she were indeed underwater. Emily took a deep breath and tried to bury the feeling deep in her soul. There was no reason to lament. She was on her graduation cruise, the one she had spent sleepless nights planning every detail for, and even though she hadn't received the result of the FUVEST yet, she was sure she would get into medical school and fulfill her mothers' desire to study in São Paulo.

There was nothing to worry about.

So why did she feel like the world was about to end?

When the boat reached the open sea, far enough that they could barely see the beach, the students scattered across the deck, ready to start the day's celebrations. She took advantage of the moment alone to take a deep breath once again and closed her eyes, letting the sea breeze touch her dark skin, shake her curls, and allow the smell of the ocean to enter her nostrils and permeate her body.

She couldn't forget that those five days were supposed to be a celebration. The end of a cycle. In three days, it would be New Year's Eve, the night of the graduation ball, and when the fireworks painted the sky, Emily needed to feel like she was living the best phase of her life.

She would never be seventeen again and would be finishing high school—her moms made it clear that morning, while having breakfast, that this was the time to enjoy before moving on to adulthood, even though she was terrible at being a normal teenager. She was too controlling for that.

Her 'mommie' always said that Emily was a teenager with an old soul and that it was their fault for being too homey. They set a bad example—even though her mother was a party animal when she was a teenager and constantly bragged about it.

Emily let out a weak laugh remembering their arguments and opened her eyes, only then realizing that Peyton was beside her, her head tilting to the left while her coppery hair was shaken by the wind and her light brown eyes carefully analyzed her.

Without any shame of being caught, the redhead smiled and turned away, leaving her alone.

There was no chance that this cruise would be peaceful.

Not with Peyton on board.

CHAPTER 2

The sunset at sea was indescribable.

Emily scrutinized the view meticulously, attempting to remember in a few months the sun setting among the waves. She was certain her memory wouldn't do justice to the image of the waters merging with the blue of the night, the orange, pink, and yellow painting the clouds until it became a mere dot on the horizon.

One of the few advantages of the ship's grandeur was that the chaos couldn't reach her. She could appreciate the view without any trouble, delighting in the silence of the water hitting against the hull of the vessel while the reception party commenced on the main deck.

She let out a long, frustrated sigh. She had spent so many nights planning those five days of travel that now they had arrived, she was tired. She wanted everything to be perfect, but since the moment she stepped onto Serenity Voyager, things were slipping out of her control—whether it was some missing decoration, wrong drinks, or Peyton's presence.

She stared at her violin left on top of the bed next to the book she brought to read. A half-empty glass of caipirinha sat on the bedside table, and her eyes wandered around the impeccable ambiance of one of the most expensive suites in Beatriz's family cruise company, a part of her wishing to be locked in her cabin for the rest of the night.

Until heavy knocks resounded on the door, disrupting her peace.

Emily threw the cell phone—useless without internet connection or signal—on the bed and went to the door, not at all surprised to find Beatriz standing outside.

I didn't give you one of the best cabins for you to hole up in it for the next five days, her friend said, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe. What are you running away from?

I was hoping if I delayed a little longer, I wouldn't have to partake in the humiliating part where we play truth or dare just to gather the courage to kiss each other.

Beatriz let out a weak laugh and rolled her eyes. Her gaze wandered down the hallway, and for a moment, Emily thought she had lost her again—she was becoming increasingly absent-minded, quiet, thoughtful. It didn't match at all with the clueless and impulsive girl she had met when she first entered the St. America.

Well, you've already missed that part, but rest assured that later on there'll probably be two or three more rounds of truth or dare, her smile reappeared, as if she had remembered why she was there. Now, you're coming with me. No option.

She let out a dramatic sigh and went back into the room to grab her glass of caipirinha before following her friend through the ship's corridors. Beatriz began talking about the decoration choice and how she and her mother had thought of bringing luxury and traditionality into Serenity Voyager. Emily had already heard a million times about the choice of that vessel and how, personally, it was very important to her friend that the party be held there—even though Emily thought it was an exaggeration of immense proportions.

Deep down, she just wanted to make Beatriz as happy with the graduation cruise as she was, so it didn't matter much. Besides, it was cute how she was becoming increasingly involved in the family business, being part of the decoration planning, the menus, and feeling like part of the Trajano legacy.

That cruise held a special meaning for her friend. If they were successful, maybe she would secure an official place in the company the following year. Although Emily was certain that, regardless of the outcome, her parents would find a way to involve her in the family business, because, out of the couple's four children, she was the only one truly interested in what they did and not just in the money generated.

They were reaching the main deck, her friend finishing recounting the latest updates from the party: who had kissed whom, who had already vomited horribly, and who was hitting on her and would soon be getting dumped, when the blaring funk started to become almost unbearable. Even the fish must have been hearing it from the depths of the ocean.

An irrational part of Emily worried that someone would complain about the racket, but then she remembered where they were, and her shoulders relaxed. She made a motion to sigh, but the air got caught in her throat the moment her eyes landed on Giovanna's sleek hair, swaying back and forth with each movement.

What is she doing here?

The words came before she could think. Beatriz frowned, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips.

Peyton is my friend, Emily, she retorted, a hint of irritation seeping through her words. You know that she's not...

I'm not talking about her, she interrupted, shaking her head in denial. Her heart had started racing in her chest, anguish spreading across her skin. I'm talking about Giovanna. Her lips trembled as she spoke the name. Emily swallowed hard. She's not graduating with us.

Ah. Beatriz twisted her face again, but now there was confusion in her eyes. I added Gio to the list last minute. She spent most of high school with us. It's fair, isn't it? I don't know, I felt sorry for her.

Emily nodded, trying not to let on how much Giovanna's presence was a blow to her. She couldn't blame her; Beatriz couldn't have known what the girl would cause her being on that cruise, she had never told