“Two?”
“One for the surgical assist and one for, well, whatever it was you did to bring our Dev back to life.”
I cursed him under my breath but took them nonetheless.
“They’ll look good woven into your sash next to the gold.”
They would, and I looked up at him, the smile hurting my cheeks.
“Dream sweet,” I said.
“When the moons meet,” said Echo.
Smoke was snoring already.
I tucked the woolen threads into my boot and left the pit, made my way up the stepladder, pausing at the companionway to throw a glance at the captain’s door. Fahr would be there tonight, bunking with a Priestlord, while I did my damnedest to avoid an ironmage.
Yes, perhaps it was time to stop running.
Still, I was happy to find Kit that night, restless and twitchy, asleep in the bunk beneath mine.
27. The Soul
I spent the next day at the waterline again, chasing chimeric sou’east and listening to theTouchstonesing. It was amazing, songs of rune and creation, suns and moons and stars and tears. One song was about a little boy who climbed the branches of the RuneTree, and when he fell, he flew away on the wings of a hawk.
At the end of the day, I was pulled up by Buck and Smoke. It appeared I was invited into the great cabin for a meal. It was the last thing I wanted, for I was parched and bone-weary, but it was an officer’s duty, and I honored my oaths.
The table was laid with a spread of clam-and-goat pie and spanilla suet pudding, and there were more bottles open than cups to fill. Still, I found my appetite lacking despite the rich fare.
I was seated next to my mother and tried to wheedle my way into the conversations of others to avoid talking to her. Echo was his thoughtful self as he discussed politics with Liskeel, and Buck exchanged homeland stories with Tek. Smoke was sarcastic and witty and easily entertained the entire room. Thanavar wasn’t oblivious to my mother’s advances, and his eyes fell upon me many times over the course of the evening. He was exactly the type she’d always dreamed of winning—reserved and aloof but powerful and arcane, and I found my nails curling into my palms at the sound of her laugh. I prayed he was wise enough to steer clear of her claws.
Because, to be honest, the only claws I wanted on him now were mine.
But he’d been distant since the encounter with the Court. So had Fahr. Once again, I felt lost, shut out, adrift, my wayward heart carried out to sea without a plank to cling to.
Dear Worley hovered over us all like a mother hen, refilling the wine and replenishing the pudding as needed. Mine sat, untouched, on my tiny bonespun plate.
“Where next?” asked Fahr, eyes gleaming with drink.
“We will take a mooring at Lord Perry’s Island,” said Thanavar, “and will be there in two days. We can restock before we make the Sheets.”
“That thrice-cursed, crab-infested baggywinkled head?” asked Smoke, and I almost saw the ironmages smile. “There’s nothing I’d want from that tuppenny bilge.”
He took a swig from his goblet.
“That’s where fleas go to knock boots with the lice.” He waggled his expressive brows. “They make lots and lots of baby flice.”
“I need to restock the bottles, sir,” said Worley, and he chuckled. “You’re working through quite a few of them tonight.”
“It’s all good company,” said Fahr, and he raised his glass. “To a willing foe and a fine gunship!”
“To a willing foe and a fine gunship!” said we all.
My mother leaned over, her breath smelling of suet and wine.
“This is very good company,” she said. “I am proud of you, Honor. You have done well.”
I raised my glass, let it hover for a moment, sending a silent apology to Echo for the emotions welling inside.
