“Pray I do not regret this…” he said after a moment.
He released me and stepped back.
“Cease fire,” he said. “Mr. Fahr, let her go and take us in.”
“Let her go?” I asked.
“Aye, sir,” snapped Fahr. “Cease fire, lads! Take us in!”
“Let hergo?”
TheTouchstonebowed shoreward, leaning into the hot wind and the blazing docks, and theRhi’Ahrcruiser began to pull away.
“You can’t let her go,” I said.
With each crest of the waves, theMarelethanrocked farther and farther out of reach of our guns.
“Don’t take me back,” I said. “Follow them.”
Sure enough, theTouchstonewas headed for shore. I spun to face the captain.
“TheTouchstoneis fast,” I gasped. “You can catch her. You can sink her.”
He stepped in, close enough that his coat brushed my arm. “Stand down, Ensign.”
My fury sharpened, but something else cut through along with it, as unwanted as it was unwelcome.
“You don’t have to drop me at the docks,” I begged. “I’ll take the dory. Please, just catch her and sink her hard.”
“Spinners on deck, Mr. Fahr,” said Thanavar, stepping back again.
“Aye, sir. Spinners on deck!”
“For theDawn Watch!” I cried. “Just sink that Forge-damned ship!”
And I lunged forward, striking his chest with both palms, and chimeric burst in a shower of sparks, forcing him onto his heels. He snarled and, with a flare of rune, sent me hurtling backward to slam into the wood of the hatch. I struggled to my feet, but hemade a fist now, and I was caught, unable to move leg or limb, unable even to speak.
It was a bind spell. He hadn’t needed the incant. He hadn’t needed a word.
“Another outburst and she will kiss the cat,” growled the captain. “Tell her that, Mr. Fahr. TheTouchstonewon’t abide calumny.”
Fahr glared at me darkly and shook his head. I hated him then, too. Him and his captain and this Forge-forsaken ship.
Smoke moved aside as Thanavar settled to the sunswheel, his hands steady on the grip.
“Thrum, Call, and Torrent, Mr. Fahr,” he said.
“Aye, sir.” The mate turned to the bosun. “Buck, shall we dance?”
“Rain dance,” said the minotaur, and he grinned.
Buck. The minotaur’s name was Buck.
Smoke looked up at the captain and gestured to me.
“Do we really need to keep her?” he asked. “I could practically toss her to shore at this point. She’d fry up crisp like a sausage, and we wouldn’t be ferrying a Navy curse in our hold.”
“A delightful thought, Mr. Oakum,” said the captain. “But please take your place on the main.”
