“Your runescars are not shining.”
And I felt his hand on my forehead, brushing my cheek, smoothing my damp hair. His touch was music, a song I longed to sing. I just didn’t know the tune.
“What have I done to you?”
“Lost,” I said. It was hard to speak with words, not rune. “I think I’m lost.”
“Moons, what have I done?”
The muscles of his jaw rippled as he thought. He reached for the ropes that secured my hands. He burned them free and gathered me in his arms.
“It’s the mirror. She’sthe mirror, and I’m losing myself inher.” I pressed my cheek into the mast. No. It was his chest. So hard to tell. “But I love her. I love this ship, this Kirianae, this goddess whom I’ve never met. I love that I’ve now lived so many lifetimes, when I always thought I’d never really live one. But I’m almost spent, and I don’t know how tobeanymore. I don’t know who I am. And I think—”
My words failed. My breath caught. It took everything that was left inside me to finish.
“If I’m going to die from this chimeric, I want to die as me.”
Thanavar stood in front of the mullioned windows, staring out at the sea. He did not turn.
“TheRhi’Ahrhave taken the Cloudgate.”
They said nothing for a long moment.
“Did you scry the island?” asked Dev.
The captain nodded.
“TheMarelethanis refitting and taking on chimeric,” he said.
“Just theMarelethan?” asked Echo.
“Just,” said Thanavar.
“Hm,” said Echo, and he frowned.
“Well, maybe that’s a good thing, then,” said Smoke. “Considering the alternative.”
I didn’t know what they were talking about, but I wasn’t surprised. I was half ship, half bird. I didn’t know where the chaser came in.
“They have set upnialynall around the island,” said Thanavar. “The land is frozen, the trees dying.”
“TheRhi’Ahrbring winter,” said Dev. “You always told me that.”
“It’s our way,” he said.
He turned now. He looked weary, his hair wild, his cheeks so gaunt. His eyes swept across those assembled, except for me.
“The ship herself is anchored with a skeleton crew,” he said. “The rest are on the island, so once we land, we can sink her or take her a prize.”
“Land?” asked Smoke.
“Weareflying,” said Dev.
“We’resailing,” said Smoke. “Sideways, yes, but still. It’s strange to call it landing.”
“That’s magik for you,” said Buck.
“Regardless of what we call it,” said Thanavar, “we will need to make short work of her before her crew returns. Mr. Fahr, I need you, Mr. Broom, and Mr. Oakum to work out how you will make this happen, given the fact that we may not be fit to fight off a healthyRhi’Ahrcruiser.”
