“I know,” I said.
The oceans stilled. The currents held their breath. He didn’t move. He didn’t breathe. This time, I was the one wielding the tides.
“After we’ve reclaimed the Cloudgate and restored the Dreadwall,” I whispered, each word costing me breath. “Once you’ve chosen a course for yourself, as long as that path is life, you are free to make an offer. Until then, I’ll be your kedge and your rudder.”
Oh suns, I was wielding them.
“But after that, if you do decide that youareallowed to want, and that you want me, then you need to make the offer. And you’ll need to make it good.” My voice was weak but firm. “In fact, you’ll have to cross oceans, for I am not an easy woman to catch.”
There was the slightest twitch of his lips.
“I pray, then, I’m up for the chase.”
I smiled at him, my heart at once terrified and full to bursting. And with that, I left the great cabin, and for the first time in days, I slept in my berth in the galley. Before I did, I bought Neale a ration, along with Dik and Bergy, and together, we raised it to Kit. Rum and lime, bitter and sweet.
And this time, I tasted the sweet.
Three hours later, we left the Dreadwall.
Ben had indeed found a solution, between his physiks, engineering, and a fair measure of magik, and theTouchstoneflew, still sideways but now almost level to the sea. All was white spray and white foam and white waves, and we could see nothing before or behind. I’m certain the yards dragged the oceans now and the barnacles had been scrubbed clean. I could probably catch a fish by just reaching over the side.
It was the sound that signaled it first. The roar of thousands of tons of rushing water began to change, to thin and dissipate. The spray changed next, reaching higher, biting sharper, as if there was a change of wind approaching and a war of pressure at hand.
And then it happened, just like that. One moment, we were transecting a vertical wall; the next, we were hurled out into the open air, a ship athwart over the sea. But damn if we weren’t close, and I’m sure we would have cheered had terror not stilled our tongues.
Because suddenly, everything happened at once.
“Court of Sand,Kinestorum!”
They did, their robes flying wrong ways, their feet near leaving the pup, as our descent slowed but did not stop.
“Guns, Mr. Broom!”
“Guns, aye!” And Broom pulled the horn to his lips. “Guns to starboard!”
And the gundeck thundered as all hands rushed against gravity to roll the heavy cannons to starboard. The action brought the ship’s nose up, laying her weight aft and deep.
“Drag sails, Mr. Oakum!”
“Drag sails, aye!”
A second set of sails unfurled, unlike any seen before, between the fore- and mainmast, between the mizzen and the main. I’d seen the spars and stays earlier, built in two hours by Ben and his crew, but had no idea what they would look like once opened. The new sails filled immediately, forming a dome between the masts, and theTouchstonecaught as if taking a great, shuddering breath. These sails gathered the wind to slow our descent. Still, the sea was coming up fast.
The ship lurched as the anchor dragged the surface, and, still sideways, our nose drew dangerously close to the waves.
“Loose anchor, Mr. Buck!” called the captain.
“Loose anchor, aye!”
And with the swift strikes of an ax, the minotaur hacked through the anchor’s cable at the cat, and the rope whipped through the hawseholes like cannon fire. The ship immediately yawed and began to roll starboard even as we fell.
“Broad sail, Mr. Oakum!”
“Broad sail, aye!”
All the sails turned, catching the wind broadside and pulling her even more starboard.
“Mr. Fahr, spin the sea!”
