With a stolen prince, an enemy captain, a living ship, and a traitorous “soul” still aboard, I wondered if I’d made the right choice.
What the hels was I doing on the Ship of Spells?
At some point, the hawk had stopped its mournful cries. The shanty died away, too, and I knew the watch was changing.Without them, the night sounded lost.
I turned toward the hatch but reached out gingerly to pat her rail.
“Good night,Touchstone.Dream sweet.”
Nothing.
I clambered down the steep stair to the galley corner where I’d hung my bunk. I couldn’t wait to wrap myself in canvas and darkness, if only for a short while, when a man stepped out of the shadows.
“Bluemage,” he said in a low voice.
“Neale,” I said.
“I’mmaster’s mate.”
“I know that.”
“Do you?”
Taller than me, he stepped closer, blocking the way to my bunk with his body. Two more seamages slipped in from behind—Dik and Bergy of the gunner’s crew.
“I can’t abide threats,” I growled.
“We ain’t threatening,” he said. “Just reminding you the way of the sea.”
“I don’t want your stations,” I said. “But if I did, I could take ’em. I outrank you all.”
“You play favors on this ship, and you swim with the fishes.”
He leaned in.
“Runechaser.”
I focused my thoughts to my hands and the crackling, gleaming chimeric that lived there.
His eyes flicked to my gloves.
“You can fight magik with magik,” he said. “But that don’t stop a shiv to the ribs.”
“Or a hempen hug under the boom,” said Dik.
“Tonic in your nightly tot,” said Bergy.
“Oy!” called Nanarobbin, the cook. “Knock boots on thegundeck, swabbies! Not in me kitchen!”
“Just welcoming our Blue to the crew!” called Neale, and he backed away.
“New Blue,” said Dik.
“True blue,” said Bergy.
“Black ’n’ blue,” said Neale.
Then they were gone, and I found myself wishing for Kithriit and her fearsome face.
