Lina roars in sudden rage and launches herself at my legs, but I kick her back, then drop to a knee and pin her to the deck by her throat.
She spits at me. I think she’d take a swing at me, too, but her arm won’t work.
I glare down at her. “Touch me again,” I say, “and he won’t have to pay me acent.”
Whatever she sees in my expression must be chilling, because fear lights in her eyes, and she goes still.
“Why should I trust either of you?” Oren says. “It doesn’t seem like the pet henchman of a nefarious prince would make a very trustworthy ally.” He sniffs and looks disdainfully at Lochlan. “And I honestly don’t know why I need to bother with a deckhand.”
“A deckhand.” Lochlan looks at me. “He thinks I’m a deckhand.”
I let go of Lina and straighten. This is the harder part of our plan to sell, but we’re halfway there. I keep my expression bored and look back at Oren. “You already know he’s more than just a deckhand, or you wouldn’t have locked him in the cell with me.”
I have no idea whether that’s true, but this kind of false praise works well at court. It makes him sound intelligent, calculating. He’s not going to denythat.
“Then what areyourskills?” Oren says to Lochlan. His voice turns suggestive, just like Lina’s was. “What didyoudo for the prince?”
Eyes flick to me before shifting back to Lochlan. No one whistles or jeers this time.
“I didn’t do anything for the prince,” Lochlan says. “I was a spy for the king.”
Complete silence. Any hint of mockery is gone from Oren’s expression. He’s regarding us steadily.
I’m mentally throwing daggers at Lochlan, warning him not to say another word.
Here’s one ofmylessons, I said to him when we were planning.The more people talk, the more it tells me they’re lying. Lies require convincing. When people are telling the truth, it’s simple.
He snorted at me.Did you learn that from interrogating prisoners?
When I said yes, he wasn’t happy.
But the lesson must have stuck, because he keeps his mouth shut.
“So the royal family of Kandala really can’t be trusted,” Oren finally says.
“They can be trusted to maintain their own interests,” I say. “By whatever means necessary.”
Oren takes a few steps closer, evaluating us both. “Fine. There’s a man in central Silvesse named Ford Cheeke. He monitors the shipping logs in and out of the main harbor. He’s well guarded, because the harbor is full of sailors loyal to Redstone. Cheeke also has a secret way to pass messages to Redstone’s people on Fairde, but we haven’t been able to figure it out.”
“And you want us to figure it out,” says Lochlan.
“Yes. And I want you to bring me his head by daybreak tomorrow.”
Beside me, I can hear Lochlan swallow, so I say, “How much?”
At my feet, Lina growls, “I should have poisoned your food.”
“You’re right. You should have.” I keep my eyes on Oren. “How much?”
“One hundred silvers.”
Someone on the deck swears, and I think I hear a whistle from someone else.
“Half now,” I say.
He bursts out laughing. “You can havetennow, just because I know you need to clean yourselves up. The rest when you come back.”
I glance around at the men and women on deck. “And I want six of your people if Cheeke is so well guarded.”
