“Um, yes.Mostly.I’ll finish them by tonight.”
“After you’re through patching my deckhands.”
“Obviously, captain.”
Vance made a noise in her throat.“Boatswain, you’re comin’as well.”
Zaria blinked.“Me?I just keep the rabble in line.”
“Nonsense.Boatswain’s a hard post, and you’ve taken well toit.I’ve got nothin’ but praise for your efforts.”
Zaria tried not to look pleased.
“Seems also,” Vance added, “that you’ve been helping mynaturalist quite a lot, as it happens.”
“I aid him on his journeys landside, aye.You gave me leaveto do so.”
“Well, forgive my noticing, but it must be you two areworking close.On return, he’s always got your scent.”
“Couldn’t be mine,” Zaria replied, casually.“Must be all them funny creatures he’s rubbing against.”
“Oh, it’s yours.You are quite distinct, in that regard.”
Isaac cleared his throat.
“Well,” Zaria said again, “we bundle a tent, now and again.It’s just prudence.Gotta pack light and such.”
The otter nodded.“He always seems sore, as well.”
“It’s rough out there, capt.”
“Sore in the groin, I mean.”
“He’s just sore from all the hiking.”
“Ah,” Vance said, deadpan.“Well, I’m sure my boatswainknows I keep a strict ban on fraternizing between officers.”
“That only applies while underway, as I understand.”
“Aye.That’s so.Whatever happens off my ship is not myconcern, especially when your labor remains impeccable.”
Zaria slid an arm over Isaac’s shoulder, pulling him to herside.“Just so, captain.”
“Right,” Vance said, as if they were discussing the weather.“Then, in that case, let’s all pretend I’m inviting you as my officer, insteadof the better half of our mage.”
“Honored to accept, then.What’re we supping on?”
“Fried manticore.”
“Lovely,” Zaria said.“If that’s all, capt, I think we’vegot our tasks to attend.”
“Right you are.”Vance looked down at Isaac.The grip of herpistol was shining as brightly as the medals on her coat.He fought in vain tocontrol his blush.“Good work, sir mage.At ease.”
She nodded at each of them and walked away, maneuveringthrough the deckhands, most of whom were still fruitlessly attempting to catchthe fire-breathing rats.At the helm, Presly and some of the leopards werefeeding rats to the cockatrice, who was flashing her scales with affection.
“Well,” Isaac said, still catching his breath.“She wasbound to find us out, eventually.”
Zaria’s grip tightened.Before he could react, he had beenleaned over the gunwale, and she was kissing him, her snout dipping sideways tobite at his lips.Everything was entirely obvious to the crew.Isaac tried toprotest, but the hyena began to dip lower, dragging a heavy tongue along histhroat, rubbing the bristles of her muscle against the freshly trimmed hair ofhis beard.
