“I’m not your sheath!You’re my rod!”
He snickered.She growled.After further prompting, herelaxed on top of her, burying his cheek into her chest.Hands began to scratchhis back.He loosed a contented sigh, blowing it out to the sound of a crashingwave.But, suddenly, everything was spinning again—if he closed his eyes, thebed became a centrifuge, and the nausea grew strong.He opened his eyes, tryingto concentrate on her breath blowing through his hair.It kept him centered.
After a while, her hands stopped scratching.There weresmall intakes of breath, as if she was taking several attempts to speak.
“So,” Zaria said, drawing the word out.“Quite someshouting, there.”
Isaac’s grunt was affirmative.
“Them words all left you now, have they?”
He rubbed his cheek through fur.The grunt was moreaffirmative.
“Isaac.You shouldn’t have....”
Her sigh blew through his hair.Isaac felt a small stab ofclarity.
“Shouldn’t have done that,” Zaria said.“You shoulda signedthe contract.”
“I should’ve slapped her.”
“No, love, look—”
“The absolute nerve to think—”
“Isaac,” she said.“On the morrow, I’m going back to her,and I’ll do my damndest to beg for a new document.If she pens it, you’resigning.”
He blew a fat raspberry.
“I’ll puppet your hand, if need be.”
“Can you even spell my name?”
“Isaac,” she said, voice hard and firm.“You need to signit.She’s right.It’s the only chance you’re ever gonna have to....”Therewas another sigh.“You gonna throw this away, just like that?”
He burrowed his cheek into her chest.“I’d rather die thango back.”
“Oh, you’d rather be stranded on some foreign island,instead?”
“With you,” he said.“I’m being stranded with you.”
“Do you know the language?”she asked, exasperated.“Do yougot any idea of the terrain, the cities, how many bandits line the roads?Doyou even know the name of this place?”
“Do you?”
“That ain’t the point.”
“Isn’t it?How’re you gonna survive there?”
“I dunno,” Zaria said.“I’ll figure it out.”
“We’re figuring it out together.”
“No, you stupid cunt.I survived the street.I survived thepirate life.I’ll manage this, like I always have.You—”
“You need my help,” Isaac said.“You need my magic, you needmy reading, you need—”
Her hands pressed on his back.“I need you to sign this.Allthose things you got can be put to better purpose.You realize that?I mean,what do I got to offer?Slinging a rope, swinging a sword?It’s like she said.World’s full of my sort.I ain’t special.You are.You’ve got a chance to be inthe history books.They’ll speaking your name for centuries to come.”
