‘Hurry!’
The Seaguardians are closer now, and I quickly shut the window, following Isagani’s steps. I’m too broad and tall to copy their movements.
Then the door bursts open, and a huge figure strides into the room.
chapter twenty-four
ris
For an outlaw,Finlyr is surprisingly easy to sneak up on. He almost soils his britches when I find him in the room at the top of the inn, half out the window.
‘By Aistra, I could kiss you,’ he says, leaning against the wall.
‘Well, don’t,’ I whisper, closing the door. ‘What’s going on? There’s Seaguardians downstairs.’
‘They’re here for us. Well, mostly me,’ he says, catching his breath. ‘I’m supposed to be dead.’
‘Fin!’ I hear Isagani from above. ‘I can seeSaltsweptfrom up here.’
‘Saltswept?’ I ask, joining Finlyr at the window. We can see the whole town from this vantage point, peering into open windows where other folk are caught up in their revelries, unaware of what’s going on the other side of the alleys from them. We’re sea-facing, the port stretching out with the vessels small blots on the moonlit ocean.
‘You have a ship,’ I say.
‘Can we talk about this later?’ Fin pleads, starting to crawl out of the window.
‘Not so fast,’ I say, grabbing his shirt. ‘How do I know you won’t disappear and never come back?’
‘I can make no promises. Right now it’s life or death, Ris.’
‘You know about my map. Do you know where it leads?’
‘The Lahon Maelstrom,’ he says.
‘How do you know that?’
‘Ris, the Seaguardians—’ he begs, tugging to free his shirt.
‘How do you know?’
A moment’s silence. ‘I’ve sailed there before,’ he finally admits.
‘Take me there.’ It’s not a question.
‘Ris, there’s nothing there but death.’
‘Yes, well, death is coming for us all.’
‘Quicker for some if you don’t let me go. The Seaguardians will be here any minute.’
‘I’ll help you get your ship back. Just promise you’ll take us to the Maelstrom.’
‘Anything to get off Paranish. It’s been nothing but trouble since I came back.’
‘Do we have a deal?’
‘Aye!’ He agrees.
‘Haul arse, then,’ I say, helping him out the window.
