“It was unfounded and undertested,” I replied.“Little more than speculation.”
“How was it accomplished?”someone else asked.“Such healing is impossible.”
“It is not impossible with Mereish magics,” Benedict said.“Surely no one at this table can deny their advances now.”
“Mereish magecraft and practices are topics for another day.”Solace raised her voice to override all others.“What remains is this: Samuel Rosser, you are officially welcomed back into Her Majesty’s Royal Navy.Please give us your decision by the end of the day.Benedict Rosser, until such a time as a determination can be struck, you will have no ship.”
In my grasp, Benedict’s hand began to shake.I recognized the point he was reaching, the threshold where he would be unable to stop himself from acting, from breaking, from tearing.
But he did not topple over the edge.
“I understand,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion once more.He pried his hand from mine.“Admiral.”
Other voices spoke up, but my ears filled with a ringing, ominous hiss.The stiff back of the chair dug into my flesh as I sat, pinned to it.
“I cannot accept.”My voice was drowned by the chatter down the table, but it was loud enough for those nearest me to hear.My uncle’s sharp look and Benedict’s inscrutable stare followed me as I rose and, giving the table a shallow bow, repeated myself into a recaptured silence, “I cannot accept the commission, not from an Admiralty who violated my Stormsinger’s freedom and will continue to do so to her kind.I will not continue to fight a war with questionableroots.I will labor for what is good and right in this world, but I cannot do it with you.”
Every word was a revelation.And as they left my lips, so did a weight lift from my back.
“I remain Aeadine and an ally, no matter whose colors I sail under,” I added, locking my eyes on Solace’s.“But if anyone comes after my Stormsinger again, they will discover what it means to be my enemy.”
I turned to my uncle.“I trust thatHart’s prize money will be forthcoming?My crew will have their due.”
Admiral Rosser sat frozen, coffee abandoned between limp fingers.He subtly cleared his throat, but he could not disguise the tightness in his voice as he grated out, “You will have your lawful share.Though it may take some time.”
“Have it put in trust, accounts for each of my crew at Gawell’s in Jurry.I have already submitted my assessment and statement of shares.”I refastened the top button of my coat and nodded to Benedict, then strode out of the room.
“What did you just do?”my brother hissed as we reconvened in the hallway.Our footsteps echoed on the stone, barely dampened by thick carpets and row upon row of captured flags and complex tapestries.
“I made a choice,” I said.I grinned thinly.“They took Mary.I cannot serve them.”
“What of my situation?You do not protest that.”
I shook my head.“Ben, you are capable and intelligent, and dangerous.You have done terrible things—as have many of them.”
“So you agree with them?”He paused a breath, visibly trying to rein in his anger.“They will never give me a ship again, Samuel.I am no Sooth, but a fool could see that.I am being put off.”
We descended a staircase, at the bottom of which we waited while a stream of soldiers passed by.I considered my brother from the corner of my eye, weighing how honest I could be.In many ways,his moods felt more unpredictable since his healing, and I had yet to assess his new boundaries.
“Your corruption was healed, but your actions remain,” I said as we crossed the corridor and left the keep, circumnavigating a courtyard and heading for the main gate—down to the town, the docks, andHart.“You may regret what you did, now that you can.But feelings mean little to the world.It requires action.Restitution.”
Benedict stopped and faced me just outside of the gate, staring with such injury that I nearly regretted my words, though I held to the truth of them.
The sea wind buffeted us and, far out on the western horizon, the sails of lingering Mereish watchers stood out against a pale lavender sky.
“You believe I am incapable of doing that,” Benedict accused.
I shook my head.“No.But you need time to heal first.”
Benedict snorted.“So what do you propose I do?Take the airs in Caffith Sound?”
“Stay with me.”I started walking, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back.I elaborated: “Not as crew, just as yourself.Take time to reflect.Learn to make better choices, now that you can.”
Disgust flooded his eyes.“Oh, and you will teach me to do that, will you?Saint, you are still a self-righteous ass.What willyoudo?Bless the world with your pomposity?”
“I do not know,” I admitted, looking down towards the harbor and the distant shape ofHart.“But we cannot stay here, not with Irving on a warpath and the Navy’s eyes on Mary.Not to mention the Ess Noti’s shadow at our backs—I doubt they will relent so easily, and the Black Tide Cult is everywhere, as we have well seen.”
Benedict let me go, and, slowly, his emotion retreated behind a cool mask.He started walking, hands shoved deep into his pockets.And though we walked the same road down to the harbor, I sensed he had another direction in mind.
