As far as Marin knew, nobody else was looking for Rijes Velk either.
Dax will find out where she is.
After that… after the job was complete and her family’s debt was repaid… she could take as many of these jobs as she wanted. In fact, she could make Alyssium her main source of income—then she’d have a ready excuse to visit Dax at the conservatory regularly. It was a reasonable plan. So, why didn’t that thought make her happy?
“You still working runs between the southern islands?” Tavo asked.
Marin fixed him with a glare. “Yes, I’m keeping my route.”
He held out both hands. “I don’t want it. I’m northeast now. Easier sailing and pleasanter winds. It’scoldin those islands of yours this time of year. But I did happen to find myself in your region a while back…”
She kept glaring at him. “And?”
“I took a letter that needed to be delivered—you hadn’t picked it up. Fair game.”
She wanted to snap at him, but it was true that she’d been away from her route. If one of her usuals had raised a flag and she hadn’t responded, it was fair game for any passing supply runner—that was how it worked. “Fine. And?”
“As requested, delivered it to Eano, which by the way, hasamazingweather. Also you should try the sweet-berry juice. It’s sold on nearly every corner—”
“Tavo, I don’t have all day.”
He pulled out a letter from one of his pouches. “Since Belde is on your usual route, I was hoping you could take it?” He widened his eyes as if he were a winged cat begging for a piece of fish.
She raised her eyebrows. She did plan to go back there to (hopefully) deliver news of Rijes Velk, as well as the spellbook and the gardener’s regular supplies, but he didn’t know that. “You want meto make a delivery for free after that whole speech about how no runner would do charity trips?”
“I’ll give you half the payment for delivery,” Tavo said.
“Half?”
“I took it from Eano to here.”
“And you’re unwilling to complete the job.”
He shushed her. “Not so loud. Got a reputation to protect.”
Marin snorted. Sure, whatever. “Half for me taking it the rest of the way to Belde, and half for my silence.”
“It’s not unethical to hand off a job,” Tavo objected. “Three-quarters.”
She considered bargaining harder, just because this was Tavo, but she’d already spent more time here than she’d planned to, and besides, a letter wouldn’t take up really any room inSilver. “Three-quarters,” she agreed.
He handed her payment in a pouch, and she slid it into a pocket near her belt, securing it against any pickpockets. She accepted the letter and that went into another waterproof pocket—it was addressed to Terlu Perna. She wondered who the former statue was exchanging letters with and if it was wise, but she didn’t let any sign of recognition show on her face. “Good sailing,” she told Tavo.
“Good sailing.”
She returned to the sailboat and rejoined Ree and Perri.
“Did you do it?” Ree asked. “Did you post the job for the librarian?”
“No,” Marin said. “I kept it.”
“But why?”
“Because no one else is going to do it,” Marin said.
And because she wanted to believe Dax was going to succeed.
Dax was waiting for them when they poled into the tunnel under the conservatory. He’d been sitting on a crate but he jumped up when he saw them. He was wearing a fresh tunic trimmed with braided gold on the hems, and his purple hair was washed and plaited, nolonger windswept. In other words, he looked like he did before he’d joined her crew.
