The tightness in Cali’s chest loosened by a fraction, although something in Val’s expression hadn’t eased at all.
“There’s one thing I heard about The Cruel Mistress.” Val nibbled the corner of her mouth. “ The ship made it through, but her captain was lost at sea during the battle.”
The floor tilted beneath Cali’s feet. She heard Lira’s sharp intake of breath, and then an arm looped around her, steadying her before she fully registered that she’d swayed.
Val was already hopping down from the stool, and between the two of them, she and Lira steered Cali onto it before the pantheri’s legs gave out entirely.
“I’m fine,” Cali managed, though her voice sounded distant even to her own ears. “I’m fine, I just?—”
The kitchen door banged open before she could untangle her thoughts further, and Thrain barreled through it, already mid-sentence. “Heard there was a pirate war—” He skidded to a stop at the sight of all of them crowded into the small space, and Vaskel came in right behind him, still holding the tankard he’d been polishing.
“There’s not enough room in this kitchen for all of you,” Sass snapped, though she shuffled sideways to make space.
“The Cruel Mistress is safe,” Val said quickly, before Thrain could work himself into a full panic. “She made it through the battle.”
Thrain’s shoulders sagged with visible relief, his hand coming up to rest against his chest. “Thank the kings of old.”
“But Bonnie’s missing,” Cali said quietly. “Lost at sea during the fighting.”
Thrain’s jaw tightened. Then, slowly, he drew himself up to his full height, shoulders squared. “Then we’d best get going.”
Sass swatted him with her dish towel. “Going where? What in the world are you blabbering about?”
“If the cap’s missing,” Thrain said, swiveling to face Cali, “then we’re going to help find her.” He gave a determined nod. “I’ve got plenty more secrets to barter with those greedy siren minxes if that’s what it takes to find Bonnie.”
“It’s been days since the battle,” Val said gently. “News doesn’t reach Wayside quickly, you know.”
Thrain shook his head. “Doesn’t matter.”
Cali felt strangely numb, but Thrain’s certainty sliced through her fog like a blade. She stood slowly, her legs steadier now than they’d been a moment before.
She knew, without a flicker of doubt, that if their positions were reversed and it had been Cali lost somewhere on those waters—or any member of her crew—Bonnie would tear the seas apart looking for her. There was no question, then, about what sheowed in return. The crew of The Cruel Mistress had become her crew in the short time she’d known them, and she never left a crewmate behind.
Cali met Thrain’s fierce gaze and nodded. “When do we leave?”
“You’re not going without me,” Vaskel said.
Thrain opened his mouth to protest, but Vaskel cut him off with a look. “If there’s still violence between pirate crews out there, you’ll need someone who can either talk his way past trouble or fight his way through it. And you’re not nearly charming enough for the first option, my dwarf friend.”
Bramble marched to the end of the worktable, set down the lime, and planted both small paws on his hips with an expression of stern determination.
“You should stay here,” Cali told him gently. “A pirate war is no place for a raccoon.”
Crumpet wagged a stern white finger at the raccoon in agreement, but Bramble ignored them both, crossing his furry arms over his chest.
“He’ll only stow away if we leave him,” Thrain said, and Cali suspected he was right. The raccoon had proven himself more than capable of finding his way onto a departing wagon once already.
“I guess we’d better grab our things, then,” Cali said.
“The thaw’s made the roads too muddy to travel safely by night,” Val said, and then took a gulp of chai. “You’d be wise to leave at first light.”
Cali hated the delay, every instinct in her urging immediate movement, but she knew the guardswoman was right. A wagon stuck axle-deep in mud halfway to Eldu would help no one.
“That gives me time to put together food for our journey,” Lira said, already scanning the kitchen.
“Aye.” Thrain’s gaze drifted longingly toward the tray of scones cooling near the window. “Wouldn’t say no to a few treats for the road.”
Cali looked at Lira properly then, registering the word she’d used. “Ourjourney?”
