Page 120 of Dark Water Daughter

My lips twitched as I suppressed an idiotic, wild grin. “Same to you. You went overboard?”

“Nearly.” Her hand left my arm. “I hit the water, grabbed a line and climbed until I was aboardDefiance. Demery came alongside and rescued as many as he could, but with those swells and theiceberg…”

We both lapsed into silence. At the table, the Usti woman with Demery had begun to explain her people’s lore about the shipwrecks north of the Stormwall.

Fisher and I held back for another moment. I opened my mouth to say something more, but what?I am just so glad you are alive, Fisher? I cannot face this without you, Fisher?

“Ellas’s Stormsinger is dead too,” Fisher said, cutting off my thoughts. She started to step towards the table, then murmured to me, “You’d better find Mary Firth, or else we’re never getting home.”

Mary’s name came with a haze of power. I slipped my hand into my pocket and closed my fingers around the Mereish coin for long enough to extinguish the pull, then let go. “I will.”

She nodded and we joined the council.

“Defiancehas been destroyed andHartis down a mast, with other damage besides. It seemsclear—myship is the only one fit to sail,” Demery declared. “I’ll do some minor repairs and depart as quickly as possible, likely tomorrow.”

“To do what?” Ellas wanted to know, eyeing the pirate skeptically. “Pillage those wrecks, no doubt.”

Demery gave her a highbrowed look. “How presumptuous you are. I will find Lirr, whereupon I shall return and we can devise a strategy to bring him down. There will be no pillaging until matters with Lirr are well in hand.”

“Well.” The Navy captaintsked and looked at Fisher, including the other woman as she said, “Captain Fisher and I have come to a similar conclusion. However, we will be joining you in your cruise, Captain Demery.”

On one side of Demery, the Usti woman cleared her throat. On the other, her big male companion decided now was a good time to pick at hisfingernails—exceptfor the last two fingers on his right hand, which were missing at the knuckle.

“You don’t agree?” Fisher asked the Usti.

“Small crews are best to scout,” the Usti woman said, her accent smooth. “There are many ships here, yes, but one moving? It will be obvious. Also the water is very dangerous, with many shallow areas, and many ways will be blocked with ice. It would take much time to navigate.”

“Which is why you’re here,” Demery pointed out, measuring the woman. “To predict our path.”

Predict? I looked at the Usti woman more closely. Was she a Sooth?

She smiled wanly. All eyes had turned to her and she introduced herself. “I am Olsa Uknara, Sooth. The beard is my husband, Illya. Voyager.”

The beard left off picking at his nails and smiled at the assembly.

Sooth. I must have stared at her a bit too long, for she caught my eye and delivered me a subtle,what-do-you-want-boy, expression.

“We only have one longboat,” Demery pointed out.

“We go with feet,” the bearded Usti man spoke up now, lacing his fingers across his belly and leaning back in his chair. His accent was stronger than the woman’s. “And use a small boat like ferry, portage on land. We can bring bigger force this way.”

“We will sail with theHarpy,” Demery said flatly, glancing between the two. “That’s my decision. Will you be with me?”

Olsa relented with a shrug and Demery started to speak again. But as she sat back, Olsa caught my eye a second time.

The Other tugged at me. I slipped just over the threshold and glimpsed herthere—outlinedin teal just as I was. Her glow was stronger than mine, though, outlined in grey and strong enough to illuminate Demery and her husband with a same pale light. Benedict was a brooding red off to one side.

Fisher dug her nails into my wrist beneath the table. Pain snapped me back to the physical world.

“I propose a joint venture,” Ellas was saying. “I and my Lieutenant Rosser will sail with Demery, along with a detachment of my armsmen and marines. Captain Fisher, you may come if you please, however I understand if you wish to remain with your Mr. Rosser to oversee repairs of your ship and ensure that we’ve a seaworthy vessel when we return. Though, given that Lirr’s own ship will be ourprize—”

Fisher released my wrist, leaving indentations from her nails. “This is my ship, Captain Ellas, and I do not appreciate any assumptions about my conduct, especially ones that are badly veiled commands. I would remind you that, at this point, you have the fewest guns to contribute to our cause.”

The hair on the back of my neck prickled. Fisher had as good as threatened Ellas.Admiration—alongwith a healthy dose oftrepidation—mademe sit back in my chair. I took my wrist into my lap, surreptitiously brushing away the indentations from Fisher’s nails.

Fisher threw her gaze around the table, meeting everyone’s eyes with the same challenge, including Benedict. “I agree with Captain Demery.Harpyshould go out to scout. I will send a contingent of my best armsmen andmyMr. Rosser to lead them. Meanwhile I will remain with my ship and my wounded, as is fitting.”

My brother glanced at me, his brows rising a fraction. We might be grown men, but our childhood knack for wordless communication was still intact.

---