Red Seas Under Red Skies: The Gentleman Bastard Sequence, Book Two (Gentleman Bastards 2)

‘You’ve had a long day, Lieutenant.’ Jean smiled.

‘Jerome,’ she said, reaching out to set a hand upon his right forearm, ‘if you call me “lieutenant” again tonight, I’ll kill you.’

‘As you wish, Lieu . . . La . . . something-other-than-“lieutenant”that-starts-with-“lieu”, honest . . . Besides, you already tried to execute me once this evening. Look how that turned out.’

‘Best way possible,’ she said, now leaning against the rail beside him. She wasn’t wearing her armour, just a thin tunic and a pair of calf-length breeches without hose or shoes. Her hair was free, waves of dark curls rustling in the breeze. Jean realized that she was putting most of her weight against the rail and trying hard not to show it.

‘Uh, you got a little too close to a few blades today,’ he said.

‘I’ve been closer. But you, now . . . you’re . . . you’re a very good fighter, do you know that?’

‘It’s been s—’

‘Gods, how wretched was that? Of course you’re a good fighter. I meant to say something much wittier, honest.’

‘Then consider it said.’ Jean scratched his beard and felt a warm, welcome sort of nervousness fluttering in his stomach. ‘We can both pretend. All of the, um, effortlessly witty nonsense I’ve been practising on the barrels in the hold for days has taken flight, too.’

‘Practising, hmmm?’

‘Yeah, well . . . that Jabril, he’s a sophisticated fellow, isn’t he? Need a bit of conversation to catch his attention, won’t I?’

‘What?’

‘Didn’t you know I only fancied men? Tall men?’

‘Oooh, I kicked you to the deck once, Valora, and I’m about to—’

‘Ha! In your condition?’

‘My condition is the only thing saving your life at the moment.’

‘You wouldn’t dare heap abuse on me in front of half the crew—’

‘Of course I would.’

‘Well, yes. True.’

‘Look at this lovely, noisy mess. I don’t think anyone would even notice if I set you on fire. Hell, down in the main-deck hold there’s couples going at it packed tighter than spears in the arms lockers. You want real peace and quiet any time tonight, closest place you might find it is two or three hundred yards off one of the bows.’

‘No thanks. I don’t know how to say “stop eating me” in shark.’

‘Well then, you’re stuck here with us. And we’ve been waiting for you lot to get off the scrub watch for long enough.’ She grinned up at him. ‘Tonight everyone gets to know everyone else.’

Jean stared at her, eyes wide, not knowing what to say or do next. Her grin became a frown.

‘Jerome, am I . . . doing something wrong?’

‘Wrong?’

‘You keep sort of moving away. Not just with your body, but with your neck. You keep—’

‘Oh, hell.’ Jean laughed, reached out to put a hand on her shoulder and felt himself burst into an uncontrollable twit-grin when she reached up to hold it there. ‘Ezri, I lost my optics when you . . . made us swim, the day we came aboard. I’m what they call near-blind. I suppose I didn’t realize it, but I’ve been fidgeting to keep you in focus.’

‘Oh, gods,’ she whispered. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be. Keeping you in focus is worth the trouble.’

‘I didn’t mean—’

‘I know.’ Jean felt the anxious pressure in his stomach migrating upward to fill his chest, and he took a deep breath. ‘Look, we almost got killed today. Fuck these games. Do you want to have a drink with me?’