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

After a day lost laboriously navigating the twisting, rock-choked passage called the Trader’s Gate, they had spent two more dodging reefs and islands, until the last jungle-crowned dome and the last volcanic smoke of the Ghostwinds had sunk beneath the horizon.

‘This is the game,’ said Drakasha, addressing the group she’d assembled on the quarterdeck. Delmastro, Treganne, Gwillem, Utgar, Nasreen, Oscarl and all the skilled mates - carpenters, sailmakers and so forth. Mumchance listened from his place at the wheel, and Locke listened from the quarterdeck stairs, along with Jean and a half-dozen off-watch sailors. If they hadn’t exactly been invited to hear the captain’s little speech, neither had they been dissuaded. There was no point, when news would travel through a ship faster than fire.

‘We’re bound for Tal Verrar,’ said Drakasha. ‘We’re going to allow our new friends Ravelle and Valora to conduct a bit of sneaky business ashore.’

‘Bounty,’ said Mumchance.

‘He’s right,’ said Gwillem. ‘Begging your pardon, Captain, but if we haul up in sight of Tal Verrar—’

‘If the Poison Orchid drops anchor, aye, I’m worth a lot of money. But if we make some adjustments to my pretty ship here and there, alter the sail plan a bit, swap my stern lanterns for something plainer and paint a false name in huge damn letters at the stern—’

‘What shall we call her, Captain?’ asked the carpenter.

‘I’m partial to Chimera.’

‘That’s cheeky,’ said Treganne. ‘But what’s the gain for the rest of us in this “sneaky business”, Drakasha?’

‘Nothing I care to discuss before the deed is done,’ said Drakasha. ‘But the gain for all of us will be substantial. You might say we’re going out with the blessing of the whole council of captains.’

‘Then why aren’t they out here lending a hand?’ asked Nasreen.

‘Because there’s only one captain who’s best at what she does.’ Drakasha gave an exaggerated curtsey. ‘Now, back to duties or to slacking, as you were. Spread the word to everyone.’

Locke was slacking a few minutes later, alone with his thoughts at the larboard rail, when Jean took the spot beside him. The sea and sky alike were bronzing around the setting sun and the warm ocean air was nonetheless refreshing after the sweaty atmosphere of the Ghostwinds.

‘You feel anything strange?’ asked Jean.

‘What, about the—Oh, you mean the poison. No. Can’t say that I feel any better or worse than I have for a while. But, ah, I’m sure I’ll try to get a message to you if I start vomiting up newts or something. Assuming you could hear anyone knocking at that cabin door—’

‘Oh, gods. Not you, too. Ezri nearly tipped Gwillem over the taffrail—’

‘Well, let’s be honest, people will notice the sort of racket that generally accompanies an attack upon the ship—’

‘And now you are about to have a sudden accident—’

‘—by Jeremite Redeemers mounted on cavalry steeds. Where do you find the energy?’

‘She makes it easy,’ said Jean.

‘Ah.’

‘She’s asked me to stay,’ said Jean, looking down at his hands.

‘Aboard the ship? Once all of this is over? Assuming there’s anything left of us?’

Jean nodded. ‘And by me, I’m sure she meant you as well—’

‘Oh, of course she did,’ said Locke, not entirely curbing his reflexive tone of sarcasm. ‘What did you say?’

‘I asked her ... I thought maybe she could come with us.’

‘You love her.’ Locke nodded to himself before Jean could answer. ‘You’re not just marking time while we’re out here. You’ve really fallen off the cliff, haven’t you?’

‘Yeah,’ Jean whispered.

‘She’s good,’ said Locke. ‘She’s got wits and fire. She has a real taste for taking things away from people at swordpoint, which is an asset in my book. And at least her you can trust at your back in a fight—’

‘I’ve always trusted you—’

‘To be at your back in a fight, sure. But her you can trust not to embarrass everyone before it’s over. You two won the day on the Kingfisher, not me. And I saw how she got kicked around - most people would have hugged their hammocks for a few days after that. She’s too damn stubborn to stop moving. You two really are a good match.’

‘You make it sound like it’s her or you—’

‘Of course it doesn’t have to be. But things will change—’

‘Change, yes. And improve. This doesn’t have to mean the end of anything.’

‘Take her with us? Three against the world? Start up the whole thing again, rebuild a gang? Haven’t we had this conversation before?’

‘Yes, and—’

‘I was doing my best impression of a drunken arsehole at the time. I know.’ Locke put his left hand atop Jean’s right. ‘You’re right. Things can change, and improve. We’ve seen it happen to other people; maybe it can happen to us for once. Soon as we finish the Sinspire game, we’ll be richer than hell and no longer welcome in Tal Verrar’s polite society. She could come with us ... or you could stay with her—’

‘I don’t know yet,’ said Jean. ‘Neither of us knows. We’ve decided to deal with the question by ignoring it for the duration of the voyage.’

‘Excellent idea.’

‘But I want—’

‘Listen. When the time comes, you make whatever choice you need to, and you don’t think about me, understand? It is a fine match. Maybe you could do better—’ Locke grinned to let Jean know that there was no actual need to knock his brains out of his skull. ‘—but I know for a solid fact that she couldn’t. Ever.’ So saying, he squeezed Jean’s hand. ‘I’m happy for you. You’ve gone and stolen something back from this whole dead-end distraction Stragos has shoved us into. Hold it tight.’

There was nothing else to say, so they stood listening to the cries of the circling gulls and watched the sun sink into the far horizon, bleeding its fire into the sea. Eventually, heavy footsteps sounded on the quarterdeck stairs behind them.

‘My boys,’ said Drakasha, appearing behind them and draping her arms across their shoulders, ‘just the pair I wanted to speak with. I’m removing you from afternoon watch duty with all the other Reds.’

‘Um ... that’s generous,’ said Locke.

‘No it isn’t. From now on, you’re detached to the carpenter’s mercy for afternoons. Since we’re slipping into Tal Verrar for your benefit, most of the alterations to the Orchid are going to be your responsibility. Painting, carving, rigging - you two will be rather busy.’

‘Wow,’ said Locke, ‘that sounds like an absolutely grand way to spend the voyage.’

It wasn’t.