Because if FitzRoy deserved it, then so did he.

His throat clenched, making his breaths sharp as frost.

He should never have gone through with the stupid plan.

Cold cloaked him, as thick as the fog, tickling the back of his neck. Frowning, he paused and looked left and right—what was wrong?

No voices, no footsteps, no—

Not out there. Here. Her chest was still.

His heart squeezed like a fist had closed around it.

“Vee?” He tapped her cheek. “Vee. Vice? Avice?”

Her eyelids fluttered. “Don’t call me that.”

A heavy breath heaved from him, almost a laugh. “Well, don’t bloody die, then.”

“No plans to.” Blinking slowly, she gave a half-smile.

“You could’ve fooled me. That mist—you risked too much—”

“I got us some cover, didn’t I?”

He growled. “Only by nearly killing yourself.”

“Well, it’s done now, and I’m not dead. Considering my position at sunset, I’m taking this as a great victory.”

“We’re not out of the woods yet.” Glaring into the gloom, he ducked down a side-street—the footsteps ahead might have been civilian rather than marine, but it was best not to chance it. “We still need to get you to the inn, bathed, and dressed properly.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Dressed properly?”

“Yes. I’ve”—he cleared his throat, the words bristling—“I’ve got passage to Arawaké for myself and … my wife.” She stiffened in his arms, and he stumbled on. “And—uh—of course, she needs proper attire.”

She scoffed and tugged at his hand around her shoulder. “I think I can walk now.”

Of course, she’d want to be away from his touch as soon as possible. He set her down carefully but offered his arm.

“So”—she raised an eyebrow, a faint glint in her eyes painfully like the Vee he knew—“you bought me clothes?”

“I did.”

Chuckling, she took his arm, and they set off again, the pace so slow it set his teeth on edge.

“What’re you laughing at?” He scowled into the darkness. Gods, they’d be spotted before they reached the inn at this rate. With all this mist, he wasn’t even sure how far they were from the inn.

“The idea of the dread pirate hunter Blackwood out shopping for ladies’ clothes.” Her weak grip on his arm flexed the slightest amount. “Please tell me you bought me underwear, too.”

Teeth gritted, he paused at the intersection, checking the road sign—thank the gods, they were only a couple of streets away. “I don’t think you understand the seriousness of this situation, Vee. We’re—”