She tightened her arms and leant her hip against the rail. Her damn knees were already wobbling. “Well, assuming we survive this and make it all the way to Arawaké, I’m going to get my revenge on FitzRoy and everyone who’s betrayed me.” The thought was hot and bright like a brand—the only energy left in her—and it raised a smile.

“But he’s back there, he’s—”

“Retired, I know.” She scoffed, shaking her head. “Really, Blackwood, how many times do I need to tell you? I’m not a murderer, whatever you might think. If I wanted to kill FitzRoy, I’d have done it already. I had the chance. I could have killed him in his sleep, with your dagger. Kind of fitting, eh? Considering you worked together to betray me.”

She smiled cruelly, but the way he snatched his gaze away gave her no pleasure. He’d even taken the fun out of mocking him.

“No, don’t worry yourself,” she went on when he remained silent, “you haven’t unleashed a monster on the world. I’m not going to murder anyone.” She took a long, deep, cleansing breath of that sweet sea air. Somewhere in the world, Perry had to be breathing in the same air. If she was free, she’d return to Arawaké.

“I’m going to find Perry, get a ship, and take the thing FitzRoy wants most in all the world.”

Knigh’s eyebrows rose. “Gold?”

She grinned, a proper, full grin. He might have predicted her behaviour well enough to capture her, but she could still surprise him, it seemed. “Better than that.”

The skin around his eyes tightened, curious, calculating.

“This.” She pulled FitzRoy’s pouch from the front of her stays. “He hinted at what it was.” A clue to Drake’s treasure—a real clue. “I haven’t even looked at it yet, but he was wearing it as he slept, so I’m inclined to believe him.”

Knigh narrowed his eyes at the pouch, then he sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh. From the wreck? You think it’s …” He shook his head, incredulity blatant in the rise of his eyebrows. He opened his mouth but snapped it shut again in silence.

She snorted and pushed the pouch back in place. No doubt he’d been about to say again how it was all a myth but thought better of it considering her current mood. Wise man.

“So,” he said, at last, gaze drifting over the white foam kicked up behind them, “you’re still going after it, then?”

Chuckling, she shook her head. The poor man hadn’t realised, had he?

She let him squirm in the quiet as she scanned the cloudless sky, marking the fading stars—the same stars that would help guide them once they were back in Arawaké. Soon. And her strength would return over the trip. It would. It had to.