“Look,” Knigh said, voice curt as he mirrored FitzRoy’s pose, “you’re being—”

Oh, gods, no. Don’t complete that sentence.

“Captain,” Vice blurted. Whatever Knigh had been about to say, it couldn’t end well. She smiled at the pair of them as they tore their gazes apart, blinking at her. “When I was walking around the island this morning, I spotted a wreck not far from shore a couple of coves away. Thought I’d investigate. I was looking for Saba but can’t see any sign of her. Do you know where she is?”

Fitz shrugged. “I sent her with one of the foraging parties. You’ll have to find someone else to take with you.”

Vice huffed—foraging? She’d be gone all day. Precious few of the crew could swim. “She’s the only one who’s a strong enough swimmer to dive a wreck. I’ll go on my own, then.” She turned away and started north towards the other cove.

“You’re not going alone,” Fitz said.

In the same moment, Knigh said, “I can swim.”

Vice spun on her heel in time to see them blinking at each other.

Fitz’s mouth lifted in a sharp smile. “Here, you have your help. Blackwood, I’m sure you won’t mind accompanying Vice. I suspect the pair of you will be gone the rest of the day—we’ll manage without you.”

He was offloading Knigh on to her again. Well, if it meant the two of them didn’t tear chunks out of each other in this stupid power struggle, then fine. “Come on, Knigh.”

Jaw tense, he watched Fitz a few seconds longer. “Very well.” Moving stiffly, he tore himself away from Fitz and followed her.

They fetched a couple of net bags that they slung across their bodies together with a canteen of water and headed north.

“That story you’ve been telling the crew,” he said as they skirted the border between rainforest and beach, careful to avoid manchineel trees. “It sounds a lot like The Baron of Monté Alba.”

“You recognised that then?” Scoffing, she stepped over a trailing root. “I never claimed the stories were original. Many of the crew can’t read—would you deny them a ripping yarn simply because of that?” She gave him a sardonic smile. “Not everyone grows up with the privilege of a gentleman’s education, Lord Villiers.”

His gaze snapped to her, and his lips tightened for a second. “And what about a lady’s education?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

Touché. She snorted and pushed on until her breaths were too heavy for talk.

By the time they reached the cove, she was bathed in sweat. She stopped at a fallen log at the edge of the beach and took a long draught of water before offering Knigh the canteen.