Ragstopper loosed its grip on the raider at the same time, dropping down into a trough, then pitching wildly as waves battered its hull. Figures appeared on the sterncastle, one taking the tiller, another crouching down beside the assassin.

Glancing up, Kalam found himself looking into Salk Elan’s dripping face.

‘He lives?’

‘Aye.’

‘We’re not out of trouble yet,’ Elan said.

‘To Hood with that! We’ve got to get this man below.’

‘We’ve sprung leaks up front – most of the marines are at the pumps.’

They lifted the captain between them. ‘And the raider?’

‘The one we hit? In pieces.’

‘In other words,’ the assassin said as they manhandled the captain down the slippery steps, ‘not what the treasurer planned.’

Salk Elan stopped, his eyes sharpening. ‘Seems we’ve slunk on the same path, you and I.’

‘Where is the bastard?’

‘He’s taken command ... for now. Seems every officer’s suffered an unlikely accident – anyway, we’ve got the other vessel closing on us, so, like I said, the fun’s anything but over.’

‘One thing at a time,’ Kalam grunted.

They made their way down through the galley and into the passage. Water swirled ankle-deep, and the assassin could feel just how sluggish Ragstopper had become.

‘You pulled rank on the marines, didn’t you?’ Elan asked as they reached the captain’s door.

‘I don’t outrank the lieutenant.’

‘Even so. Call it the power of notoriety, then – she’s already had harsh words with the treasurer.’

‘Why?’

‘The bastard wants us to surrender, of course.’

They carried the captain to his cot. ‘A transfer of cargo in this blow?’

‘No, they’ll wait it out.’

‘Then we got time enough. Here, help me get him undressed.’

‘His hands are bad.’

‘Aye, we’ll bandage them up next.’

Salk Elan stared down at the captain as the assassin pulled the blanket up around the man. ‘Think he’ll live?’

Kalam said nothing, pulling the captain’s hands free to study the lacerations. ‘He stopped a blow with these.’

‘Now that’s not an easy thing to do. Listen, Kalam, how are we in this?’

The assassin hesitated, then said, ‘How did you put it? “Slunk the same path?” It seems neither one of us wants to end up in a shark’s belly.’

‘Meaning we’d better work together.’

‘Aye, for now. Just don’t expect me to kiss you good night, Elan.’

‘Not even once?’

‘You’d better get up top, find out what’s going on. I can finish here.’

‘Don’t tarry, Kalam. Blood could spill fast.’

‘Aye.’

Alone with the captain, the assassin found a sewing kit and began stitching flesh. He finished one hand and had started on the other when the captain groaned.

‘Hood’s breath,’ Kalam muttered. ‘Just another ten minutes, that’s all I needed.’

‘Doublecross,’ the captain whispered, his eyes squeezed shut.