Ignoring that advice, Kalam went off to find the marines.

The engagement with the pirates had been fierce and short. Not only was the ship coming apart under them, but there was little fight left in the raider’s panicked crew.

‘More like a slaughter,’ the lieutenant muttered as the assassin crouched down opposite her. The two squads sat in the forward hold, amidst streams of water running down the planks, busy stuffing rags into the breaches in the hull. ‘We didn’t even take a scratch.’

‘What have you worked out thus far?’ Kalam quietly asked.

She shrugged. ‘As much as we need to, Corporal. What do you want us to do?’

‘The treasurer will order you to stand down. The pirates will then relieve you of your weapons—’

‘At which point they slit our throats and toss us overside – Imperial Writ or no, the man’s committing treason.’

‘Well, he’s stealing from a thief, but I take your point.’ Kalam rose. ‘I’ll talk with the crew and get back to you, Lieutenant.’

‘Why don’t we take down the treasurer and his bodyguard right now, Kalam?’

The assassin’s eyes narrowed. ‘Stick to the rules, Lieutenant. Leave murder to those whose souls are already stained.’

She bit her lip, studied him for a long time, then slowly nodded.

Kalam found the sailor he’d spoken with when the hold was being loaded at the Aren pier. The man was coiling ropes on the sterncastle with the air of someone needing to keep busy.

‘Heard you saved the captain,’ the sailor said.

‘He’s alive, but in bad shape.’

‘Aye. Cook’s standing outside his cabin door, sir. Wi’ a cleaver and – ask any hog – the man can use it. Bern’s blessing, I seen the man shave wi’ it once, as clean as a virgin’s tit.’

‘Who is standing in for the officers?’

‘If y’ mean who’s got things shipshape and all the hands at stations, that’d be me, sir, only our new commander ain’t much interested in jawing wi’ me. His swordsman’s come over to tell me t’ get ready to heave to, once the seas have settled some.’

‘To transfer cargo.’

The man nodded.

‘And then?’

‘Well now, if the commander’s true to his word, they’ll let us go.’

Kalam grunted. ‘And why would they be so kind?’

‘Aye, I’ve been chewin’ that one myself. We got sharp enough eyes – too sharp for them to breathe easy. Besides, there’s what’s been done to Captain. Got us a little peeved, that has.’

Boots thumped midships and the two men turned to see the bodyguard lead the marines onto the main deck. The lieutenant was looking none too happy.

‘It’s the gods’ puke all round us now, sir,’ the sailor muttered. ‘Raider’s closing.’