I looked back to the window, but West was gone, the darkening street empty. I followed the man to the back of the tea house, where a thick damask curtain was drawn over a private booth. He pulled it back and Holland looked up, her silver hair pinned in beautiful, smooth curls that spiraled away from her face like gentle waves.

“Your guest, madam.” The man bowed his head a little, not meeting Holland’s eyes.

“Thank you.” The same disapproval hung in her expression as she looked me over. “Didn’t bother to clean the sea off of you, I see.”

I slid into the booth across the table from her, trying to be careful with the velvet. I didn’t like this. I didn’t like what she was doing by bringing me here, and I hated that I felt small. I set my elbows onto the table, leaning toward her, and she grimaced at the sight.

The server reappeared with a tray set with two decadent cups. Their rims were studded with blue diamonds and inside, a clear liquid made the silver look like it was melted. The man gave another bow before he disappeared.

Holland waited for the curtain to close before she picked up one of the cups, gesturing for me to do the same. I hesitated before I lifted it from the tray.

“A toast.” Her cup drifted toward mine.

I tapped the rim of my glass to hers. “To what?”

But she looked at me ruefully, as if I were trying to be funny. “To our partnership.”

“Partnership suggests equal power,” I said, watching her take a drink. Her lips puckered as she swallowed, setting the cup back down gingerly.

I took a sip, swallowing hard when the burn of it lit in my mouth. It was disgusting.

“Tomorrow.” She changed the subject and I was grateful we weren’t bothering with pleasantries. She was my grandmother, but I wasn’t a fool. I’d worked my way beneath her thumb the same way West had with Saint. If a single thing went wrong at the Trade Council meeting and she discovered what I’d been up to, the entire crew would find the same end that Zola did. Their bodies would be dumped in the harbor and the Marigold would be taken apart or sailing under Holland’s crest.

“Everything’s in order,” she began, folding her ringed fingers together in front of her. “The Council will open the floor for trading business and I’ll make the proposal, introducing you as the head of my new trade route in the Narrows.”

“What makes you think they’ll vote in your favor?”