She quashed her flashing panic, and instead of struggling against the entire bulk of Tassos as he certainly wanted her to do, she unsheathed the knife at her waist, sliding the tip into the narrow gap between the bottom edge of his doublet and the top of his pants.

Tassos stiffened as the blade bit lightly into his abdomen.

“Unless you greet everyone this way, I recommend you keep your hands to yourself.”

Caledonia added enough pressure that she felt the skin break beneath the point of her knife. Tassos, however, only grinned harder, bending his face uncomfortably close to hers.

“Give it a little push, dear,” he said, goading her. “And all my Bullets will be yours.”

“Your Bullets and your problems,” Caledonia answered. “It’s too soon to kill you now, but I will if you don’t withdraw your arm.”

Tassos laughed, a great bellowing sound that echoed across the deck in the mouths of his Bullets. But he released her and stepped away without any indication that her knife had cut as deeply as she knew it must.

“I can see why my brothers like you.” The words were offered in the vein of a compliment, but they sounded more like an insult.

“I can see why they don’t like you,” she countered, and this time, his bullish smile turned sour on his face.

“Cepheus, let’s move!” Tassos barked.

Caledonia turned to confirm the rest of her team was aboard the Deep Cut. Pisces stood nearest. She bore an expression of cold malice, one hand resting on the grip of her gun. On top of that hand was Oran’s, fingers glinting with silver splints as he prevented her from shooting the Fiveson. Just behind them, Sledge and Nettle stood side by side, their expressions equally stormy.

“Make ready,” Cepheus called.

Across the water, Tin echoed the order and the griphooks of both ships rose and snapped loudly into place, leaving the Deep Cut and Luminous Wake free to sail.

“Join me on the bridge, Captain,” Tassos commanded as the ship surged forward.

“Let’s go,” Caledonia said in a low voice, giving each of her team a pointed look.

When Tassos strode across his deck the entire ship responded as though he himself was a ship in the ocean pushing waves in all directions. His crew made way or marked him warily, orbiting around him like insects circling a carcass. They eyed Caledonia and her command crew with a mix of keen disinterest and hunger. Caledonia noted the ones who seemed unable to look away from Oran. For now, they were under the protection of Tassos, but what would happen when he looked away?

The ship was similar in design to the Luminous Wake, except instead of climbing up to the bridge, they skirted around it to where the deck swept low toward the racing water. Tassos took the lead as the ship darted ahead of the fleet.