No, she knew about that idea stewing away in the back of my head. The one where once I’d gotten what I needed to know, I’d take the beast she gave me and turn him on the ship that had taken everything away. The one where I used Bao to crush the Minnow into oblivion.

The one that’s impossible now, because I care too much about Swift. I can’t take her life, her livelihood; I can’t let her family starve.

And not once in this conversation have I questioned using Bao to fight the pursuit. Not once have I doubted that I can turn my monster against the people coming to rescue me. Santa Elena has worked her magic.

“I’ll do everything I can,” I tell her, hating how much I mean it.

26

26

In the first few hours with the Otachi, I’ve been able to bait Bao into ramming the tug enough that he now associates the flashing pattern with charging. When I project out against a wave, the beams cutting into the murky ocean waters, he surges after them, throwing the full force of his body after the bright lights.

My arms are sore. I’ve been switching between them, trying to keep myself going, but by noon I’ve hit a point where I can barely lift either of them.

Swift brings down a tray of food from the mess just as the sun reaches its high point in the sky. She avoids my gaze when she hands it to me.

“Hey,” I say when she turns her back without a word.

Swift freezes. Her neck stiffens, as if the tattoo branded there has nailed her in place.

“Captain says we’ve been getting too chummy,” she mutters. “Says we shouldn’t talk as much. Says we’ll both pay if we do.”

Telling her exactly what the captain can go do seems unwise in this situation, so I simply say, “Shame,” and try to mask the fact that her words have set something boiling in my stomach. I guess there’s no need for me to be guarded on this ship anymore, not after what happened to Code. Everyone’s too afraid of the captain to try anything, Swift included.

The bruise on her face has gotten a little bit worse. It must have been fresh this morning, and it makes me wonder just how long the captain interviewed her. I want to ask her what they talked about, but she’s already through the hatch, slamming the latch in place behind her.

I eat slowly, the food tasteless in my mouth. Out across the waves, I spot Bao rising out of the water, a neocete held delicately in his jaws. Seems I’m not the only one who needed a lunch break.