“What’s that?” Yawa touched the side of her mask, adjusting optics. “There. Look.” She seized Baru’s wrist and made her point. A little rowboat had broken from the saltwater marsh and moved to cut off Helbride’s escape.

“Boat ahead!” the prow watch called. “Two women aboard! She’s flying signals!”

Apparitor sprinted forward, with Baru right behind him. “It’s not one of mine.” One woman rowed. Another had been shackled to the boat’s rear bench—a prisoner. “I don’t know those codes. Get some crossbows up here and kill them.”

“Wait!” Baru stole his spyglass. “Wait, I know her.”

The rowing woman was Iscend Comprine, Hesychast’s Clarified terror. She’d taken a navy officer prisoner, a very slender woman in a particularly well-tailored uniform. Aminata would probably call that cut not strictly regulation. Baru thought it was quite endearing to the eye.

“Bring her aboard,” Baru ordered, and when Apparitor protested, on the grounds that it was Baru’s idea and therefore probably bad for everyone around her, “bring her aboard, we need to know more about this mutiny!”

They held the boat at a safe distance with poles and boathooks, in case it carried a mine. Iscend Comprine cut the navy woman free and sent her up the ropes. When the prisoner’s face cleared the ship’s wales Baru hated her instantly. She was big-eyed and small-chinned, with a sweet heart-shaped face and dark hair in a bun. Superciliousness just dripped off her.

Elegantly she sat on the rail, swung her legs over, and came aboard into a circle of armed sailors. “A fine welcome I get,” she sniffed, “trying to show my loyalty to the Emperor.” She took the canteen a sailor hadn’t offered her and drank. “I am Staff Captain Shao Lune, and I’ve escaped the Traitor-Admiral Juris Ormsment. I have insight into the mutineers’ plans. Who’s in command here?”

“Ah. Shao Lune. How wonderful to see you.” Xate Yawa glided up beside Baru and Apparitor. “I worked with this young woman over the winter. She is most career-minded. You there, young lady, did this woman turn herself in to you?”

Iscend Comprine shouted up from the ladder. “Yes, your Excellence, she asked to be taken to Helbride.”

“Of course. She defected the instant it looked like we’d get away. I assure you she will defect back to the mutineers at the very first sign they will catch us. Throw her in the bilges.”

Shao Lune’s face went smooth with poison charm. “I look forward to my first interview,” she said, sweetly. “Show me to my temporary quarters, then.”

Iscend Comprine pulled herself over the rail like a gymnast mounting her beam. She looked sweaty and soot-spattered and magnificently in command of herself. Baru stared.

“Regards.” She bowed. “Hesychast asked me to represent his interest on this expedition. May I come aboard?”