“In Treatymont,” she said, brusquely but with sincerity, although she had not at all planned to say this, “when people talked to me about Taranoke, they would ask me how many fathers I had, and if I went naked without shame. So I know how it can be.”

He blinked at her.

*   *   *

THE last few hours were the worst. They had to cross south of the Llosydanes, to hide their sails from pursuers, then double back and come in to moor. It was hard sailing. Apparitor let Captain Branne and her sailing master helm the ship. He went up into the gallants and helped rig.

Baru sat in her hammock and tried to read Firestorm: Why Falcrest and Oriati Mbo Cannot Coexist, with an Expanded Epilogue on the Inevitability of a Second Armada War. The letters from Aminata, cousin Lao, and her parents waited in their guilty envelopes, still ignored.

Iraji came silently into the armory and sat down in his hammock. Baru glared at him. He pretended not to notice. He’d shed all his diffidence and submission, and that irritated Baru; for too long she’d been used to thinking of him as Apparitor’s weapon, not a person. When you fight a man you fight him. You do not expect the blade in his hand to come alive, slither about, and start cracking jokes.

Iraji kicked back in the hammock, sighed, and then (very ostentatiously) produced a great leatherbound volume with a creaking spine entitled Firestorm: Why Falcrest and Oriati Mbo Cannot etc. etc., New Definitive Edition.

Baru boggled for a minute, and then rolled onto her side. “That book,” she said, “that’s a newer edition, isn’t it?”

Iraji licked his finger, opened to the middle of the book, and began humming as he read. “I’ll be done in a little,” he said, which was either a lie or a boast. “My lady.”

She’d opened a conversation now, and couldn’t avoid saying what she had to say. “Thank you for protecting me,” she said, roughly. “I’m in your debt.”

“I don’t want to hold any of your debt, your Excellence,” Iraji said, “that has turned out very poorly for very many.”

That hurt a little. Hurt was good, though.

“I have an idea,” Iraji said, brightly. His eyes shone over the top of his book. “It’s just come to me now!”

“Do you?”

He beat his knuckles on his book. “I’ve thought of a way to hold back the mutineers.”

“Do share.”

“You should take foreign diplomats aboard. Invite them to use Helbride as a shuttle, as we’re a very fast ship.”

“You think Ormsment will respect diplomatic privilege?”

“I do.” He touched the title of the book. Firestorm. “It’s one thing for her to get herself killed with a mutiny. But if she breaks diplomatic seal, the Oriati will hit back, and then her whole navy suffers.…”