“The Seashell was never seen again,” said Sorit. “Of course, a few people saw her entering open water, but after that, nothing. It’s a big ocean. We did a full-scale search the next day and found no sign, but by then, we weren’t expecting to. The sea takes everything.”

“Isn’t it strange that no one survived in the lifeboats?” said Giddon.

“There was only one lifeboat on board the Seashell,” said Riz. “We don’t know what made the ship sink. If it was fire, the lifeboat could’ve been damaged. Or, it could’ve capsized in a wind. The weather on the Brumal Sea can get violent very fast.”

“How was the weather that day?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” said Sorit, squinting like she was trying to remember.

“Don’t you remember what Katu Cavenda said when he came back ashore?” Riz said.

“Katu?” said Giddon, keeping his voice even. “He also sailed that day? What did he have to say?”

“He was out in this little yacht he has, this beautiful slender craft he travels and races in,” said Riz. “Usually he handles her all by himself. You have to admire his skill. He came back laughing, said it was so blustery, he’d almost capsized.”

“Now that you mention it,” said Sorit, “wasn’t that also the day a couple of fishing ships lost their nets? The waves tore them right off the ships.”

“Yes,” said Riz, “I remember that too. It’s why we all got a little worried when it started to get dark and the Seashell wasn’t back.”

“Did Katu say anything else?” said Giddon. “I don’t suppose he mentioned the Seashell?”

“We did talk about the Seashell, actually,” said Riz, “because Katu asked if I’d seen an airship go by full of people speaking Kamassarian, heading north. We hadn’t, but it was a funny coincidence, of course, so I told him about the crew of the Seashell.”

“I don’t understand,” said Giddon. “Why would he ask you that? Would an airship full of Kamassarians be significant?”

“I don’t know,” said Riz, shrugging. “Katu has all kinds of friends. Maybe he thought he recognized them.”

“I see,” said Giddon. “I don’t suppose you know anything about our Monsean men going north before they drowned?”

“I can tell you that if they went north, it wasn’t in the Seashell,” said Riz. “I don’t know anything beyond that.”

—

Hava and Giddon walked back to Quona’s house in relative silence.

“Any foxes?” Giddon finally said.

“I haven’t even been looking,” said Hava. “My mind is with Mikka and Brek.”

“Me too,” said Giddon. And Trina, he didn’t add, not quite ready to articulate all the reasons that exchange had upset him.

“That Trina’s a touchy one, isn’t she?” said Hava. “‘O how I suffer,’ and all that?”

Giddon began to laugh. “Is that how you’d describe it?”