The Memory in the Blood by Ryan Van Loan

Author:Ryan Van Loan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group

30

“They’ll keep,” Chan Sha said, stepping into the captain’s cabin and pulling the door shut on the growing revelry out on deck. “We found a man what has a way with silk and thread and ensigns that can have us a close-enough-it-won’t-make-a-difference merchant Normain flag by morn. Name is Mik DeGorge. Says you’re a hard one,” she added, looking at me. “That you set him against those Shambles and that between you and the undead he’d face the rotting bastards every time.”

“Big man with a pair of dogs?”

She nodded.

“Ah, well, don’t let him fool you. Mik is stronger than he looks.” I plucked at the bird carcass on my plate, the third I’d eaten since we’d settled the ship down. “More cunning, too, apparently.”

“Former pirate,” she agreed. She waved a hand. “Anyway, I’ve promoted Charli and told her off on them having more than three drams of the rum and no open fires on deck.”

“What’s that?” Salina asked, pointing at the leaping orange glow just visible through the slipshod windowpane of glass.

“Let them have their fun,” I said, in answer to Chan Sha’s curse. “Captain,” I added. “Today they almost died half a score times over—some of them did die—and tomorrow? We all could. Come tuck into this fried duck and broken rice with gravy and fixings and let’s have us a palaver.”

“A palaver?” Chan Sha hesitated, then shook her braids and limped over to the table, sliding down onto the bench beside Bar’ren. The Artificer slid down until his elbows hit the wall and then made the sound a put-upon man makes. I’d noticed it’s a universal gift amongst the gender. “Her name,” she said, ripping a leg free from the roast bird, “I don’t know how your lot stay so damned thin with this rich-as-fuck food, Arti.”

“We only eat one meal,” he said. “Actually we eat two, but the first is only a—”

“Merely making conversation, not looking for an oratory on Normain bowel movements.” She cut him off. Salina snorted and Chan Sha flashed a grin. Taking a bite out of the drumstick, she spoke around it. “Now what do you want to discuss?”

“Compare notes, take stock, figure out the best way to make our approach.”

“We drenched our old ship in Serpent’s Flame and set it ablaze, nearly set our remaining lifeboat on fire in the process, and sailed her right into the aft of the plague ship,” Chan Sha said, licking her fingers. “You did what your demi-Goddess arse does best.” She tossed the empty bone down on the plate and sat back. “We’re still breathing. What more is there to say?”

“As surprised as I am to hear me say it, you know, in another life I might have actually liked you,” I told her.

“Back atcha.”

“Hmm.” I shook my head, feeling my wavy hair fan out behind me. I’d taken it out of the braid to let it dry after my soaking in the sea, and also because Normain fashion didn’t cater to braids. By the time

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