“We have done well,” she said eventually, “though without the gullaime we would have been lost.”
“Never question the Maiden’s gift,” said Joron, the alcohol having loosened his tongue a little.
“No, never do that. And I do not.” She picked up her cup, put it down. “It was a hard fight, but from now onwards hard fights will be our lives.”
“It will?” said Joron. And he wished he had asked for another cup of akkals. His mouth was dry and his body longed for alcohol, but he shut the desire away.
“Ey,” she said, placing her hands on the surface of her desk. “We have passed the capital line now; the weather will only be getting colder.”
“But the nearer we get to the Northstorm, the emptier the sea will be. There are fewer islands so that should benefit us.”
“Maybe,” said Meas, then stood and walked to the door. “Have Aelerin and Dinyl brought to me,” she shouted. Joron heard the call echo through the ship, and a minute later the courser walked into the cabin, closely followed by the deck-holder.
“You wanted us, Shipwife?” said Dinyl.
“Ey.” Meas pulled a chart from a drawer and spread it on the desk. “Courser, show Joron and Dinyl where we think the arakeesian will go and where we should worry.”
“Yes, Shipwife.” They leaned over the desk, putting a slim finger on a blue line that snaked up the map. As they moved their finger along, Joron saw the distance eaten away, saw the days and weeks passing with each small movement. “Here,” they said, “the wind sings me about a week’s journey. We can expect to find the first touches of the Northstorm. I do not think gales and such, but the wind will not be as kind to us. It is also here that there is a thinning of the ocean, not so you can see, but underneath and it will force our course. If we were hunted by Hundred Isles ships, this would be where to pick us up.”
“So they may have a fleet waiting for us?” said Joron.
Dinyl shook his head.
“They should not have. Kept Karrad and his allies in the Gaunt Islands are stirring up more trouble to keep the fleet busy and drawn towards the Southstorm. They may know about the arakeesian by now, but neither side will want to stop watching the other.”
“That is true,” said Meas, “and any ship would be hard pressed to catch us without killing his gullaime. Our real danger is from anyone who already knows what we are about and hunts us for it.”
“I thought none knew,” said Joron.
“A secret cannot be kept for ever,” Meas said quietly. “Hag’s Hunter went north before we did.”
“Ships are sent north all the time,” said Dinyl. “That does not mean—”
“And Tide Child was searched the night before we left.”
“For Cahanny’s cargo,” said Dinyl.
“You think it was that?” Meas raised an eyebrow. “Do not forget what else we should have had on board when they came looking.”
“You mean the bolts to poison the arakeesian,” said Joron.
“I am glad you are not asleep, Joron,” said Meas.
“Karrad would not betray us,” said Dinyl more forcefully. “He understands duty, as do I.”
“He had a you put on a black ship,” said Joron.
“For duty,” said Dinyl. “To end the trade in bones.”
“You think that?” said Joron. “Are you sure you had not simply displeased him? For that is why I am here.”
“Kept Karrad would not—”
“Karrad had me condemned for killing his son in a duel.”
“I am sure it was not that simple. I heard that—”
“It was a fair duel,” said Joron, heat rising to his face, “and legal by all the Hag’s laws.”
“In court, it was said the boy was drugged,” said Dinyl.
Joron stood, his chair screeching on the white deck. “He was drunk!” he shouted.
Dinyl stood as well.
“Stop!” said Meas. “What is past is past and Karrad’s reasons do not matter. And besides, Dinyl is right: Karrad would not betray us in this. Peace matters to him, but at the same time little goes on in the Hundred Isles without my mother hearing whispers.”
“You think the Thirteenbern knows what we are about?”
Meas tapped the desk with her bone knife, then shook her head.
“No. If she knew, the entire fleet would have been on us from the moment we set out. But the search – sending Hag’s Hunter north . . . Since we set off I have wondered if she suspects something and guards her rear. We will have to watch our horizons closely.” She looked up. “Carry on, Aelerin.”
“Thank you, Shipwife,” said the courser. “Up here, after we touch the Northstorm, we keep on until here” – they tapped the map – “where the only deep water is on the Gaunt Islanders’ side, so we must cross the Spine.”
“Here is where we will have trouble,” said Meas. “There are towers. They are little more than watchtowers and do not have great bows, but they will alert any ships in the area.”
“And how many will that be?”
“Minimum? I imagine two, maybe three two-ribbers, but it would not surprise me if there was something bigger in the area. The Gaunt Islanders are not fools.” She tapped the gap in Skearith’s Spine with her knife. “Make no mistake about it, we will be in a fight about here.”
“Further up we will pass back through the Spine to Hundred Isles waters.” Aelerin moved their hand, and again Joron had the dizzying sensation of flying at speed over the water. “More watchtowers here,” said the courser.
“I am less worried about those,” said Meas. “The cold north is rarely patrolled now. The ice is too dangerous and ships too precious to risk on its spines.” The courser nodded. “Thank you, Aelerin, you may leave us now.” They waited until the courser was out of the cabin.
It was Dinyl who broke the silence:
“A long journey.”
Joron ignored him.
“So, when we reach here, Shipwife” – he touched the map – “all we need do is pass through the icefields and kill the arakeesian.”
She smiled at him. “You make it sound simple, Joron.”
“Killing the arakeesian should be,” said Dinyl. “Indyl Karrad has supplied the weapon for that. One poisoned bolt in the eye of the beast and it is done.” Quiet fell upon the cabin. “That is what you want, right?” said Dinyl. “An end to the risk the dragon’s bones pose?”
“Of course,” said Meas. “Dinyl, if you would go to the hold and check the condition of the cold weather clothes.”
Dinyl hesitated, and Joron saw something akin to pain cross his face at the dismissal, then he he nodded and left.
Meas gave him time to get below before she stood and went over to the great window to gaze out at the arakeesian. Tide Child flew the sea slightly in front of the creature’s head, and it appeared as if Skearith’s Eye, low in the sky, was held between the branches of its horns. Below the horns the keyshan’s many eyes burned, and Joron felt once more he could hear the song of the windspires on the wind.
“We should not forget,” said Meas quietly, “that Indyl Karrad no doubt has his own agenda, and Dinyl is his agent. At the least he is here to spy on us. Karrad wants what he wants, but why? And I doubt he told me everything.” She turned from the arakeesian. “Well, I have said all I need to. We have a ship to run, Twiner, and you do not appear to be doing that, so I suggest you get on with whatever duties you have.”