Eris stepped up to her, raising an eyebrow.
With her hands locked at her temples, Safire opened her mouth, glaring as she did.
“If you bite me,” Eris said as she put the wine-soaked bread between Safire’s lips, “you will regret it.”
Safire chewed the bread. When she swallowed, Eris did it again. And again.
The wine began to warm her. After going so long without food, Safire’s thoughts soon turned fuzzy at the edges.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” she whispered the next time Eris stepped back to feed her.
Eris smiled a little but said nothing. Just lifted the next wine-drenched piece of bread to Safire’s lips.
Safire opened her mouth. Eris pushed it in, her fingers brushing against Safire’s lips this time. Her touch was like a spark, and Safire sucked in her lower lip protectively.
“I went to Firefall today.”
Safire stopped chewing. What? That was impossible. The ship hadn’t changed course. As far as Safire could tell, they were still in the middle of the Silver Sea. Nowhere near the coastal city of Firefall.
“You lied,” said Eris, her gaze lifting to Safire’s. “Your cousin left weeks ago.”
Safire swallowed, her appetite suddenly lost. She steeled herself for some kind of blow. A retaliatory lash of frustration.
Instead, Eris asked, “Why would you lie?” She lowered her hands, her gaze searching Safire’s. “I told you he’d kill you if you lied.”
She seemed actually puzzled about this. As if she couldn’t understand why someone would risk her life for someone else.
“If I told you the truth,” Safire said, “you’d be hunting her down and dragging her back to that monster you call a captain. Of course I lied.”
Eris opened her mouth to respond, then stopped. She was silent a moment, looking to the porthole, which had grown dark.
“I promised Jemsin I’d locate the Namsara by tonight.” She returned to the platter and tore off another piece of bread. “You need to tell me where she is. Now.”
Safire said nothing.
Eris gritted her teeth. “If you don’t give me the information I need, I’ll have no choice but to march you straight to the captain’s cabin.”
Safire looked away—but not out of defiance. Eris sounded genuinely frightened for her. As if she didn’t want Safire hurt by Jemsin. As if she cared.
Don’t be fooled.
Safire remembered the deal Eris made with Jemsin back in the Thirsty Craw. Asha was the key to whatever kept Eris bound to the pirate captain. Her fear for Safire’s life was feigned—a ploy to make Safire play into her hands, luring Asha into the clutches of a monster. All so Eris could go free.
“Never,” murmured Safire, her hatred for this despicable girl burning bright within her.
Annoyance flashed across Eris’s face. “All right, then.” She started to pace. “Let’s say you don’t tell me. Let’s say you wait for your chance and manage to escape tonight—which you won’t. Where will you go, princess? You’re in the middle of the Silver Sea.” She started ticking points off her fingers. “You don’t know which way land is. You’ve never sailed a ship. I’m willing to bet you can’t even swim.”
Safire kept her face carefully neutral. The last two things were true. But she did know where land was, thanks to the compass in her pocket.
“You really want me to march you into Jemsin’s cabin right now?”
Safire lifted her chin, staring Eris straight in the eye.
“You really think I’ll put Asha in danger to save myself?” The mere thought of it disgusted Safire. “You are deplorable.”
The air grew cold at those words. Eris’s expression hardened.
This is it, she thought. The moment Eris unlocked her chains and handed her over to Jemsin.
Instead, Eris kept feeding her—the bread, the fish, the apple. All of it. Only this time, she did it in silence, her eyes stormy, her lips pressed into a hard line.
When the only things left on the platter were herring bones and an apple core, Eris covered it up. “You have until morning to change your mind,” she said, as she crossed the room to the bed, taking the lamp with her.
Safire frowned. Huh?
“I convinced Jemsin to give you until sunrise to think things over.”
“Why?”
“I’ve been asking myself that same question,” she said. “Maybe because I’m too tired to watch him take those eyes of yours tonight.”
Unlacing her shirt, Eris tugged it off, giving Safire a full view of her tapered waist, the gentle flare of her hips, and the light dusting of freckles across her shoulders.
Safire suddenly felt very warm.
Too much wine, she thought, looking away as Eris pulled on a loose, oversize shirt.
“Storm’s coming,” Eris said. “Wake me if you feel sick.” Sinking into the bed, she tugged off her boots, then her trousers. “I don’t want you puking your guts up all over my floor.”
She didn’t wait for Safire’s answer. Just blew out the flame in the lamp, lay back in the bed, and turned over.
Safire waited for her breathing to deepen, then even out. When it finally did, when she knew the girl was good and truly asleep, she unlocked her manacles and, without looking back, silently slipped from the room.
Pirate thieves weren’t the only ones good at picking locks.
Twelve
The boat creaked and groaned as Safire stumbled up the narrow hall. For every step she took, she paused to press her palm to the damp wall, steadying herself as the rocking boat threw her off balance.
The steps were wet. When she emerged onto the deck, she realized why. Rain lashed her face and arms, soaking her clothes and collecting on her eyelashes. Lightning brightened the angry clouds above, giving Safire a momentary view of the deck, which was clear of crew. Only a single man stood watch, facing the sea, his back to her.
Beneath the dim light of the deck lamps, Safire made her way to the starboard side, where the rowboat was kept. Her clothes clung to her. Her teeth clattered with cold. The ship rocked, and a wave rolled over the deck, submerging it completely, soaking Safire up to her knees and nearly knocking her over.
Thinking this was it, that they were going under, she lunged for the side and clung on.
But the ship rose up, unfazed, and soon the deck was clear of water.
When the lightning flashed again, instead of reaching for the rowboat, Safire caught sight of the waves below. Huge and black, they crashed against the hull of the ship, high as the palace walls.
Safire’s stomach rolled over itself. She forced the queasy feeling down as her grip on the wet wood tightened.
What am I doing?
Safire couldn’t swim. She’d never rowed a boat before in her life, never mind in the middle of a storm. She reached into her pocket, touching the smooth glass face of the compass she’d stolen, trying to find her courage.
I must warn Asha, she thought. And this might be my only chance.
She had the compass. She knew the scrin was somewhere in the Star Isles, and the Star Isles were northwest. All she needed was to climb into the rowboat, lower it down . . .
Again, lightning flashed.
Safire stood frozen in fear as she stared into the inky chaos below.