Ship of Destiny

"Ke

Ke

Wintrow made no reply, except to open the door for Ke

He had nearly reached the door when Etta entered the companionway. She walked very straight and tall, and her face was impassive. He lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Of course not." Her voice was soft and flat. "Sorcor has a boat on its way. I must gather a few things."

"Etta, I spoke to Ke

She seemed to vanish in stillness. Her voice came from far away. "I suppose you meant well by that."

"Etta, you should tell him you're with child. It might change everything."

"Change everything?" Her smile was brittle. "Oh, Ke

She started to walk away. He dared to reach out and take her arm to restrain her. "Etta, please. Tell him." He clenched his jaws to keep from saying more. Perhaps if Ke

Etta shook her head slowly, almost as if she could hear his thoughts. "Wintrow, Wintrow. You still don't understand, do you? Why do you think I was so shaken? Because I'm pregnant? Because she struck Ke

Wintrow shrugged in helpless silence. Etta leaned her head closer to his. "I wanted to kill her. I wanted to do whatever I had to do to her to make her be silent. Because she was speaking the truth, and I couldn't stand to hear it. Your aunt is not mad, Wintrow. At least, no more mad than any woman becomes after rape. She spoke the truth."

"You can't know that." His mouth was so dry he could scarcely form the words.

Etta closed her eyes for an instant. "For women, there is an outrage that ca

Wintrow glanced at the locked door. The betrayal numbed him. Believing her hurt too much. He clung to doubt. "But why didn't you confront him?"

She looked deeply into his eyes, turning her head as if she were trying to see how he could be so foolish. "Wintrow. I have told you. Hearing the truth was bad enough. I don't want to live it. Ke

"Until what?" Wintrow demanded.

She shrugged one shoulder stiffly. The gleam of tears sprang into her eyes again. Her voice was tight as she said very quietly, "He may weary of her. He may want me back." She turned away. "I have to gather my things," she whispered hoarsely.

This time, when she stepped away from him, he let her go.

THEY WERE ALL LOOKING AT HIM. KENNIT COULD FEEL THE EYES OF EVERY crewman tracking his progress as he made his way forward. He dared not hurry. The spat between the two women had been bad enough. They would not witness him racing to the ship's summons, no matter how urgent.

"Ke

He took a breath to steady his voice. "Ship. I'm here. What do you want?"

The figurehead swiveled to look at him and he gasped. Her eyes had gone green, not a serpent green, but a human green, and her features had lost the reptilian cast they had assumed of late. She did not entirely look as Vivacia had, but this was definitely not Bolt. He almost stepped back from her.

"I'm here, too. What do I want? I want Althea Vestrit out here on the foredeck. I want her companion, Jek, as well. And I want them here now."

His mind raced. "I'm afraid that isn't feasible, Bolt," he ventured. He used the name deliberately, and waited for her response.

The ship gave him the most disdainful look he had ever endured from a feminine face. "You know I am not Bolt," she replied.

"Are you Vivacia, then?" he asked soberly.

"I am myself, in my entirety," she replied. "If you must name me by a name, then address me as Vivacia, for that part of me is as integral as the plank I was built from. But I did not call you to discuss my name or identity. I want Althea and Jek brought here. Now."

"Why?" he countered, his voice as controlled as hers.

"To see them for myself. To know that they are not being ill-treated."

"Neither of them have been ill-treated!" he declared indignantly.

The lines of the ship's mouth went flat. "I know what you did," she said bluntly.

For a moment, Ke

Vivacia glared at him. "How can you ask me something like that?"

She was not absolutely certain. He read it in her response. Once, she had cared for him, in a gentler way than Bolt had. Could he rouse that in her again? He ran his hand soothingly along the railing. "Because you see, not with your eyes, but with your heart. Althea believes she experienced something horrible. And so you believe her." He paused dramatically. He let his voice drop. "Ship, you know me. You have been inside my mind. You know me as no one else can." He took a chance. "Can you believe that I am capable of such a thing?"

She did not answer him directly. "It is the greatest wrong that can be done to a female, human or dragon. It affronts and disgusts me on all levels. If you have done this, Ke

"I assure you, I intend no harm at all to Althea Vestrit. Hurting her, offending her would run counter to all my hopes for her." He took a great breath and confided in the ship, "Truth be told, in the few days since she came aboard, I have conceived a great fondness for her. My feelings for her bewilder and confuse me. I am not sure how to deal with them." Those words, at least, rang with honesty.

A long silence followed his words. Then she asked quietly, "And what of Etta?"

Who was stronger in the ship, Bolt or Vivacia? Bolt had seemed to like Etta: Vivacia had never disguised her jealousy of her. "I am torn," Ke