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"This is your ward?"
I turned around and there was Marjani with some big barrel of a man in the usual flamboyant captain's hat. He had his eyes plastered on Naji, who scowled and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yeah," I said. "This is Naji."
"I was expecting a little boy," Marjani said.
"He acts like one sometimes."
Marjani laughed, and Naji turned his scowl to me.
"What business do you have in Port Idai?" the captain asked.
I spoke up before Naji could say anything to screw us. "Meeting with an old crew of mine. We got separated in Lisirra after a job soured. Got fed bad information. You know how it is."
"He part of your crew?" The captain jerked his head at Naji.
"No, sir. Picked him up after my own crew'd left me for dead."
"Bet you're not too happy 'bout that."
"Not one bit."
The captain kept his eyes on mine. "And so why exactly is he accompanying you?"
"He's got some history with my old first mate." Thank Kaol, Naji kept his face blank. "Needs to have words with him, you know what I mean."
The captain laughed. "What kinda history?" he asked, turning to Naji. "It about a woman?"
"It usually is," Naji said.
The captain laughed again, and I knew we had him.
Tell any grizzled old cutthroat a sob story about a double-cross and a broken heart and he'll eat right out of your hand.
"Well, if he don't mind sharing a cabin with the rest of the crew, I guess we can spare you."
Naji blanched a little but didn't say anything.
The captain nodded at me. "You can work the rigging, yeah? That's what Marjani told me."
"And anything else you need me to do. I grew up on a boat like this." And did I ever miss her, the sound of wood creaking in the wind, the spray of the sea across my face as I swung through the rigging – but I didn't say none of that.
The captain gri
I ain't go
CHAPTER TWELVE
Marjani accompanied me and Naji on board the ship while the rest of the crew was setting up to make sail. She led us down below to the crew's quarters, all slung up with hammocks and jars of rum and some spare, tattered clothes. Naji wrinkled his nose and sat down on a hammock in the corner.
"I know what you are," Marjani said to him.
All the muscles in my body tensed. Naji just stared levelly at her.
"And what is that, exactly?" he asked.
In one quick movement, Marjani grabbed his wrist and pushed the sleeve of his robe up to his elbow. The tattoos curled around his arm.
"Blood magic," she said. "You're one of the Jadorr'a."
I pulled out my knife. Marjani glanced at me like she wasn't too concerned. "The crew doesn't know," she said. "They wouldn't recognize you. They're all Free Country, and we've got our own monsters to worry about. I only know because I studied Empire politics at university." She dropped Naji's arm.
"You went to university?" I asked. I'd talked to a scholar once, after we'd commandeered the ship he'd been on. He hadn't been nothing like Marjani.
"Are you going to tell them?" Naji asked.
Marjani set her mouth in this hard straight line. I was sure we were about to get kicked off the boat or killed or probably both.
"Why are you here?" she asked. She stuck her hand out at me. "Don't you answer. I want to see him say it."
Naji stared at her.
Don't screw this up, I thought.
"Revenge," he said. "As Ana
A long pause while we all watched each other and the boat rocked against the sea. And then Marjani laughed.
"That's not what I heard," she said.
"Yes, I can imagine the sorts of things you heard, and I doubt very many of them have much bearing in reality."
Marjani laughed again, and shook her head. "Of all the things I thought I'd see. And no, I'm not going to tell the crew about you." She turned away from Naji, who immediately slumped back against the hammock, pressing his hand against his forehead. When she walked past me, she grabbed my arm and leaned into my ear.
"You should keep a close watch on him," she said in a lowered voice. "Once we get out to sea."
"I'm right here," Naji said. "I can hear everything you're saying."
"Good," Marjani told him. "You can get used to it. These sorts of whispers'll happen a lot more once we've been on the water a few weeks."
"Pirates gossip like old women," I said.
"When they get bored, they stir up trouble," Marjani said. "And you look like you'd be trouble if you got stirred up."
Naji didn't say nothing, but his face got real hard and stony.
"We'll be fine," I told her. "I'll keep 'em off him."
"I'm willing to help, but I can only do so much. I've got my business to attend to."
"You don't gotta do that." I paused. "But I'd – we'd both – appreciate it. Anything you can spare."
"I can take care of myself," Naji said.
"I'm sure you can." Marjani walked to the ladder and stopped there, turning to look at him. "But don't you dare cast blood magic on this ship. They may not recognize you, but they'll recognize that. Trust me. It'll get you and your friend killed. And probably me for bringing you on board."