and embraced the woman, the captain’s arms barely fitting around the other’s waist. Kalila smiled and hugged Ayska, flashing a crooked tooth between her teeth.
Iron forced Sander out of their hiding space, and the crate of potatoes toppled over and spilled their contents on the floor. One of the potatoes rolled across the floorboards and bumped into Ayska’s foot. She released her sister and glared at the two men.
“I half expected to find you two stuffed inside grain sacks pissing your pants. The gods must shine on you if they kept that demon’s eye from finding you out. He’s not known for overlooking things.”
“The air around him was cold,” Iron said, shuddering. “He’s not…right in the head.”
“Yes, spewing heretical nonsense tends to spoil one’s brain,” Sander added. “Caspran’s been spewing it for longer than you’ve been alive.”
“If that was Caspran Bilshabel, then is he an alp and not a man?” Iron asked, looking between his master and Ayska.
Ayska took a deep breath and nodded, as did Sander. Iron saw the questions squirming on her tongue, fighting against the tight line of her lips. He had his own. Maybe in time, they’d both get answers.
Iron smiled and crossed his arms. “You tell a good story, Ayska.”
“You mean I’m a good liar? Yes, yes I am.”
Iron uncrossed his arms. “I didn’t mean—” He had to stifle a groan. “Who is Kalila? A friend of yours? Sounds like you’d do anything for her.”
“Of course I would.” Ayska turned to the woman. Gently, so gently, she clasped Kalila’s enormous wrists, rubbing them with her thumb. “There is nothing on Urum more precious than her. She is my sister.”
CHAPTER TEN
Saltwater Gin
A day at sea settled into night. Iron wished his stomach would do the same. He’d never spent time on ground that lurched, ground that moved, ground that promised a world of swimming, writhing things lurking just beneath a dark and rippling surface.
He stood at the stern, sick in the cheeks and stomach twisted into oily knots. He’d lost its contents several times over. Maybe some fish beneath the dark waters would find more use for his food than his body had.
Exhausting didn’t begin to describe his first day on the open sea. He’d always thought of sailing differently. Better. Smoother . Not this world of up and downs and salty sea spray and howling winds. At least the sun kept him warm until it vanished beneath the horizon.
The moon was a watchful eye high overhead. It cast a silver light revealing the edges of thin clouds drifting through the night. Beyond the moon’s shining crown, bright stars glittered and gave the formless black enchantment.
He breathed in the salty air, licking it from his dry lips. He closed his eyes and listened to the sea as it sighed like a sleeping mother. If he imagined the ship as a cradle and he as a babe, it almost calmed his stomach. Surely, he’d been cradled as a child. Surely his mother cared enough to do that before she abandoned him.
“Iron?” Sander’s voice drifted from behind.
“I’m here.” Iron turned as his master strolled up the steps leading to the main deck.
The man held a steaming cup in his hands and pressed it against Iron’s chest. “Take this. It should help until you get your sea legs.”
Rank wisps of bitter root and stale water accosted his nostrils. Iron grimaced, and his stomach gurgled.
“Just take it,” Sander said with an eye roll. “Sailors call what you have squid belly because it feels like that’s what your stomach’s full of. Take this brew to kill the squids and keep your stomach settled. Can’t have you trotting around Urum on an empty stomach, can we?”
Iron pinched his nose and gulped the liquid. It washed in a warm wave through his stomach, and the knots untied. A smile crept across his face as he considered the empty cup. “What was that?”
“Just a little tonic recipe I picked up from Thyra a long
Iron forced Sander out of their hiding space, and the crate of potatoes toppled over and spilled their contents on the floor. One of the potatoes rolled across the floorboards and bumped into Ayska’s foot. She released her sister and glared at the two men.
“I half expected to find you two stuffed inside grain sacks pissing your pants. The gods must shine on you if they kept that demon’s eye from finding you out. He’s not known for overlooking things.”
“The air around him was cold,” Iron said, shuddering. “He’s not…right in the head.”
“Yes, spewing heretical nonsense tends to spoil one’s brain,” Sander added. “Caspran’s been spewing it for longer than you’ve been alive.”
“If that was Caspran Bilshabel, then is he an alp and not a man?” Iron asked, looking between his master and Ayska.
Ayska took a deep breath and nodded, as did Sander. Iron saw the questions squirming on her tongue, fighting against the tight line of her lips. He had his own. Maybe in time, they’d both get answers.
Iron smiled and crossed his arms. “You tell a good story, Ayska.”
“You mean I’m a good liar? Yes, yes I am.”
Iron uncrossed his arms. “I didn’t mean—” He had to stifle a groan. “Who is Kalila? A friend of yours? Sounds like you’d do anything for her.”
“Of course I would.” Ayska turned to the woman. Gently, so gently, she clasped Kalila’s enormous wrists, rubbing them with her thumb. “There is nothing on Urum more precious than her. She is my sister.”
CHAPTER TEN
Saltwater Gin
A day at sea settled into night. Iron wished his stomach would do the same. He’d never spent time on ground that lurched, ground that moved, ground that promised a world of swimming, writhing things lurking just beneath a dark and rippling surface.
He stood at the stern, sick in the cheeks and stomach twisted into oily knots. He’d lost its contents several times over. Maybe some fish beneath the dark waters would find more use for his food than his body had.
Exhausting didn’t begin to describe his first day on the open sea. He’d always thought of sailing differently. Better. Smoother . Not this world of up and downs and salty sea spray and howling winds. At least the sun kept him warm until it vanished beneath the horizon.
The moon was a watchful eye high overhead. It cast a silver light revealing the edges of thin clouds drifting through the night. Beyond the moon’s shining crown, bright stars glittered and gave the formless black enchantment.
He breathed in the salty air, licking it from his dry lips. He closed his eyes and listened to the sea as it sighed like a sleeping mother. If he imagined the ship as a cradle and he as a babe, it almost calmed his stomach. Surely, he’d been cradled as a child. Surely his mother cared enough to do that before she abandoned him.
“Iron?” Sander’s voice drifted from behind.
“I’m here.” Iron turned as his master strolled up the steps leading to the main deck.
The man held a steaming cup in his hands and pressed it against Iron’s chest. “Take this. It should help until you get your sea legs.”
Rank wisps of bitter root and stale water accosted his nostrils. Iron grimaced, and his stomach gurgled.
“Just take it,” Sander said with an eye roll. “Sailors call what you have squid belly because it feels like that’s what your stomach’s full of. Take this brew to kill the squids and keep your stomach settled. Can’t have you trotting around Urum on an empty stomach, can we?”
Iron pinched his nose and gulped the liquid. It washed in a warm wave through his stomach, and the knots untied. A smile crept across his face as he considered the empty cup. “What was that?”
“Just a little tonic recipe I picked up from Thyra a long
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