Sky Song: Overture by Meg Merriet Page A

proper goodbye, but I knew you would never let me embark on such a dangerous errand. Please trust I will return to you. Burn this letter, lest it should fall into the wrong hands. When you liberate Locwyn, we shall be reunited once more.
    With love, Maive
     
    He grabbed the letter. “You could have mentioned you were a bloody witch!” he whispered. “If any survivors from the Crescendo saw her helping us, they’ll kill her, Clikk.”
    “That isn’t my fault,” I said. “I would have told you in the meeting yesterday, but you had me tend to Molly instead.”
    “You could have told me at any time. And for future reference, don’t ever let a witch get her hands on your hair, jewelry, clothing, any of it! Have you never heard a fairytale in your life?”
    My face burned crimson. “It was an oversight and I apologize, Captain.”
    “You’ll tell me the first dream you have.”
    “Yes, Captain.”
    “You are dismissed.”
    I returned to Lily to help her set up. She had a big wooden bowl full of figs, and as the men formed a queue at our table, she went to pass them out. I spooned porridge into bread bowls, watching her move from brother to brother. I couldn’t help but take interest as she reached Baker, watch what she did, watch what he did. Their eyes locked and he shot her a daring smirk, which made that milky complexion of hers turn rosy. She handed him a fig and he took her wrist in his hand and said something that roused her to smile. One of the men snapped his fingers at me. I’d neglected my duties as porridge scooper.
    “Sorry,” I muttered, giving him his meal.
    Lily returned to me flushed and giddy. “Oh heavens,” she tittered. “That one is so droll.”
    “Who? Baker?” I asked. “He’s a character, isn’t he?”
    “I never heard a man say such a thing.”
    “What did he say?”
    “He said I had to stop making eyes at him, or we would both be ruined,” she said, gasping up a little swoon as she looked his way. “That charmer started it yesterday. Oh, I love that silver tooth of his.”
    “I might have noticed you two together. What happened?”
    “He asked about Shale, about the people and the culture. I was more than happy to tell him. He said that if he ever settled down, this was the place for it.”
    “Ha. Baker settling down,” I muttered, spooning out porridge like a factory machine.
    “Is he a rover?” Lily asked. “He seems the sort.”
    “Calling him a rover is putting it nicely. Baker is a dog when it comes to women, a real libertine type. There isn’t a brothel in Elsace that hasn’t seen his face. You know they named the Wastrel after him? Started out as a joke after he got his first shanker, but now that he’s pissing needles, it’s not as funny as it used to be.”
    I saw a shadow darken Lily’s face.
    “Morning, Clikk, you old joker, you,” said Baker, having arrived at the front of the queue. “You know, on my way up here, I was thinking how I would apologize for what I said last night,” he said matter-of-factly.
    “Is that right?” I was still too embarrassed to think clearly. I handed him his vittles.
    “It is. Truth is, your gender doesn’t bother me one bit, or the fact that you lied to me about it. You’ll always be my brother, even when your conquests get in the way of your loyalty.”
    “My conquests?” I laughed outright, glancing at Lily. “I’ve no interest in being your brother starling, Baker.”
    Lily’s face went from rosy to sanguine. She excused herself, stammering some nonsense of seeing to Molly’s needs. She knew more about starlings than I anticipated, or at least understood the polyandrous mating practices of birds. I saw no reason for her to get upset, as my sharing her with Baker was an absurd idea that hardly warranted any credence.
    When she was gone, Baker shot me a derisive stare. He leaned in close and whispered, “You’re dead to me.”
    It was up to me to handle the remainder of breakfast duty by myself. I tried