It was as he returned to Leopold’s carriage after overseeing the transport of his lockbox onto a Cartorran cutter that a familiar scent wafted into his nose.
He paused, two steps from the carriage, and sniffed the air.
Clear lake water and frozen winters.
Aeduan knew that smell, yet he couldn’t pin down the corresponding blood. Leopold smelled of new leather and smoky hearths; the Hell-Bards stank of the noose and cold iron; and the officers all bore distinctly oceanic blood-scents.
Whoever had recently passed this pier, Aeduan had met them but had not bothered to record their scent.
Which meant they were not important.
So, shrugging aside the smell, Aeduan tugged his hood low. The seventeenth chimes were tolling, which meant Aeduan had just enough time to find 14 Ridensa Street—and to finally update his father on this latest, most lucrative employer.
TWENTY-TWO
Manacles rubbed against Safi’s wrists as she watched Iseult’s sleeping face.
There was an unmistakable line of drool lingering on Iseult’s lips, but Evrane was gone and Safi was chained too far away to do anything.
She could do nothing that mattered, it seemed. She’d acted like a child by letting her temper explode at Merik—and she didn’t care. What she cared about was that her attack had failed. That she’d only made things worse in the end.
The room was dim, clouds rolling over the afternoon sun, and water sloshed behind her. The ship was gaining speed, the rocking all but stopped, and the giant drum booming once more. The stomp of sailors’ feet had also resumed.
Safi drew her knees to her chest. Her chains rattled, a mocking sound.
“That was quite a display.”
Safi lurched upright—and found Evrane in the doorway. Light as a mouse, the monk crossed the room to Iseult.
“How is she?” Safi asked. “What can I do?”
“You can do nothing chained up,” Evrane dropped to the floor and draped a hand over Iseult’s arm. “She is stable. For now.”
Safi’s breath burst out.
For now wasn’t long enough. What if Safi had initiated something she couldn’t complete? What if Iseult never woke up—could never wake up?
Evrane twisted toward Safi. “I should have kept you in the room. I am sorry for that.”
“I would have attacked Merik belowdecks or above.”
Evrane sniffed dryly. “Are you injured from your … sparring?”
Safi ignored the question. “Tell me what’s wrong with Iseult. Why does she need a Firewitch healer?”
“Because there is something wrong with Iseult’s muscle, and that is a Firewitch healer’s domain.” Evrane plucked a glass jar from within her cloak. “I am a Waterwitch healer, so I specialize in the fluids of the body. My salves”—she flourished the jar at Safi—“are from Earthwitch healers, so they can only heal skin and bone.” Evrane set the salve on the pallet. “There is inflammation in Iseult’s muscle that is bewitched. Either the cut on her hand or the arrow wound in her arm was cursed. I … cannot tell which, but it is undoubtedly the work of a Cursewitch.”
“A Cursewitch?” Safi repeated. Then again, “A Cursewitch?”
“I’ve seen spells like this before,” Evrane continued. “I can keep the curse clear of her blood, but I fear it will still spread through her muscle. As we speak, it moves for her shoulder. If it gets much closer, then I will have to amputate—but that is risky to do on my own. It is best done with an Earthwitch healer and a Firewitch healer to help. Of course, even if we had such witches available, most Earthwitch healers are Cartorran. Most Firewitch healers are Marstoki. Merik would never allow such enemies onboard.”
“They are not enemies now,” Safi muttered, her mind still reeling from the idea of amputation. That word seemed so strange. So impossible. “The War ended twenty years ago.”
“Tell that to the men who fought in it.” Evrane gestured toward the main hold. “Tell that to the sailors who lost their families to Marstoki flames.”
“But healers can’t hurt.” Safi pushed her fingers against the wood until her knuckles cracked. “Isn’t that part of your magic?”
“Oh, we can hurt,” Evrane answered. “Just not with our power.”
Safi said nothing. There was nothing to say. Every breath that passed, the deeper into hell she tumbled and the less likely Iseult was to survive.
Yet even though Safi was chained, she wouldn’t give up. Merik’s treaty, her uncle’s plan, and even her own future could be damned and thrice-damned again. Safi would find a way to get off this ship and she would get Iseult to a Firewitch healer.
“So you are a noblewoman,” Evrane said, “yet you clearly know your way around a blade. I wonder how that happened.” She carefully reached for her healer kit at the foot of the pallet. Then, with precise movements, she untied the bandage on Iseult’s arm. The drum pounded and pounded and pounded.
“In Nubrevna,” Evrane continued, “we call our doms and domnas ‘vizers,’ and my family’s land—the Nihar holding—was southeast of the capital. A crap holding, to tell you the truth.” Evrane threw Safi a wry smile as she ever-so-carefully peeled back the bandage. “But crap holdings tend to breed the most power-hungry vizers, and my brother was no exception. He eventually won the hand of Queen Jana, and the Nihars were inducted into the royal snakes.”