Fable (Fable #1)(32)

But something in the way West looked at me made me realize that he knew the answer to his own question.

“You don’t understand how any of this works. Being responsible for you is going to get me killed,” West muttered.

“He doesn’t know what I can do.”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s wondering if you can. That’s enough.”

I bristled, embarrassed. “I didn’t think,” I admitted.

“No, you didn’t. Just like you didn’t think when you snuck off the ship after I told you not to.”

“If I hadn’t gone into the village, you wouldn’t have gotten that dagger back.”

Even I knew it was a stupid thing to say. Implying that West had needed me at the gambit shop was only going to make him angry.

I fished three coppers from my belt. “Here.” I dropped them on the desk beside him. “For the jacket and boots.”

He looked down at the coins. “What?”

“I’ll pay for them like I paid for passage.”

“You didn’t ask for the boots and jacket. And I’m not asking for you to pay for them.”

“I don’t need any favors,” I repeated his own words back to him. “And I’m not going to owe you anything.”

“Fable…” He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face, but whatever he was going to say, he thought better of it.

Outside, the rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. Through the open window, I could see the dark clouds knitting together against the blue sky.

“We should wait,” I said, my voice dropping lower. “That storm is going to be nasty.”

“We don’t really have a choice, thanks to you. I need to get you off my ship before the rumors start spreading on those docks and catch up to us in Ceros.”

“Like the rumors that followed you here from Sowan? Don’t want anyone paying too close attention, right?” I let my head tip to one side. “You’re just a small trading outfit.”

That made him look up, his hands tightening on the edge of the desk. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Maybe not.” I shrugged. “Believe me, I want off this ship as badly as you want me off.”

He stood up from the desk, taking a step toward me. “I know who you’re looking for.”

My hands found each other at my back, my fingers tangling. “So?”

“You want to start over in Ceros? Fine. But Saint is dangerous.” His voice softened, his face suddenly looking tired. “Whatever you want from him, you won’t get it.”

I stared up into his face, trying to put together the few pieces of information I had. West was a Waterside stray turned helmsman running a shadow ship for my father. But his loyalty was to himself and his crew if he was running side trade. He wouldn’t risk Saint’s wrath otherwise. And even if it had nothing to do with me, I was still curious. I still wanted to know.

I dragged the toe of my boot over the edge of the rug, rolling it back to reveal Saint’s crest on the floor. “Looks like you got what you wanted from him.”

West stared down at the crest, not a hint of surprise on his face.

“How many ships like this one exist?”

He didn’t take his eyes from mine, and a long, uncomfortable silence stretched out between us. The room grew small with it and for a moment, I regretted saying it. I didn’t want West as an enemy. I opened my mouth to speak, but a knock sounded at my back and the door opened.

Hamish’s face poked into the room. “Auster’s back.”

West didn’t look at me before he followed him out. “Make ready!” he called from the archway.

Boots pounded on the deck, and Auster appeared at the railing. Paj dropped from the foot of the sail above us and landed hard, going for the lines.

“Raise anchor!” West’s voice rang out again, and everyone moved together, winding around each other in a memorized pattern.

Willa and Hamish turned the crank on the starboard side, grunting as the anchor lifted up out of the water. Seaweed dangled from its curves, dripping as it lifted, and she climbed up onto the railing and guided it onto the deck. I caught its end as they lowered it into place and fastened the latch without being asked to. If West wasn’t going to let me pay for the jacket and boots, I needed to work them off before we got to Ceros.

“Shove off.” West took the helm into his hands and the ship turned, drifting away from the dock. “Raise the main sail, Willa.”

She climbed the mainmast, reaching up to untie the lines and slid back down as they unrolled. “You sure about that storm, West?” She watched the flicker of lightning flashing behind the distant clouds.

West’s jaw clenched as he looked at his boots, thinking. The wind pushed his sun-bleached hair across his forehead as he lifted a hand into the air, letting the wind blow through his fingers. “You really want to wait?”

She looked over the harbor, her gaze setting on Zola’s ship, the Luna. “No,” she answered.

“Then let’s go.”

I climbed the mainmast as Willa went up the foremast, helping her with the sails, and Hamish finished tying down the second anchor below. I pulled the lines hand over hand, watching the sheets spread against the gray sky. When they were in place, I jumped down to help the others.