Lady Smoke (Ash Princess Trilogy #2)(23)

He shakes his head. “The Smoke is my home.”

Another cannon fires, making the ship shudder. I wince, clenching my hands at my sides until it stills. “I can’t imagine growing up like this. Always under attack.”

He gives me a funny look and I realize what I said.

“Well, not like this, at any rate,” I amend. “Those attacks were—” I break off for another cannon blast. “Quieter.”

“They aren’t firing back,” he says after a few beats. “It’s only our fire. We must have taken them by surprise and now they’ll be scrambling. It’ll be an easy haul.”

It’s difficult to imagine the Kalovaxians scrambling. In my experience, they have always been stoic and steely warriors always two steps ahead of their enemies, but there’s a reason Dragonsbane has managed to evade them for so long. In spite of everything, I respect her.

“What’ll happen now?” I ask.

He considers it for a moment, dark eyes growing thoughtful. “They’ll wave the white flag soon—that means surrender.”

“I know what a white flag is,” I say. “The Kalovaxians use it as a metaphor, though I always heard that their ships aren’t equipped with them—death before surrender and all that.”

He laughs. “Those are strong words, but they’re only words. Kalovaxians have a survival instinct, just like anyone. They’ll fly their undershirts if they need to.”

Gods know I saw enough Kalovaxian courtiers trample over one another in order to save their reputations and pride—I can only imagine how they would act if their lives were at stake. But even as I think that, I remember being in that tunnel with S?ren and holding my dagger to his back. I remember him telling me to do it.

“I assume S?ren is secure in the brig?” I ask Spiros.

Spiros frowns. “He has his guards to keep him there.”

“Just like I have you?”

He gives a snort. “His aren’t nearly as friendly as I am.”

“And after the Kalovaxians surrender?” I ask. “What’s next?”

Spiros leans back against the door opposite me, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’ll pull up alongside them and secure our ship to theirs. I don’t have to tell you that Kalovaxians are crafty—they’ll have men lying in wait, hoping to surprise us when we board. I suppose they think it’s a clever ploy, but they all do it. We send our strongest on first, ready for a fight, and what resistance they have is taken out quickly. Usually that’s my job.”

“Sounds like a dangerous one,” I say. “Especially since Artemisia beat you so handily when you dueled.”

Spiros smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck. “Dueling is different from battle—Art knows that, too. There’s no grace to battle, no need for style. You only need to move faster and hit harder than your opponents. Dueling is more like a dance—you respect your partner, you understand them. It’s as much a chess match as a physical sport. That’s the part I’ve gotten rusty with.”

“And then?” I prompt.

He shrugs. “Then the rest of the crew boards. We take what we need—money, clothes, valuables. The captain tries to pry some information from them, but even with her knife at their throats, they still fear the Kaiser more. They rarely say a useful word, and when they do, it usually proves false.”

“So she kills them,” I finish. It’s hardly sportsmanlike, but neither is conquering defenseless countries.

“It’ll all be over before much longer,” Spiros says.

I nod, but I’m hardly listening to him. A wisp of an idea is taking shape in my mind, slowly becoming corporeal. It will mean acting quickly, and it will mean going against Dragonsbane’s orders, but I only let myself hesitate for a few seconds before giving Spiros my most charming smile.

“I’d imagine it’s difficult for you, Spiros, being stuck down here with me while all the action is happening.”

Spiros frowns, lifting a shoulder in a shrug. “I don’t mind,” he says, but his eyes give away the lie.

“At least you’re much safer down here,” I say.

Instead of placating him, my words only agitate him further, and he pushes off from the door, beginning to pace.

“It’ll be over soon,” he says again.

I pretend to consider it for a moment. “Wouldn’t it be something,” I say slowly, “if the last thing those Kalovaxian men saw before they died was me?”

Spiros is quiet for a moment. “Dragonsbane gave specific orders that you were to stay in your cabin,” he says.

“Of course,” I say. “My aunt wants to keep me safe, I understand that. But I won’t be in any danger after we’ve boarded them. You said so yourself.”

He hesitates, and I can see my words getting to him—not to mention his own desire to be a part of the action—but it isn’t enough. His loyalty to Dragonsbane is unwavering. I try another tactic, making my voice small.

“Art told me that when she kills Kalovaxians, she takes back a little of what they took from her,” I tell him. His wince is slight, but it’s there. I continue. “I would like to take something back from them as well, Spiros. Please.”

“If I did let you,” he says slowly, “you wouldn’t do anything foolish? Art says you’re prone to foolishness.”