Thirty-One

THIRTY-ONE

I stood in front of the window in West’s cabin, every eye on me. The water dripped from my hair in step with my heartbeat, and I watched it pool at my feet.

West had called the crew into his quarters, but Koy had the good sense to stay belowdecks.

“So that’s it?” Willa said lowly. “This was all for nothing.” She and Paj had the same quiet resentment painted on their faces.

I watched my reflection ripple in the puddle on the floor. She was right. I’d made a deal with Holland and I hadn’t come through. And Saint wasn’t the only one who stood to lose. We still had to get the deed to the Marigold back.

The only card we had left to play was to trust Henrik.

“We still have the Roths,” I said.

“If that’s all you’ve got, then you’ve got nothing,” Paj said flatly.

Auster didn’t argue with him.

“When we get to Sagsay Holm, I’ll talk to Holland. I’ll work something out with her.”

West finally spoke. “What does that mean?”

I didn’t answer. The truth was, I’d do pretty much anything to get the deed back and Holland probably knew it. I didn’t have midnight to barter with, giving her all the power.

“What are you going to do, Fable?” Auster asked softly.

“Whatever she wants.” It was as simple as that.

Willa muttered under her breath. “Selfish.”

“You’re angry with me, Willa. Not her,” West snapped.

“Is there a difference?”

“Willa.” Auster reached for her, but she shoved him off.

“No! This wasn’t what we agreed. We said we would find Fable and go back to Ceros to finish what we started.”

“I’m sorry,” West said. It was followed by a solemn silence, and every crew member looked at him. “It was wrong for me to order the ship to Yuri’s Constellation without a vote.”

“You can say that again,” Paj huffed.

“It won’t happen again,” West said. “You have my word.”

Willa looked at her brother, swallowing hard before she spoke. “I won’t be around to find out if you keep it.”

“What?” he said, tired.

“When we get back to Ceros, I’m gone.”

West went rigid, his eyes boring into her. He was speechless.

“I’m done, West,” she said more softly. “I’m done following you from port to port. Letting you take care of me.” The emotion in her voice deepened the words. “I want off the Marigold.”

West looked as if she’d slapped him.

The rest of the crew appeared to be as shocked as West was. They looked between both of them, no one sure what to say.

It was Hamish who finally stepped forward, clearing his throat. “We have enough coin to replace the anchor and get back to the Narrows. We’ll have to stop off at the coral islands to top off our ledgers.”

“Fine,” West answered. He turned toward the window, making it clear they were dismissed.

They filed out one after the other, feet shuffling into the breezeway. Willa looked back over her shoulder before she followed them.

“West.” I waited for him to look at me. When he didn’t, I leaned into him, setting my head on his shoulder. He pressed his lips to the top of my head and pulled in a deep breath.

We stood there like that for another moment before I left him alone. I took the steps belowdecks at the end of the passageway; the lantern in the crew’s cabin was lit, filling the crack in the door with light. I followed it, peering through the opening.

Willa was standing in front of her trunk with her dagger in her hands. She turned it slowly so that the gems caught the light.

I pushed the door open and sat in my hammock, letting my feet swing over the floor.

“I know,” she said unevenly. “I shouldn’t have done it like that.”

“You were angry.”

“It was still wrong.”

She set her tool belt inside the trunk and closed it before she sat on the lid, facing me. “I know this is awful, but I think part of me was glad when all this happened.” She closed her eyes. “Like I finally had a good reason.”

I understood what she meant. She’d been dreading telling West that she was leaving and when he went against the crew, she felt justified.

“I’m the one who’s selfish,” she whispered.

I kicked her gently in the knee with my foot. “You’re not selfish. You want to make your own life. West will understand that.”

“Maybe.” Willa was afraid. Of losing him. The same way he was afraid of losing her.

“What will you do?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I’ll probably get a job working for a shipwright or a smith. Maybe an apprenticeship.”

“Maybe you’ll build us a ship one day.” I grinned.

That made her smile.

We fell silent, listening to the hum of the sea around the hull. “It will be hard on him,” I said. “To be without you.”

Willa bit down onto her bottom lip, staring into the dark. “I know.”

I scooted to one side of the hammock, holding it open for her. She hesitated before she stood and climbed in beside me.

“You think he’ll forgive me?” she whispered.

I looked at her. “There’s nothing to forgive.”

After the Lark, Willa told me that this wasn’t the life she’d chosen. West had brought her onto a crew to keep her safe. But she wasn’t the little girl she’d been back then, when they were Waterside strays. It was time for her to make her own way.