the others, though hers doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Rosemary bread?” She doesn’t have a proper merchant booth. Instead, she sits against the trunk of a gnarled tree, a wooden basket of bread in front of her.
Shanty takes a loaf and lifts it to her nose. “Must be a hard business right now, given the competition. I think we’ve passed at least four bread stands so far.” From the corner of my eye, I notice Vataea slowly drawing back, positioning herself several paces to Shanty’s left. She nods to me, and I follow her lead by positioning myself opposite her, to Shanty’s right. Together we form a triangle to block the woman in against the tree.
“When you sell the best, visitors still come,” the merchant says.
“That’s a beautiful robe you have on. I love the embroidery.” Shanty takes a tentative bite, considering it for only a moment before she spits it onto the ground. “Yup, this is the one. What is that? Moonseed? Must be a mild dose, you can barely taste it over the rosemary. Is it supposed to be a light sedative?”
The merchant’s face drops, and with a heavy sigh she says, “You’re that girl everyone warned me about, aren’t you? The face-shifter? We’re not supposed to sell to you anymore.”
Shanty grins wide, as if pleased to have done something that warranted someone needing to be warned about her. “Good luck with that. Take us to your shop and make this easy, otherwise I’ll have to convince you. And you’ll find I can be incredibly persuasive.”
“You’re a thief. If you think we’re going to entertain you after you stole the entire—”
Shanty tuts her tongue. “Ah ah ah. Let’s not discuss the past when we’re in the present.” Her eyes flicker to me, then to the dagger at my hip, and she bounces a brow. I roll my eyes and draw Rukan, only because it’s the flashier of the two. I grip it tight in my palms, and the merchant’s throat bobs.
Shanty reaches for the weapon, and I begrudgingly hand it over. Immediately I feel naked, now without not only my magic, but also my next best source of protection. I try to steady my breaths as they sharpen, anxiety taking hold.
My vision begins to tunnel, but before I can spiral, I catch sight of Vataea. Her eyes bore into mine, and I try again to steady myself.
I try to think of her laugh, of her song that shifts the sea and steers our ship. Of the one I hear her singing on the bow as she sits above the figurehead late in the evening, when she thinks no one’s listening.
I don’t speak the language or understand their words, but I play the melody to myself in my head until my chest is no longer so tight, inflating with the full breaths I’m finally able to take. I lift my chin higher and stand taller, giving Vataea a small nod.
I’m okay.
She nods back, and though it’s clear from the tension in her shoulders that she doesn’t believe me, she leaves it alone.
“You’re familiar with poison,” Shanty casually tells the merchant as she brandishes Rukan, admiring the strange flecks of iridescent blue and the jagged, hooked navy tip. “Tell me, have you heard the legends of the Lusca? Did you know each of its tentacles has barbed hooks full of lethal poison unlike any other kind? It’s unlikely they’ll ever figure out an antidote; the only way to keep from dying is to cut off your infected limb, or drain your blood before the poison can spread too quickly. This blade is the barbed hook of the Lusca, because this woman here, our queen, bested it on the sea.” When Shanty tips her head toward me, having far too much fun with this, the merchant blanches. Her fingertips dig into the earth and she readies her feet, clearly preparing to flee.
“Just one slice of the pretty neck of yours, just one jab, and you’re as good as—”
The merchant jolts upright, but I’m ready for her. I lunge, knocking her feet out from under her in one swift kick. She hits the sandy grass face-first, and before she can push herself back up, I’m straddling her back with one hand wrapped around the hilt of my steel dagger. The other is fisted in her hair, pulling her face from the sand.
“Next time keep your speech shorter,” I grumble at Shanty, who makes a huffing noise under her breath.
“It takes a lot