made it to the ledge, I reached out to catch the corner of the rock. The outcropping opened into a cavity, but there was nothing inside but darkness. No gem song. No glow of distant light.
If Holland was telling the truth, Isolde had found a refuge on this rock. Away from the shining streets of Bastian and out from under the eye of her mother. Maybe this was the place she’d dreamed of the day she would leave them both behind. Of sun-soaked days on the deck of a ship, and nights in its hull. Maybe she’d dreamed of me.
My pulse hammered in my ears, the last of my breath threatening to flicker out. The heat burned in my face despite the cold, and I pressed my lips together, watching the light skip on the surface above. She was here, somehow. My mother’s ghost was bled into these waters. But even in Tempest Snare, where she’d found her end, I hadn’t felt this.
There was nothing here but an echo of some part of Isolde that I hadn’t known and never would. I stared into the black water, feeling so alone that it seemed as if that darkness might pull me into it. As if maybe my mother was waiting there for me.
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