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.This time I let him.CHAPTER SIXTEENNext morning, I was up at the helm, guiding the Nadir through those smooth glassy waters.I’m not crazy about steering on the best of days, and that morning I was tired and distracted with thoughts of Naji.Plus the morning sun was hot and bright in my eyes.All I wanted was to be down below, my clothes in a heap on the floor, Naji’s mouth at the base of my throat.Old Sorley came bounding up to the helm with his hat in his hands.“The hell do you want?” It came out a lot gruffer than I meant.“Madam First Mate,” he stuttered, looking down at his feet.He’d been some kind of servant before he got nicked off the street and forced onto an Empire boat.“You told us to come to you if we saw anything odd.”I tensed my hands around the helm but kept my eyes straight ahead.“Yeah? You see something weird?”“Yes, madam.”A pause.“Well, what is it?”“It’s… well, it’s probably nothing…”I glowered at him.“Sharks!” he squeaked.“It’s sharks!”“Sharks?” I squinted out at the horizon, light flashing up into my eyes.“Don’t let anybody fall into the water, it’ll be fine.Not like we’re in danger of sinking.”“No, you don’t understand…” He crushed his hat into a tight little ball between his hands.“They ain’t normal sharks.I can’t… it’s a bit hard to describe, madam, I’m sorry–”I felt bad for him.“Show me.”He nodded.I called off for Jeric yi Niru to take the helm.He came over no questions asked, the way he usually did these days, though he gave me one of his insolent little nods.Some habits you just can’t break.I followed Sorley across the deck to the port side.Sunlight was everywhere, bright and glittering.“There,” Sorley said, pointing with his crumpled up hat.I didn’t have the words for it.There were sharks, to be sure.About sixteen of ’em, lined up four by four, swimming alongside us without breaking formation.And they were wearing clothes: vests made of seashells, all strung together so that they looked like scaled Empire armor.The sharks skimmed across the water, tails switching back and forth in time.“What the hell?” I said, cause what else do you say? Then I turned to Sorley: “Go get the captain.” I thought for a moment, then added, “And Naji.”He didn’t hear me, though.He was leaning over the railing, waving that stupid hat around.“Hey!” he called out.“I brought her! The first mate! Captain’s not on duty.”“What are you doing?” I grabbed at him.He ignored me.I glanced over my shoulder – a bunch of the crewmen had gathered behind us.They were all spooked.“The hell’s going on?!” I shouted.“One of you, go get the captain.” Nobody moved.“Now!”They scattered, as though “one of you” meant “all of you”.When I turned back to the railing, Sorley was staring at me, and down in the water, one of the sharks had broken formation.“Pardon me!” the shark called out.“But does this boat bear Naji of the Jadorr’a?”I screamed.Kaol help me, but I screamed liked I’d just been sliced through with a damned Qilari blade.The shark dipped its head in the water and splashed around foam.“A thousand apologies, my dear, I didn’t mean to frighten you–”“Why are you talking?” I screamed.I turned to Sorley.“Why didn’t you tell me?”He looked cowed.“I didn’t think you’d believe me.”I took a deep breath.A talking shark.I leaned back over the railing.“Are you from the Mists?” I asked, watching closely for a spray of smoke or a smear of light.“No, I’m from the waters,” the shark said.“I am Lorens, member of the eighty seventh Guard Infantry, sentry to the Court of the Waves and sworn protector of the King of Salt and Foam.”My mouth dropped open a little.“We were sent here to guide you to the rendezvous point.Assuming you are, in fact, carrying Naji of the Jadorr’a.The young gentleman said you were.” He splashed water in Sorley’s direction.“Are you gonna kill him?” I asked.“Naji?”The shark looked affronted.“Madam, never! We are in his debt, you must understand–”“Ananna?”I stepped away from the railing and whirled around.Naji came barreling across the deck, Marjani close behind.“What’s wrong?” he asked, putting his hands on my face and pulling me close.For once in their lives the crew didn’t hoot and holler when he did it.“What’s going on?” Marjani asked.“Sharks,” I said.She stared at me like I’d gone mad.“Sharks,” she said.“Sharks have got the crew off the sails?” She frowned.“It’s like they’ve never been at sea before.”I tried to figure out a way to explain it to her without sounding mad, but I couldn’t.Naji stepped up to the railing.Turned around again.“They want you,” I said.“They can, uh–”“They what?”“This is getting absurd,” Marjani said.“Ananna, just tell me what’s happening.”“I’m not–”“Are you Naji of the Jadorr’a?”It was the shark again, his rough rasp of a voice calling up out of the water.Marjani shrieked and stumbled up against me, one hand on the butt of her pistol.Naji, though, leaned over the railing.“I am!” He sounded unconcerned, like he spoke with sharks all the time.“We are in your debt,” the shark said.“Why?”“What is going on?” Marjani whispered.“I ain’t got no idea.”Marjani shoved me toward the railing.The other sharks were all facing us now, their heads bent low into the water.The head shark hadn’t bothered to answer Naji’s question.“You must come down below!” the shark said.“Below what?” asked Naji.“The water?”The shark nodded.“I’m afraid that isn’t possible, not if you’d also like to speak with me.I won’t be able to breathe–”“We’ve made arrangements.”I grabbed Naji’s arm.“Don’t do it,” I whispered.“It’s a trap.”Naji wrapped his arm around my waist.“May I bring some companions?” he asked.“What?” I hissed.“Of course.” The sharks all bowed again, splashing water [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]