Page 99 of The Sea Witch
Beside her, Ben went still. Alys didn’t look in his direction.
“It’d have all the necessary weapons to attack enslavers’ ships,” Alys said.
“And the size to accommodate all those we’ll free,” Olachi noted.
“The ship was spotted on its way to investigate what happened back at Kinnear’s,” Stasia went on. “We can intercept it.”
“Which ship?” Ben asked, his voice low.
Before Stasia could answer him, Alys said quickly, “Is it far from us?”
“Half a day’s sailing,” Luna explained.
“Set a heading,” Alys said. “We’ll come up with a plan, and then the crew needs to be made ready.”
“Which. Ship,” Ben pressed.
Alys didn’t answer him. Instead, she grabbed the pistol tucked into Stasia’s belt—and pointed it at him.
“The hell?” he demanded.
“To the brig.”
“Alys—”
“Now.”
When he didn’t move, Stasia unsheathed her cutlass, then Polly brandished a dagger, and Luna aimed her own firearm at him. Olachi and Effia watched, their expressions guarded.
Slowly, Ben raised his hands. With Alys behind him, the muzzle of her pistol trained on his back, he climbed down the companionway.
“You know the way,” Alys said flatly.
“You think this is necessary.” His back was to her as he descended lower into the ship. “What we did... at the inn...”
“Not the first time I’ve made an error in judgment.”
He spun around, and she pressed the muzzle of her gun against his chest.
His expression was disbelieving, then hardened. “An error.”
Heat rushed to her face and through her body. “I needed balancing. You provided a service. Willingly. I thank you for it.”
Pushing the words from her mouth, wounding him like this... her chest ached.
“Giving you the touch and pleasure you needed isn’t an offense that requires throwing me in the brig,” he said tightly.
“The risk’s too high. Having you roaming free when we attack the naval ship.”
“Then manacle me.”
“You could still sabotage us. Or join them. A hundred possibilities. Keep walking.”
He turned and continued to make his way toward the brig. “As if you couldn’t know what I think, what I feel.”
“We can lie to ourselves as much as anyone else. You could be halfway to the magazine, not even knowing you intended to blow up my ship, before either of us realized what was happening.”
“It’smytreachery that worries you.You’rethe one with a pistol aimed at my back.”
