Page 88 of The Demons in the Deep: Extended Edition
But then she would never willingly give him the best of herself, the best work of her mind. He must have known that, because he leaned in and breathed against her ear, “One more chance tonight. Twelve bells. Look for the skiff.”
And then he backed away—just in time, because Rake’s jaws were stretching, rows of teeth emerging, and he looked ready to rip Feral’s head off.
“Control your beast, Flay, or I will.” Feral motioned to two of his men, who trained crossbows on Rake.
Quickly Jazadri wrapped a burly arm around Rake, pulling him backward, quietly urging, “Calm down, now. Don’t want to escalate matters. She’s all right. We’re all right.”
As Feral stalked away, he called back, “Set sail by dawn, little brother, or I’ll be testing those new weapons of mine on theWind’s Favor.”
The crew of theWind’s Favorhad seen theAscendantarrive, and they were all anxious to know what had been said during the meeting on the beach. After explaining, Flay spent the remainder of the afternoon speaking with each of the men, hearing their thoughts on the matter.
Mai watched him converse with every sailor, half-respecting him for it and half-wishing he would brace up and decide to fight Feral, or trick Feral, orsomething. There had to be some alternative to running away.
At last, after the evening meal, Flay called Mai, Rake, Kestra, and Jazadri into the navigation room, where they stood around a table covered in star charts and maps to talk it over.
“I don’t see any other way out,” Flay said. “And neither do the men.”
Mai’s fingers tightened into fists. “So we’re just going to let him do this?”
Kestra was shaking her head. “This is why you need a clean break from him and your father. So they can’t pull whale-shit like this on you.”
“If I had enough money to hire mercenary ships for protection, or to buy another ship of my own, or to pay for theWind’s Favorand buy my father off—” Flay shook his head. “I thought the profit from the wine might be a step toward that. Instead of giving it to the Magnate, I thought we could sell it ourselves and move toward breaking free—but that dream is over. It’s all in Feral’s hands now.” He plunked disconsolately into a chair.
“It’s not all gone.” Kestra opened her bag and drew out a few gleaming jeweled pieces. “I found these in one of the buildings in that city, and there’s a lot more. An entire treasure trove.”
Flay’s eyes lit up momentarily, but then he shook his head. “That’s wonderful, Blossom, but it’s not enough, and we can’t go ashore to get any more. Some of Feral’s men are camped on the beach right in front of the cave ruins. And theAscendantwill knock out our masts and leave us stranded if we defy Feral. He could cripple the ship.”
“Then at least we would get to stay,” Mai muttered.
Flay gave her a despairing look. “I’m sorry, Sparrow, I really am. But we can’t risk the loss of the ship. Feral might sink us, take us captive, leave us to starve—he certainly won’t allow us to interfere with whatever he has planned for this site. I have the lives of an entire crew to think about, and that’s more important to me than some relics and treasure.”
Mai bit her lip, holding in the words she wanted to say.Not just relics and treasure. Precious technology, precious knowledge. Scientific advancements, lost to time.
“I’m with you, Captain. We have to leave.” Jazadri folded his huge arms and nodded. “We should sail on and survive.”
Kestra was nodding, and suddenly Mai couldn’t hold back.
“We’re going to leave all this? The cities, the technology, everything?” She wished her voice didn’t sound so shrill, but she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t bear what was happening—the dreams, the plans, all her hopes of studying the mermaid technology and making Flay a real hand—all of it, crumbling to dust around her.
“You can study the devices we have,” Kestra said.
“That’s not enough,” Mai spit out. “Why can’t you see that? I need an education. I need time. I need more information abouthowthey crafted these devices in the first place. If you’re not going to stand up to Feral, then maybe you’ll at least leave me in Meroa while you voyage. There’s a science school there, I’m told—I can attend it while you’re gone.”
Kestra slammed both hands onto the table so sharply Rake jumped. “You think I’m letting you stay in a strange city alone, for months? Tides, no. Especially not after you showed such a deplorable lack of judgment in Stragnoag. GivingFeralweapon designs? Cheating?”
“Helping us win so we didn’t all become slaves?” Mai shouted. “I’d do it again.”
“And that is why you’re not mature enough to be left on your own,” Kestra shouted back. “That’s why you’re coming with us, and you’re going back to Kiken Island until you’re better prepared for the world.”
“As if you’re so well-prepared?” Mai snapped. “What didyoudo to help us win? How did you contribute? What do youeverdo that’s useful?”
“Mai,” Flay said warningly.
“No!” Mai whirled on him. “You two never listen to me. You plan without me, you go about your lives as if you’re both at the center of the universe and everyone else is the background to your great love story. Other people have stories too! And mine starts with an education. I’m staying in Meroa, and Rake can stay with me. The two of us will be fine without all of you. Right, Rake?”
She turned to him, confident and frantic at once.
The goggles hung around Rake’s neck now, and his dark, liquid eyes shone softly, sadly down at her, his expression touched with alarm. She knew he’d seen her argue with Kestra before, but never this savagely. Maybe she had gone a step too far. Judging by Kestra’s silence, Mai had wounded her, perhaps deeper than she meant to.
