Trinity of Bones

by Caitlin Seal

  She had no idea what challenges she might face in Talmir, never mind what she might find on the other side of death. She needed every advantage she could get. That meant practicing as much as possible so she could learn to better control and manipulate the aether around her.

  The disk grew hot, then cool against her palm. The wind set a spray of seawater stinging against her cheek as the Gallant crested a gentle wave. Despite his rough appearance, Cervacaro obviously knew his business. He kept a steady hand on the wheel, and his crew jumped quickly to obey his orders. Naya was torn between admiration and lingering unease. She could still feel her father’s presence in every grain of wood, every stitch of sail. It made her feel like an intruder, or worse, a pirate.

  But she wasn’t an intruder. The Gallant was hers. If she was ever going to be a proper captain, she would need to learn the craft. She glanced around and spotted Felicia chatting eagerly with one of the sailors. Felicia said something and the sailor burst into a deep belly laugh. Naya smiled. Unlike Francisco, Felicia had taken eagerly to the voyage. She’d be fine on her own for a few hours. Naya started toward the helm.

  “Miss Garth, your skirt!”

  Naya turned to see Reial running toward her. “My skirt?” She looked down, then cursed. Smoke was drifting in thin wisps from a darkening patch of cloth just over where the rune disk sat in her pocket. Naya could feel the searing heat and the unsteady pressure as the metal warped and the runes began to break. She jerked the hot disk of metal from her pocket and threw it overboard. It flashed in the sunlight before disappearing into the rolling waves.

  “What was that?” Reial asked.

  Naya ducked her head, brushing at the scorched fabric to hide her expression. Stupid. She’d let her concentration slip for just a moment and nearly set herself on fire. “Just a rune disk. I was fiddling with it and I guess I didn’t realize how hot it had gotten.”

  “You’re all right? Not burned or anything?” Reial asked incredulously.

  Naya forced a laugh. “No, just my clothes. One of the benefits of being a wraith.” She showed him her unburned hand as evidence.

  “You should be more careful,” Reial said, taking a step back. “You’re lucky that thing didn’t start a fire. Why would you even have something like that?”

  Naya grimaced. Fire at sea, whether from a lightning strike or a careless cook, was one of the great dangers to a ship like the Gallant. She knew that. She also knew it was stupid to practice with her powers in such a public space. These last few weeks, she’d spent most of her time with people who already knew her secrets. Now that she was traveling, she had to remember to be more careful. “It was just an old heat disk a friend gave me,” Naya lied. “I didn’t even realize I still had it in my pocket. I must have turned it on by accident.” She gave Reial what she hoped looked like a bashful smile. “Sorry to worry you. I’ll let you get back to work.”

  “Wait. Where are you going?” Reial asked as she turned to leave.

  “To speak to Captain Cervacaro. I was hoping he’d teach me about sailing.”

  “Now’s probably not the best time,” Reial said, glancing at Naya’s burned skirt. “Wouldn’t you rather go change or something? I’m sure he’d be happy to talk about all that later over dinner.”

  “I’m fine. And I’d rather have the chance to watch the captain at work,” Naya said. Before he’d taken the helm, Cervacaro had asked her, Francisco, and Felicia to join him for dinner that night.

  “Right. Well, thing is, the captain doesn’t like interruptions, especially not when he’s getting the feel for a new ship,” Reial said, shifting so he was standing between her and the helm where the captain stood. “But if you want, we could go stand by the deckhouse. We’ll be out of the way there and I can explain the maneuvers to you as we go.”

  Naya could sense the unease in his aether. She frowned. She guessed that his reaction was about more than just her accident with the rune disk. “Did the captain order you to keep me away?”

  Reial looked away. “Not in so many words. But I was to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t come by any trouble.”

  Naya crossed her arms over her chest. “He does realize this is my ship, not his, doesn’t he?”

  “Of course. He didn’t mean offense by it. It’s just…”

  “Just what?”

  Reial sighed. “Look, Captain Cervacaro is a good man, but he’s never been quick to trust, and lately he’s been having a turn of bad luck. It’s made him wary.”

  “It’s not as though I’m going to grab the wheel out from under him,” Naya said in exasperation.

  Reial smiled. “I’m sure you wouldn’t. Still, the captain’s more likely to be amiable if you talk to him when he’s off duty.”

  Naya hesitated, then nodded reluctantly and followed Reial to the side of the deckhouse. A moment later the captain shouted orders to move the ship to a starboard tack. The ship slowed as they turned into the wind, men running and hauling on braces to adjust the sails to the new heading. Through it all Reial stayed by her side, occasionally pointing out details of the maneuver.

  Now that Naya thought about it, Reial had been nearby ever since she’d boarded the Gallant. Was Cervacaro really so worried that he’d order one of his crew to waste all his time watching her? Did it have something to do with her being a wraith? Cervacaro was Ceramoran, but sailors tended to be more superstitious than most, and even in Ceramor, not everyone was comfortable around the undead.

  “You said before the captain’s had some bad luck. What did you mean?” Naya asked.

  Reial shifted uncomfortably. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything about that.”

  “If there’s trouble, I’d rather know about it. Does he think I’m bad luck?”

  Reial squinted up at the sails, then shook his head. “It’s not really about you. Just…well, the owners of the last ship we sailed on did him a bad turn, nearly got us all killed.”

  “What happened?” Naya asked.

  “We used to serve together on the Arabella. She was a good vessel, but the investors who owned her were a bunch of landfeet who didn’t know sails from bedsheets. We had a shipment go foul when we were running sugar from Banen to Ceramor. The owners were furious, blamed the captain even though it wasn’t really his fault. After that the owners got it into their heads that the best way to make up the loss was to send us on a run out to Vesra Shark.”

  Naya’s eyebrows rose. “Vesra Shark? Isn’t that somewhere in Endra?”

  “Yeah. North coast, near the mountains. One of the owners talked to a captain who got rich making the journey a few years back. He said Vesra Shark was a wealthy city, full of metalsmiths forging alloys better than anything here in the west. Guess this captain didn’t mention that most ships that pass that way don’t come back.”

  “But you went anyway?” Naya asked. “What was it like?”

  Reial hunched his shoulders. “Cold seas. Storms. Can’t tell you much about the city. The people wouldn’t let us past their walls. Had to trade with whichever merchants rowed out to us, and the rates weren’t near so good as the captain had hoped. We hit a bad storm on the way back, lost the foremast and the upper mainmast, along with a good bit of sail. When we limped back to harbor, the creditors decided the ship wasn’t worth the cost of repairs. After all we’d risked, they sacked the whole crew and sold poor Arabella for scrap.”

  “I’m sorry,” Naya said. Her throat tightened at the thought of the Gallant being so ill-used. She had a dozen questions she wanted to ask. She’d never met anyone who’d sailed round the northern edge of the continent. But she could tell by the look in Reial’s eyes and the bitter tang of his aether that he didn’t want to say any more about the trip.

  They stood together in silence, watching the other sailors work. Wind snapped at the sails and the deck creaked softly. “Why is it you want the captain to teach you
sailing anyway?” Reial asked.

  “Because the Gallant is mine,” Naya said. “If I’m going to own a ship, I ought to know how to sail her.”

  Reial frowned at that. “Forgive me for saying it, miss, but you don’t seem the type that would make a good captain.”

  Naya faced him, anger rising in her chest. “Excuse me? What’s that supposed to mean? You don’t even know me.”

  “Maybe not. But back at port people said you were a spy, and that you started the uprising that took down Valn. Now here you are sailing with a bunch of diplomats to go make fancy laws and such.”

  Naya crossed her arms. “What’s your point?”

  Reial met her eyes, his gaze steady and cold. “Learning to captain a ship like the Gallant isn’t something you do in a handful of days, and someone who goes brushing elbows with diplomats doesn’t seem the sort to spend years learning the trade proper. And,” he added, “captains can’t let themselves get distracted when they’re on duty. You about lit yourself on fire a minute ago and barely even noticed.”

  “Maybe I was simply focused on something else,” Naya grumbled.

  Reial gave her a disbelieving look and Naya scowled back at him. “I know it won’t be easy,” she said. “But I have to start somewhere.”

  Reial looked away. “True enough, I guess. Just don’t be surprised if the captain isn’t amiable to teaching you all he knows. We’ve all got our work to do, and seems to me yours is on land.”

  Naya wasn’t sure what to say to that. Reial nodded as though silence was answer enough. Naya watched as he walked away and returned to checking over the length of rope. He was wrong. She could be a good captain. She’d always loved the ocean, always felt so free with nothing but open waves around her. She knew learning to be a proper captain wouldn’t be easy. Still, with a few months at sea, and the right mates to offer advice, she could do the job. She was sure of it.

  But…

  Naya closed her eyes. All that would have to wait until after the Congress. Where would she find the money to pay the crew after it was all done? What about cargo? And if—no, when—she brought Corten back, would he be willing to sail with her? If not, would he wait for her while she traveled from port to port?

  Naya opened her eyes again and looked up at the taut white sails, but the wind and open sky beyond offered her no answers.

  * * *

  That night the cook set the table in Naya’s cabin for her dinner with the captain. Cervacaro sat at the head with his first mate, Pit, to his right and Naya to his left. Francisco and Felicia sat at the other end. They waited silently as the cook served spiced chicken and vegetables onto the polished silver plates Naya’s father had always reserved for special occasions. Felicia eyed the food with interest, but Francisco was obviously still struggling with seasickness.

  “I hope you’ve found everything to your liking so far,” Cervacaro said as he cut into his chicken.

  Naya nodded. “Yes, and thank you again for giving up the captain’s cabin. You didn’t have to do that.” Her conversation with Reial was still sharp in her mind. She didn’t intend to simply give up on learning to sail, but if she wanted the captain’s help, she’d obviously have to be careful about how and when she asked.

  Cervacaro waved her thanks away. “Think nothing of it. And you, Lord Francisco, I trust you’ve settled in?”

  Francisco picked up his fork, then set it down with a clatter. “I’m hoping this trip doesn’t take so long that we have time to ‘settle in.’ ”

  The captain chuckled. “If the winds hold, it shouldn’t be more than ten or twelve days to Lith Lor. Don’t worry, you’ll find your sea legs before then.” To Naya he added, “You have a good ship here, Miss Garth.”

  “Thank you,” Naya said.

  “Your father used her in the fruit trade, correct?”

  Naya nodded, her shoulders tensing at the mention of her father. “We also carried wines from some of the northern vineyards.” And secrets for the Talmiran Embassy.

  “Good markets for a fast ship,” Pit said. She was leaning back in her chair, swirling the wine in her glass. Her plate was already empty, though they’d barely sat down a few minutes ago. “Imagine she’d also do well carrying tea or sugar from the Islands.”

  “No doubt,” Cervacaro said. “It’s a shame there wasn’t time to fill her holds with something more useful than ballast before we sailed. You could have made a nice profit off this trip.”

  “This trip isn’t about profits,” Francisco cut in.

  “True,” Cervacaro said. “You travel for a higher purpose.” He tipped his glass in a gesture of respect, though Naya thought she saw something mocking in the way he looked at Francisco.

  “Ballast?” Felicia asked, glancing between Cervacaro and Francisco. “What is that?”

  “Weights, essentially,” Pit answered. “This trip we’re using gravel. A ship like the Gallant isn’t designed to sail with an empty hold. Without the ballast we’d be too light and risk bobbing about with our rudder clear out of the water.”

  Felicia’s eyes widened. “Who would have thought a ship would need rocks to float?”

  Pit chuckled. “The trick is not floating too much. If we’re too light in the water, the ship’s liable to tip over and send us all on a very unwelcome swim.”

  Cervacaro turned to Naya. “Speaking of cargos and such—tell me, have you thought about what you’re going to do with the Gallant once all this is over?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. Why?”

  Cervacaro gave her a smile that Naya guessed was meant to look fatherly. “I worry Lord Delence didn’t fully consider the consequences when he passed the Gallant on to you.”

  “What are you talking about?” Francisco asked.

  “Last I heard, the undead don’t have any rights in Talmir,” Cervacaro said. “And that includes owning property like this fine ship. It’d be a shame to see them try to seize her when we set into port.”

  “They won’t.” Francisco’s tone was dismissive.

  “Oh?” Cervacaro raised his eyebrows. “Well, maybe. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to be careful.” He turned back to Naya. “You’d do well to think on the Gallant’s future, Miss Garth. It’s a burden having to take care of all those little troubles of managing a ship, and the cost can be terribly heavy.” He took another sip of wine, examining the dark-red liquid through the glass. “If you weren’t keen to deal with all that trouble, I could help. I’ve got some money stashed away. I’d be willing to buy her if you’d like. That way the port officials won’t have anything to complain about, and you won’t have to worry yourself about what to do with her later.”

  Naya stared at him in shocked silence. “Maybe Lord Delence didn’t tell you, but I trained for years, first at the Merchants Academy and then alongside my father. I know how much it costs to operate a trading ship. I know it won’t be easy. But the Gallant isn’t for sale.”

  Cervacaro frowned. “I meant no offense. All I wanted was to propose an option you might not have considered. You said yourself you didn’t know what to do with her. And this way you needn’t worry about disrupting your work at the Congress. We’d honor our contracts with Delence. We’d see you to the Congress, then wherever you want to go after that. You’d walk away with a fat purse, and you wouldn’t have to risk losing the ship over some legal technicality.”

  Francisco snorted. “The Gallant won’t be seized. My father wouldn’t have brought it if he thought it was a risk. I—” The ship rocked against a wave, and Francisco snapped his mouth shut. Sweat beaded on his forehead. “Excuse me.” He stood, then hurried from the room.

  There was a moment of awkward silence, followed by the faint sound of Francisco heaving in the next room. Cervacaro shook his head. “Not much ocean in that boy, is there?”

  Felicia glanced at the door, her face scrunched in sympathy. “Isn’t t
here anything that can be done?”

  “He’ll be fine in a day or two,” Cervacaro said, waving the comment away. “But back to the conversation. Why don’t you give my offer some thought, Miss Garth?”

  Naya stood, anger making her bones feel hot. Why was everyone on this ship suddenly so intent on telling her what she could and couldn’t do with her future? “I said no. The Gallant isn’t for sale.”

  Cervacaro’s eyes narrowed. “I won’t press you if you feel so strongly about it. Just think on what I said. The Gallant is a fine ship, but she’ll be worth little more than scrap if you don’t have the means to outfit her.” He stood. “Come, Pit, we should go see to things before the watch changes.”

  “Aye, sir.” Pit drained the last of her wine, then followed Cervacaro out of the cabin. A moment later the cook returned to clear away the dishes.

  Naya’s fists clenched and unclenched as she watched the cook leave. The captain might be a competent sailor, but he had all the subtlety of a dead rat. He hadn’t even waited a day before trying to buy her ship out from under her.

  He was likely trying to take advantage of her. Even if he’d been saving during his time aboard the Arabella, Naya doubted he had enough to afford a whole new ship. Perhaps he’d hoped she didn’t know the Gallant’s worth. Or maybe he’d thought the prospect of future debts would be enough to scare her into selling it for cheap.

  Well, even if he’d come to her with chests of gold, she would have turned him away. The Gallant might not feel like home anymore, but it was all she had left. She would no more consider selling it than she would selling her own bones.

  Naya and Felicia sat in silence for a moment. “Do you think he’ll be all right?” Felicia asked, glancing at the wall separating Naya and Francisco’s cabins.

  Naya followed Felicia’s gaze. Unlike the question of the Gallant’s future, Francisco’s seasickness was a problem she knew how to help fix. “I’d better get him to come outside. He’ll only feel worse if he stays below like this.” She would have liked to avoid Francisco if she could. But as Ceramor’s two undead representatives, they’d have to work together once they got to the Congress. That would be easier if she could convince him she wasn’t his enemy.