The Wicked Heroine
Page 20
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After twelve and one-half days, the Ondanta docked at high tide among the many other vessels on the wharves of Braltre. The storm that had delivered them here so quickly was beating itself to death against the landmass, and would tire out over the next day. Sanych explained this to the misogynist Hmol as she took his money.
“I’m not an idiot,” he grunted to her, as he reluctantly gave up his gipp.
“No. You’re a barbarian,” she retorted in an even undertone.
“It takes one to know one, lass,” the first mate sniped.
Sanych smirked at him and gave him a saluting gesture with her index finger, knowing from Meena that it was a sign of respect in Hynd, and an insult to any Daskan. She heard Captain Verri guffawing loudly, and she turned to find Meena waiting for her at the gangway.
“Smartcheeks,” murmured Meena as they walked away. Once down on the dock itself, both of them turned and put hands over their hearts, then extended them toward Captain Verri, who was also performing the Hyndi gesture of farewell.
“Fair winds, my lovely plums,” he called down to them, grinning, as the last of the storm’s strength buffeted the green feathers on the tiara around his turban. “Good fortune to you, Nurstei, whatever your future path.”
“What an odd man,” commented Sanych.
Meena snorted. “You think that’s odd, let me tell you about Seven Six and his Coattails…”