Her black hair was twisted up in its usual knot, held in place by one of her throwing knives, and she wore the blue dress Eris left in her bedroom. The hue complemented her eyes perfectly.
“She killed them,” Safire blurted out.
Eris frowned. That was not what she’d expected her to say. “Killed who?”
“Kor. Rain. Lila.” Safire’s hands fisted at her sides, as if she were only just now considering the words she was saying. “She executed all of them.”
It didn’t sink in at first. The idea of Kor and the others being dead, when they’d been alive just yesterday... she couldn’t make sense of it. And then, when itdidmake sense, Eris didn’t know how to feel. She hated Kor, that was certain. She’d stabbed him and set his ship ablaze, after all. But she’d done those things because she was angry and tired of being abused; not because she’d wanted to kill him. If she’d wanted to kill Kor, she would have locked him inside that burning room.
Eris didn’t want him dead. Nor any of the others.
“Are you sure?”
Safire turned away, looking out over the balustrade, into the mist-cloaked city. “I didn’t see it with my own eyes,” she said, hugging herself. “But it’s what she told me:Pirates don’t get trials.”
Eris watched her, unsure of what to say. She wasn’t surprised by this. But Safire clearly was.
“Why are you here?” Safire whispered, her voice sounding small.
Eris stepped up to the balustrade. “I know what Jemsin wants your cousin for.”
Safire turned, her blue eyes hard as jewels. “And?”
Tides, this would be so much easier if you weren’t so pretty. Eris shoved the thought away, needing to focus. She was deep in enemy territory right now. She needed to keep her head about her.
“The empress made him a deal: she’ll give him free rein over her territorial waters if he delivers Asha to her.”
Safire’s dark brows knit in a skeptical frown. “You have proof of this?”
“Not... exactly.” Eris looked down to her stolen boots. “No.”
“So I’m supposed to take you at your word.”
“Yes?”
“It doesn’t make any sense.” Safire murmured, staring out into the mist. “What does she want my cousinfor?”
“I have no idea. But if she’s making deals with pirates in order to obtain her, my guess is: nothing good.”
Safire studied Eris for several heartbeats. “Does this mean you won’t hunt Asha down?”
Eris glanced up. “What?”
“If the empress wants my cousin,” Safire said, crossing her arms tightly against her chest, “and you believe the empress is a monster, then it should follow that you’ve decidednotto uphold your bargain with Jemsin.”
Eris stepped closer, keeping her voice low. “If Idon’tdeliver your precious cousin to Jemsin, he’ll hand me over to that monster instead.” Eris shook her head. “Don’t you understand?Leandra won’t show me any more leniency than she showed Kor. If she doesn’t execute me...” She touched the spindle tucked into her stolen belt, suddenly thinking of Day. Of the blade driven through his chest. “She’ll make me wish she had.”
“I see,” said Safire stiffly. “So you came here to say that a villain wants my cousin, for reasons unknown to you, but you think those reasons sinister enough to warrant warning me.” Safire’s eyes were like bright flames as they bore into Eris. “But it’s not going to stop you from hunting Asha down like prey and delivering her to thatsame villain.” Her voice was rising now. The air seemed to grow hot with her anger. “Did I get that right?”
Eris stared at her. “Did you not hear what I said? If I don’t do what Jemsin wants, I’m as good as dead.”
Safire’s mouth curled in disgust. “Maybe you deserve to be.”
Eris stepped back, stung.
“You’re a criminal, Eris. A thief. A pirate. Amurderer.” Her voice was hardening. Where before there had been hesitation, there was now resolve. “The world needs to be protected from people like you.”
Eris stared at her. “I never murdered anyone.”
