‘Shipwright. I know.’ Her voice was filed glass. Dark and crisp. ‘I’ve heard of you. You ran the blockade at Serpent. That was brave. And you were the first ship into Errant during the plague. That was … interesting. No profit in that one.’
‘Last one out,’ Shipwright muttered.
‘What?’
She crossed her arms. ‘I was the last one out. Of Errant. With half her people.’
Arissa unknotted her dark hair, letting it fall down her back before it was caught by the wind.
‘From what I heard, half her people was all she had left.’
‘That’s true, Lady.’
‘So why risk it? I can’t imagine they had coin. The plague hit the guildhalls first, as I heard.’
‘No coin, Lady.’
She dismounted in one fluid step, ‘Why then?’
‘No one deserves that death, Lady. Not just because they’re too poor to run.’
Arissa watched her, her eyes the blued grey of the clouds.
‘Interesting. My cousin married a fisherman in Errant. Family hated him, but she loved that man. Do you know what she told me about you?’
Shipwright shook her head.
‘No, Lady. I couldn’t put names to all the faces, I’m afraid.’
Arissa waved a gloved hand, ‘She said you didn’t sleep for the whole four days it took to get them into safe harbour.’
‘True, Lady.’
‘Said you sailed that ship alone some nights, so your crew wouldn’t have to go near the sick.’
‘True, Lady.’
‘Said you gave near half your cargo when you pulled into Visage, to get cure to them all.’
‘Also true.’
Arissa stepped forwards, until she was barely an inch or two away from Shipwright’s face.
‘Interesting.’
Her breath was sweet. Like flowers. Or aniseed.
‘My cousin said, Shipwright, that you never sickened, nor tired.’ A faint smile, the briefest line of teeth, ‘Also true?’
‘Yes, Lady.’
A gloved hand settled on Shipwright’s shoulder, another, startlingly, snaked around her waist. A shiver ran down her spine from the suddenness of the touch.
‘I think I can use you, Shipwright. I think this city can use you.’
‘I hope so, Lady.’ She caught herself. This was hardly driving a bargain. Her cheeks were too hot. She couldn’t focus.
‘Why did you come here, Shipwright?’
