Page 40 of Carousel

“Back me up, Cosmer,” Riss barks.

Cosmer speaks to the table. “I have to agree with Riss on this one. It could be risky.”

Risky. Of course. I’d forgotten I was possibly dangerous Rhavnan scum. Thank the Sisters I had Cosmer to keep reminding me.

“So, we will sleep as per the arrangements,” Riss declares, as if the matter is decided. “Ara and I, and Cosmer and Drake.”

Cosmer looks repulsed. “What? No!”

“I agree. No,” Drake says.

“I don’t think that’s an option, Riss,” I input, trying to keep my voice steady. “Not if we want to keep them alive for long enough to get this done.”

Riss looks between us all, a mixture of questioning and accusation in her eyes. She folds her arms.

“Okay. Is there something going on here that I don’t know about? Because if there’s one thing I won’t be, it’s the idiot in the room.”

Seeing as neither Cosmer and Drake rush to explain themselves, I murmur, vaguely, “There was an issue on the ship.”

She purses her lips.

“Ah. The issue. The same issue that meant Cosmer couldn’t pilot his own ship?”

I nod.

“And – just so I’m really clear here – did this issue happen to involve fists, by any chance?”

I open my mouth, about to form another – probably vague – answer, but another voice interrupts.

“I’ll sleep with Ara,” Cosmer blurts.

That gets our full attention.

His cheeks go faintly red.

I think my face is flushing, too.

“I don’t mean… I mean, you know what I mean,” he stutters. “It’s the only option that makes sense.” After a pause, he adds, “Riss, I know Ara, from back home. I trust her. And⁠—”

He looks at me from across the table. A short distance, but it might as well be a chasm.

“I know that even though she might not like me right now, she trusts me, too.”

All eyes swivel to me.

I realise I’m being expected to agree or disagree.

“I’ll be honest – I don’t like it.” I start carefully. “But, I can see that, realistically, it’s the only way this will work.”

Riss leans over the table to speak directly to Drake. “Just so you know, big guy,” she says warningly, “I can hear a man roll over in his sleep from three cabins away. So don’t try anything funny. I’ll know.”

Cosmer kind of swings himself on the bench. “She really can.”

Drake looks at her thoughtfully. “I hadn’t heard of talents like that in people not from the Rhavnan royal bloodline.”

“What can I say? I’m one of a kind. Anyway. You’re happy with this as the arrangement too, right, Drake?”

Drake’s gaze goes to me, briefly, and then over to Cosmer.