Page 88 of Ship of Smoke and Steel

“Why?”

“It doesn’t matter.” He grins again. “More of my ‘craziness.’ But that’s my price.”

“Even if I thought I could kill the dredwurm,” I say carefully, “nobody knows where it is. Half the crew is out looking for it. If I ever see the thing, it’ll be as part of some big team Zarun puts together, and I won’t be able to get the eye for myself.”

“As it happens, Zarun has just received a report from one of his scouting packs,” the Scholar says. “He’s putting together his team now, but it will take him a few days. If you hurry, you can beat him to the punch.”

“Assuming he tells me what he knows. Unless you have the location already?”

“Unfortunately, my informant didn’t quite get that far.” He taps his cane against the deck. “But you’re the Deepwalker. I have every confidence in you.”

“If I do this…” I shake my head. “If anyone found out, Zarun or the other officers, they’d kill me.”

“As they’d kill me, if they knew I let you into the Captain’s tower. I think it’s a fair trade.”

“I’m not sure I do.”

“It’s my price,” he snaps. “If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to try to find another way to get to the Captain.” He glances at the map, then back at me. “If you think you have time.”

I sit in my room, back against the wall, one foot tapping out a fast rhythm on the floor.

The Scholar may be crazy, but he’s right about one thing. This is a hell of a bet. He thinks it’s worth it, because he believes we’re all headed to the Rot.

If he’s right, we’re all going to die. And if I die here, that means Tori—

Rot, rot, Blessed’s rotten balls in a vise.

The curtain rustles, and Meroe comes in, looking worried.

“Are you all right?” she says. “Berun said you were looking for me.”

I beckon her over, and she sits beside me, favoring her bad leg only a little. She’s still carrying the cane, but she doesn’t use it much.

“Isoka?”

I hold up a finger, close my eyes, and listen. The walls here aren’t thick, Blessed knows Thora and Jack have proved that often enough. I don’t hear anything now, but best to be careful. “Try to stay quiet.”

Meroe obliges by whispering. “Isoka, what’s going on?”

“I met with the Scholar.”

“And?”

“He’s mad.”

She eyes me. “Is it contagious?”

“He made me … an offer. If we bring him the dredwurm’s eye, he can get me in to see the Captain.”

Meroe frowns. “I thought nobody knew where the dredwurm was.”

“Zarun does. If I can get the information from him, we can beat him to the prize.”

I see her eyes widen in understanding. “By ‘we’ you mean—”

“You and me. Berun. Aifin, if he’s willing.”

“Not Thora and Jack.”