Page 93 of Ship of Smoke and Steel

“We’ll be fine, Berun.” Meroe catches my eye and nods. I pad around the corner, moving quietly, listening to the hum from the walls.

Berun’s devotion to Meroe would be touching, if he weren’t so craven otherwise. I shouldn’t blame him, but I can’t help a prickle of irritation, especially when Meroe takes his hand.

She doesn’t feel like that, though. Not about Berun.

And what if she did? I taunt myself, twisting the knife. You didn’t tell her anything. She hasn’t made any promises to you, any more than you did to her, before you went off and slept with Zarun.

Focus, Isoka. This is—

There’s something moving in the wall. A thick stream of gray motes, what the Scholar called Eddica energy. In the Deeps it was everywhere, but here in the Stern it’s less common. I hesitate for a moment, then put my hand up against it.

I assure myself it’s not personal. If Hagan is real—if he’s really Hagan—he might be able to help us. My eyes search the darkness as I whisper, “Hagan, can you hear me?”

“Isoka.” His voice is stronger than last time, with less of the strange distortion. “… hear you.”

“Blessed’s balls,” I swear. Because what am I supposed to say to him? “Is that really you?”

“… think so…” And there’s just a twist of irony in his voice that’s so like the old Hagan it makes me wince.

“Are you…” I swallow hard. “Are you dead?”

“… not sure.”

I freeze, because what I want to ask next is, Do you remember me stabbing you? And are you angry about it? Instead, I’m silent for a moment.

“The anomaly,” he says. “… coming soon. No one … survive.”

“The Rot. Do you mean the Rot?”

“Rot? Maybe … it says anomaly … sense out of it…”

“What says?”

“No time. The rogue … you’re … danger.”

Rot. The flow in the wall is weakening, fading away as I watch, and his voice fades with it.

“Hagan, why is the Captain taking us into the Rot? Can you speak to him?”

“Don’t…” His voice fades, then returns, thick with effort. “Find the Garden. Forward. The Bow. Safe there.”

“The Bow? We don’t know the way.”

“… help you. Like before. Find a strong enough…” His voices rises. “Rogue. Go, Isoka!”

There’s a scream from behind me, and the vibration redoubles. A moment later, Meroe comes running around the corner, with Berun trailing her, hand in hand.

“It’s coming!” Berun shouts.

Okay. Some mysteries will have to wait.

“Through the deck,” Meroe pants. “Spikes. It’s below us.”

“Rot.” I look down the narrow corridor. The floor is shaking violently, and bits of mushroom cascade from the walls. “We need more space. Come on.”

We run. The corridor lets out into a larger room, which is more to my liking. Even better, I spot Aifin on the other side, hurrying toward the vibration. He pauses when he sees me, and I gesture for him to stay put.

Something punches up through the floor, near where we came in. It’s a long black spike, needle thin, parting the metal of the deck as easily as cheese. It retreats just as rapidly, and another one comes up a few feet farther on, closing in on us. Berun and Meroe back away.