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“Give me my daughter, and you’ll never see theTempestbornagain,” she said. It was not a question, but a command. Meliz didn’t draw her sword, but her crew behind her was armed to the teeth, axes and swords and daggers loose.

No one moved.

Meliz’s fingers curled around the ropes, her grip tightening in frustration. They were red with welts, her knuckles bruised and cut. There was a healing bruise on her exposed collarbone too, purple and yellow. Corayne knew the marks of a kraken’s tentacles all too well.

Pursing her lips, Meliz stared at Corayne. She radiated rage.

“Corayne an-Amarat, do as I say.”

Corayne’s fear dissipated in the steady breeze.You might be a pirate captain in all your glory, but you are my mother first.

“I will not,” Corayne shot back, raising her chin. She inhaled a steadying breath, gathering herself.I have faced worse than you,she told herself.

Meliz drew her sword with ease, never losing her balance on the rail. The blade danced a looping arc. “Get off this ship, or every person upon it dies.”

For once, Corayne conquered the urge to roll her eyes.

“Not even you would stoop so low, Mother.”

The ropes snapped and a dozen pirates of theTempestbornswung between the ships, landing hard on the deck. Corayne knew them all, her mother’s most fearsome sailors. And Meliz was worst of all, burning brighter than any flame. She stalked across the deck, her sword raised in warning. The Ibalet sailors gave her and the others a wide berth.

Meliz sneered at them, snapping her teeth. Hell Mel reared her terrible head, threatening them all.

“For your life, I certainly would,” the pirate captain snarled, rounding on her daughter.

Corayne held firm, bracing herself. Meliz stopped only at the last moment, her face but inches away. She glared, the anger rolling off her.

It took everything to keep still. But Corayne held her ground, even if she felt like a little girl again, one who made a stupid mistake and needed to face the consequences.

The Companions did not move, unyielding. They had seen far worse too.

Meliz eyed them all, her gaze flickering from one Companion to the next. She barely looked at Andry or Charlie, and Valtik was gone again. But Sorasa and Dom, they gave her pause. Corayne tried not to gloat. She knew her mother well enough to see the hesitation cross her face.

“An Elder and an Amhara?” Meliz muttered, looking between them. “You’ve made strange friends in my absence.” Then the Spindleblade caught her eye, as Corayne had meant it to. She stared, wide-eyed, her fascination eclipsing her anger for a moment. “And this?”

“The sword of my father,” Corayne said. “Cortael of Old Cor.”

Meliz raised her eyebrows. Shehmmed low in her throat. “I suppose he’s dead, then.”

Dom glowered at Corayne’s shoulder. “Speak of him with respect or not at all.”

“I think he spoke ofyouonce,” Meliz said neatly with a cold smile. She looked Dom over again, reading his figure as she would a tide. “I’m afraid I can’t remember the name—it was something long and ridiculous. But he said you were somewhere between brother and nursemaid.” A sneer Corayne knew all too well crossed her face. “Were you his undertaker too?”

Wincing, Corayne whirled to Dom, but Sorasa Sarn was already there. She stepped between them, planting her body in Dom’s path. He growled over her head, near to an animal, his eyes alight with vengeful green fire. Sorasa was hardly enough to stop him, should he wish to defend Cortael’s honor, but she was enough to give him pause. He growled again and fell silent.

“I didn’t realize Elders were so feral,” Meliz scoffed. “Come, Corayne. It’s a miracle you’ve survived so long with these people.”

“Indeed,” Corayne answered, steely. She crossed her arms and set her feet.You will have to drag me off this ship, Mother.“I survived skeleton shades, the Queen of Galland, sea serpents, a kraken, a Gallish legion, and a Spindle torn. Because of them. Not you.”

Her mother’s eyes went round with shock, then fear. She wasn’t the only one. It rippled through the crew like a wave. They knew the monsters of Meer too. And some, Corayne realized, would never know anything else. She looked through them again. Familiar faces were missing.Dead,she realized. It felt like a kick in the gut.Lost to the Spindle and the Long Sea.

Meliz stumbled for the first time Corayne could remember, her mouth working to form the right words.

“You met the kraken too?” she said, the air of command dropping away. There was only fear in her now. “My dearest love—” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Corayne’s muscles were stronger, her body leaner, her fingers and feet surer after weeks of training. Even so, she felt like a child when she took her mother’s arm, pulling her close.

Meliz let her without question and Corayne maneuvered them both into the forecastle. The door shut behind them, closing them off in the tiny, low-ceilinged room. It felt so much like their cottage, Corayne nearly wept.