Page 103 of The Secrets of Jane: Reborn

“Which is?” I ask, being led into a room with a large table in the center that’s bolted to the floor, the walls lined with scrollsrolled and stuffed into shelves. If this ship were to ever catch fire, this room would be nothing but tinder.

“Well, right here,” he motions to a large map that’s already unfurled on the table. “You’ve paid handsomely, Soren, to have me trail Tempest and also sit in waiting. Now that you’re in need of my actualship, and that I happen to be of great use with my knowledge of the Fire Isles, shall we discuss whatmorepayment looks like?”

“If we survive this, Blackwell’s coffers will be up for looting, as well as the entirety of Ashfire… whatever will be left of it, anyway. We won’t touch any of it.” I glare at him, not wanting to negotiate withpiratesright now. “I don’t want what’s Blackwell’s.”

My men will be paid with my own coin, with new lands and whatever homes Blackwell’s mercenaries had in Skull’s Row. I will throw everything I have at this to recover Jane and my sister.

I know how to rebuild, if necessary. Money isn’t hard to make if truly needed.

His dark brown eyes reveal immense pleasure at hearing that. “I like those terms,” he says, grinning to reveal a few golden teeth as he looks at the rest who enter his place. “I also used to visit Ashfire. They’ve ruined it, so I’d love to pillage what’s left.”

Bones struts about, hands in his pockets. “Lots of scrolls here.”

“I collectinformation, not just trinkets. Everything in here has been copied by my scries and left on land,” Liam proudly says. “I bet Blackwell hasamazingscrolls in his coffers. Definitely will want access to the Spiraling Stone when this is all said and done.”

“We can make that happen,” Ritter replies.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a map of Ashfire?” I ask.

He grins. “I do.Many.” He moves along the table, his hand gliding on the wood before poking at the map. “This, in fact, is the very map you’ll want to study. You can’t take it with you, but you can look at it for as long as you’d like. I got it out once I read your letter.”

“We need to infiltrate it,” I say, looking over the papyrus that’s scried with meticulous, inky lines.

His thick brows rise, slightly looking off. “Infiltration.” He clicks his tongue. “That won’t be easy. Not with the fire mages. They burn anything they don’t like. Sort of impossible to get near them.”

Not if you’re Jane.

Ritter nears the map, touching it with his aged hands. “Maybe being butted up against the ocean is our answer. We can climboneof these walls. We can’t enter through any of the gates, not without an entire army.”

“I am not offering my men, before any of you ask,” Liam swiftly says.

Ritter waves his hand in the air. “Fine, fine. Tell us where on this map then we should infiltrate from.”

“Let me get us some drinks first,” Liam offers, nearing a globe that opens to reveal rum and glassware. Not a single ounce of dishonesty emits from the captain of this ship, although that doesn’t speak for any of the self-preservation he harbors. “Why did Tempest kick you off her island?”

“We’re partially working with Cypress,” Basilisk quickly answers. I glare at him, as that could very well get us kicked offthisship, too.

“The witch? Well, I don’t have a problem with her, so no worries here.” He passes a drink around before sipping on his now, sighing before standing across from Ritter. Basiliskhadto know that was the case, and if so, I like that our odds are looking up. “Alright… infiltration… Well, here’s a theory I can offer. I’vebeen to Ashfire as a kid, when it wasn’t the madness it is now. I knowthisapartment—” he points to the map “—and that the fire bastards have taken it over. It doesn’t have many safeguards. They seem to think they’re simply not a threat.” He taps the map a few times on that structure. “Honestly, I’d get into their private quarters and kill as many as possible. You get rid of the mages, and the whole area is yours.”

“What did they do before Misery?” Ritter asks, taking a drink for himself, licking his lips. “For protection?”

“They were just simply not bothered,” Liam replies, shrugging his shoulders, strutting about while nursing his drink. His long hair is braided down the back, appearing as if it’s been dried out by salt. “Merciless used to visit, and even has a home there. I think he kept them all away, as in all of his pirates. He might show up to support Blackwell, you should know. But if he catches wind of Tempest, he will clear out like the bitch that he is… but since she seems rightfully pissed, we should plan on him appearing at any moment.”

I nearly laugh, thinking back to how he didn’t even lift a finger during our skirmish. “Tempest has made it clear she’s not involved, so good to fucking know.”

“Well, then get to planning. You can have access to all the scrolls in here, as long as one of my men or I am present with you. I’ll know if you take one,” he warns, a cutthroat edge in his glare, like how Basilisk gets if someone threatens his cat.

“We appreciate the help,” I say, nearing the map to stare at the apartment with the mages. I’ll memorize every inked line, and infiltrate this bitch.

“Of course,” he says, sliding his empty glass on an end table. “So, what are we after on this island?”

All four of us share an exchange of glances, to which Liam picks up on almost instantly, as if he can maybe decipher theface of one of us. Everything in me says he’s safe, to which I nod to Ritter.

The Scorpion drowns his glass, too. “My daughter was taken. The Order of Ash is planning to really fuck over the entirety of these coasts, and they plan to use her as a weapon.”

“How?”

“The God of Misery,” I reply. If Basilisk is honest, then everything in me screams to tell Liam this truth; it will only aid us. “Jane has the potential to be his undoing,” I add, not willing to explain theentiretruth. “But if they have her, they’ll suppress that. Rescuing her is more than just because we want to. And as far as that’s revenant toyou, that means all the scrolls in the Spiraling Stone will go with it.”