The following day was full of offloading merchandise and taking payments. Grey was generally used for the latter, ensuring that the funds met the bargain and that the gold returned safely to the ship. Normally, she would travel with the purser, but the captain was still looking to fill the position.

  Instead, Lotti accompanied her through Saphir. They had mostly patched up their dispute, and Grey enjoyed her company, especially over the crochety old purser. She had missed her friend, if only for a week.

  Lotti’s blonde curls and hair ribbons brushed on Grey’s shoulder as they linked arms. She could smell the honeysuckle and lavender perfume that the sage paid a full purse for, and she grinned at all the memories it invoked.

  “We won’t be getting in any bar fights today, Osprey, because I just spent your whole salary on these new raiments and silks.” Lotti did not make more gold than Grey, but it was fun for her to imply that she did.

  There was no question that Lotti’s new gear did cost more than a year’s salary, but most would be surprised to know that it wasn’t the robes that took the bulk of the gold. Wind Sage stormsilks were spun from a very specific material, one that was difficult to procure. The fiber for them could only be harvested from wolf spiders endemic to deep within the Boreynaya Taiga.

  This delicate silk was superior at reading the wind, and serious whispers insisted on having their storm silks crafted from it. The ribbons may be cheaper in the far north, but here in the Myriad, they were a serious investment for a wind sage.

  “I’ll do my best. These are new riptide leathers, actually.” Grey grinned, motioning to her well-worn ensemble.

  “No, they’re not. Shit, just the tunic I’ve patched six times.”

  Lotti huffed at Grey’s joke and led them to a fruit stand. She purchased a bushel of small sweet bananas, each only slightly bigger than Grey’s thumb, and broke it in half to share.

  They walked and peeled the breakfast fruit, discarding the peels in barrels along the street. Lotti liked to stop at stalls, but was usually put off when a shopkeep eventually approached her. This was for the best; Grey did have a decent list of trades to confirm.

  Lotti wouldn’t be deterred from stopping for coffee, however, and her reasoning was solid. Once the Paso Fino departed the Saphir, there would be fewer and fewer chances for a decent cup, by Myriad standards. They enjoyed it in Veruna fashion, condensed with a cube of local sugar.

  The two sat outside of the cafe with their small mugs. The teak table wobbled on the cobbled street, and Grey shoved the toe of her boot under an offending leg. Lotti took note and frowned at the over-patched boot.

  Instead of commenting, the sage chose another topic. “So, have you found enough grounders to set sail? I really hope you don’t; I feel as though they are clogging every passage on the ship as it is.”

  “They’re not quality, but I have the quantity,” Grey replied, ignoring her friend’s complaint. “I should start their intake tomorrow, and the rest of the week will be for their touring gala. I expect many to fall off, as they do.”

  Grounders always participated in a touring gala when they signed on a new ship. A riptide was responsible for training, harassing, and maintaining an overall level of misery before the ship left port. The point of the gala was to shake any that weren’t cut out for the life they signed up for.

  Callum and Grey would take turns, ensuring there was always a riptide available to the captain outside of the gala and that the two could catch some shut eye in shifts. Grey appreciated that she had participated in only one gala in her career. Once she had made it on as a grounder for Akula, she had never left.

  “And what does our day look like then?” Lotti asked, eyeing the tall barista inside the adobe cafe.

  “You know I have trades to finalize, and it’s not wise to meet with the vendors alone. Afterwards, I have a meeting with Akula and a potential investor at the Fer-de-lance. I’m meant to meet them in the late afternoon, which means this..” Grey waved at the coffee shop. “..is our last delay.”

  “Stopping at the cobbler will be our last delay. I am tired of looking at those boots.”

  She looked down at Grey’s feet again and continued. “I like the sorrell wine at the Fer-de-lance. Did you know it’s made from hibiscus here on Veruna?” Lotti continued. “I will accompany you to collect payments, as your guard, for a bottle and your promise to buy new boots.”

  The drinks were overpriced at the high-end lounge, and Lotti was on direct orders from Akula to accompany Grey anyway. It really was bad form to collect purses from their deals without support.

  “Deal,” Grey replied.

  ***

  The day went peacefully and the purses made their way back to the ship without anyone but Lotti threatening to steal their contents. Grey had set up the meeting with Aisling and Akula herself, and didn’t expect to be invited, though she was not overly surprised when she was.

  Lotti would accompany her to the Fer-de-lance, but wouldn’t try to attend the sit-down. The captain would be grateful for another member of the crew watching his back, and Lotti would enjoy her sorrell wine and toying with the barkeep.

  The interior of the Fer-de-lance was darker than most Myridian establishments, but still not as dark as a lounge in Nochebraga, especially in the daylight. Its copper accents and gray cushions set an intimate tone and the spacing of the booths allowed for private conversations.

  The Captain and Aisling stood at the bar. Akula was in some of his finest, an emerald silk tunic with pearl buttons and white tailored pants. It looked as though he had even polished his black tanned boots.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The fact that he stood well next to Aisling was a feat. She wore a muted slate-blue gown outfitted with dark, intricate lace. The lace crept down her arms and up her chest, where a large yellow topaz hung in place of the sapphire she had worn when they first met. The ensemble matched the mood in the Fer-de-lance, though she out-matched any of the other guests, save, Grey thought, Lotti.

  “Fuck a Priest, are you meeting with the Empress of Talcot?” Lotti snorted. Grey looked down, expecting to see Lotti scoffing. Instead, there was a tinge of discomfort to her features. She placed the hand missing its pinky under her good hand, a tick that Grey had noticed when the woman was out of sorts.

  “She definitely has a gold bar or two,” Grey replied, pushing past Lotti’s reaction.

  They made their way to the bar, and for Lotti’s part, she quickly shed anything but confidence from her features. For Grey’s part, she had brushed her hair and shined her leathers that morning. She was also sporting a pair of well-crafted boots from the cobbler, a fine new black collared tunic with amber trim, and an intricate copper cuff on her left ear. She felt a little self-conscious about the latter, but she couldn’t get Lotti out of the shop until she agreed.

  As she saw Akula and Aisling now, she knew Lotti had been looking out for her.

  The captain greeted them with a nod. “Madame Byrne, you’ve met Lieutenant Devries, my lead ripper. I’ll introduce you, then, to Archsage Thorsen.”

  Lotti had obtained her title from Mystveil just the year prior, and it was a boon to the captain to have not only one, but now two, archsages under his command. They were relatively rare outside of their courts, and the trial Lotti had endured from Mystveil’s representative put her down for a week.

  “It’s a pleasure, Archsage,” Aisling smiled, “Your raiments are some of the finest I’ve seen. Did you get them here in Saphir? The tailors here are some of the best in the world with fine fabrics.”

  Grey thought Lotti would take the compliment well and ease a little, but instead, the smile she offered was small. “I did, Madame. The crew deserves to see some taste for a change. I’ll leave you to find your table.” Lotti replied, trying to excuse herself.

  Akula stopped her. “Since you’ve brought Grey to us safely, Archsage Thorsen, I hoped you would accompany us while we speak. It would be good to have representation from the sage and navigation divisions.”

  It should have definitely been Nessa or Gideon representing their divisions, but as a wind sage, Lotti was a decent enough combination of both. She was also experienced enough to add valuable input, and now Grey surmised, trusted enough to be invited.

  “Of course, Captain.” Lotti replied like she had a choice.

  The keep of the Fer-de-lance had set up a private table for the group in the back of the lounge, with plenty of space to avoid eavesdroppers. That wasn’t to say the owner himself hadn’t cut a hole in the wall to listen in, but Lotti would likely be able to sense the breath of someone so close.

  The keep wasn’t functioning as their host, so an attendant came by to take a drink order. Akula asked for plantain whiskey over ice, one of his local favorites, and Aisling ordered the same.

  The attendant turned to Lotti. “Bring a bottle of sorrel wine for me and the riptide.. Please.”

  Grey supposed she was fine with hibiscus wine, but thought it odd that Lotti would order for her. The attendant nodded and left to retrieve their drinks.

  Akula started, “So, to business.”

  “Yes, to business,” Aisling replied. Her eyes had been on Lotti since the sage ordered, and she drug them away to meet Akula’s.

  She continued. “Grey has filled me in on the broad strokes of your next venture, though I’ll have you know, I could not coax a drop of the specifics from her.”

  “I have no doubt,” Akula replied a smile curling at the edges of his lips.

  Aisling continued, “I deal in dreamsand, predominantly, and am on the hunt for a new investment. Though your intended trade will be high risk, meeting your Lieutenant has… intrigued me.”

  Aisling glanced at Grey briefly, pearl and seafoam eyes shining against the lamplight, and then returned to the captain. “It won’t be the first time I’ve invested in a cross-world trade, but it would be the first time I’ve invested in a ship without an embargo pass.. a smaller operation.

  “Of course, you have no incentive to want my help if you are putting the gold up yourself, but I want to put my hat in the ring if you are in Saphir to raise the funds.”

  She paused and the captain considered. After he said nothing, she continued.

  “Naturally, I would need to see your trade papers and meet your crew. Have my carpenter inspect The Paso Fino. I’ve already checked after your reputation.”

  “You wouldn’t be sitting here if you had not,” Lotti interjected. Her wine had just been delivered and she was trailing the stem of the glass with her index finger, no longer hiding her old injury from the Dusk Isles.

  Akula spoke up, “I have done the same, though there is not much information on you to track down. Fortunately, on your end, if the gold makes it to our ship your character is no longer an issue.”

  “Right, well, I do have a few questions and caveats, if I can assume an investor is something you’re interested in?” Aisling was starting to look a little put-off, likely because her charm didn’t seem to be affecting the captain, or especially, the sage.

  “An investor would make this trip safer for us, all around,” Akula replied. “We are interested.”

  Aisling smiled over her whiskey. “First, Archmage Thorsen, I need an estimate on the length of your trip in its entirety, from here to Sablehaven.”

  “It is estimated at under two years, but I can ask Gideon, our Navigator, to provide you with a detailed account.” Lotti seemed annoyed. Grey could not guess why; she thought the women would get along if they ever met. Lotti certainly adored Coraline Almonte, often joining in with her to berate Grey.

  Aisling continued, “Good. The second item is a hurdle, but not insurmountable. The sum of gold I’m willing to invest, which I’ve already written out to Akula, will not come from a chest warden. I will need assistance retrieving and delivering it to your ship.”

  This was not uncommon. The wealthy in Etos did not willingly pay chest fees on large amounts and, more importantly, hefty Etosian taxes. They often kept hidden sums out of the network entirely.

  Additionally, moving a large sum across the border would wash it completely, adding another boon to this negotiation for Aisling. It was a little out of the ordinary to ask the crew to help transport it, but the merchant wasn’t in her home city and likely didn’t have access to enough trustworthy guards.

  “That can be arranged,” Akula replied without elaboration. He likely expected as much. The table was quiet as they waited for her to continue.

  Aisling turned to Grey and smiled. Her cheeks creased to dimples, and her hazel eyes warmed. “My final stipulation is the most odd, but I can’t see how it will be an issue.” Lotti looked up from her glass, finally showing some sign that she wasn’t bored with the merchant.

  The black lace of Aisling’s dress dipped right at her throat, and Grey let her eyes trace its edge as she spoke. “I am interested in establishing a presence in Marisombra and will need to be there in person to accomplish my goals. I can’t imagine a more efficient way to arrive safely than sailing with my gold. Myself and two retainers will be traveling on board the Paso Fino.”

  Aisling paused, but did not look away. “Lieutenant, I trust you can make room for us on your team.”

  If you're caught up and also enjoy sci fi, check out my other fiction, Hopper.