“Wipe the taint from your lips when you mention that name,” he warned me in an undertone, “and never call her Kaeska Shek; she has no link to any domain now.”

I nodded and complied, wondering angrily how much additional offense and suspicion had gathered around me on my journey so far simply because I hadn’t known any of this. That made up my mind for me; whatever Dev wanted by way of payment, if I had it, it was his. I wanted to be free of these unholy islands and their merciless people as soon as I could.

“So how did you end up in a Relshazri slave auction any-way?” inquired Dev, eyes keen as I finished my tale.

“I was in Relshaz on business for my patron,” I replied with a shrug of bemusement. “I was set upon, street robbers I suppose they must have been. One of them managed to fell me from behind and I woke up in the lock-up, witnesses all swearing to Saedrin that I’d robbed some poxed merchant I’d never even seen. The greedy bastards can’t have been satisfied with what I had in my purse and thought they’d see what my hide would fetch.”

“I wouldn’t have thought a sworn man would get caught like that,” Dev shook his head with a chuckle.

“You’re not the only one.” I had no difficulty feigning disgust with myself. “The patron might be prepared to overlook it but the rest of the barracks will be reminding me about it till I’m old and gray.”

“Come on.” Dev got to his feet and we headed for a little boat drawn up on the shore, a lad leaning on its single oar, rammed into the sand to hold it fast. Dev turned to me and shoved his hands through the frayed length of rope that was serving him for a belt.

“What are you offering for your passage then, Tormalin man?” he asked, head cocked to one side.

“What are you asking?” I countered.

“What about that little bauble?” His eyes fixed greedily on the gold and emerald token that Shek Kul had given me, prominently displayed on my chest as I had soon discovered was only prudent if I wanted to keep my hide intact.

I scowled and hissed sharply through my teeth. “This is my only safeguard as long as I’m in the islands,” I protested. “My life’s not worth a spent candle without it.”

“You’ll be safe enough with me,” insisted Dev, his eyes not wavering from the gleaming gemstone.

“How about I give it to you once I’m safely ashore or aboard a Caladhrian ship?” I offered reluctantly after a lengthy pause.

Dev grimaced as he considered this. “Your word on it?” he demanded eventually.

“My word on it, Dastennin drown me if I break it,” I confirmed. “And if Dastennin doesn’t work his vengeance on me, my patron is Messire D’Olbriot. You know of him, don’t you? I’m hardly going to risk playing you false and having to answer to him, am I?”

Dev’s expression cleared. “True enough. Come on then.”

I was glad that we were both satisfied; Dev that he would get what he assumed was my only possession of value, myself that I had not had to reveal the existence of the random trawl through her jewel cases that Laio had rolled inside an old tunic when she’d been packing my kit-bag for me. We reached Dev’s ship and I followed him over the rail, looking around in vain for any other crew.

Dev laughed. “It’s just you and me, Tormalin man. My partner got himself knifed in a fight a while back. You’ll be working your passage home; you must know your way around a boat if you’re from Zyoutessela.”

“Doesn’t that mean you should be paying me?” I protested with a half-smile.

“The deal’s done now, no going back on it.”

I let him enjoy his little triumph. “If you say so.”

“Let’s get a drink.” Dev lifted a hatch in the prow of the ship to reveal a cramped storage space packed with small barrels. Dropping down a ladder, he lifted one up to me and we made our way to an equally confined cabin at the stern of the ship where I rolled my bag inside the hammock Dev indicated. This ship was evidently fitted out to carry the maximum amount of cargo and if I was going to help sail her, it didn’t look as if I was going to have much time to spare.

Dev dragged a stool out from beneath the folded-down table as he tapped the little cask with a practiced hand. I took the cup he offered and emptied it thirstily, choking as it proved to contain something like dark brandy rather than the feeble Aldabreshin wine I had been expecting.

“I’ll wager it’s been a good while since you had a real drink,” laughed Dev as I wiped the tears from my eyes.

“What is this stuff?” I gasped, trying not to cough and taking a more cautious sip.

“It’s made from honeycane.” Dev poured himself a second drink but I waved his hand away from my cup. There are precious few people I trust enough to get drunk with, and Dev wasn’t even close to making the bottom of the list. Still, it was undeniably pleasant to feel the bite of real liquor again.

“I thought all the Aldabreshi drank was that horse-piss they call wine.”

“There’s always a market for what’s forbidden,” chuckled Dev but I can’t say I saw the joke particularly, none too keen to find myself on a boat laden with what could only be called contraband.

“Aren’t you treading a rather fine line?” I asked.

“I watch my footing,” he replied airily.

I took another drink; I’d just have to hope he didn’t make a misstep while I was on board. If he did, well, I still had Shek Kul’s token and I’d be off this little ship at the first sign of trouble to take my chances on my own.

“Right, you can keep watch. I’m off ashore to do a little trading,” said Dev briskly.

I followed him up on deck and looked for a comfortable spot in the shelter of the mast as he hailed a ferry-boy.

“When should I expect you back?” I called as the lad worked his oar to turn his cockleshell boat around.

Dev looked at the stars beginning to shine in the darkening sky. “Midnight or thereabouts.”

I waved and settled myself on the deck. I wasn’t about to relax, but my spirits were certainly rising and not only because of the encouragement from the liquor. Wrapping my arms around my knees, I sat and watched the business of the anchorage all around me, lamps casting long yellow fingers across the dark waters, voices sounding from the various ships, in debate, dispute and as the night drew in, more frequently in song. The stars turned slowly above my head, the moons carried themselves on their stately progress, greater waxing behind lesser, which was scant days off the full. Gradually the galleys fell dark and silent, fires on the shore left to burn down to dim red embers and most of the ferrymen finally hauling their little boats up above the tide line.

I caught my breath as I heard a low noise beneath my feet. I listened and it came again, a scrape and a knock, not from the hold but from the rear cabin. On any other ship I’d have dismissed it as rats but I’d seen the extreme measures the Aldabreshi took to keep vermin from getting on to their islands and didn’t think Dev would still be trading, liquor or no liquor, if a rat showed so much as a whisker over his rails. The next sound made up my mind for me; rats may be cursed intelligent for scaly-tailed rodents but I’ll wager none have yet worked out how to open a drawer. I slipped my sandals off my feet and moved to the hatch, silent as a hunting cat. Drawing a thin Aldabreshi dagger from my belt, I gripped the rope handle of the trap door, ripping it open and dropping into the cabin in one movement.

I had been ready for grappling whoever it was in darkness but a feeble candle stub showed me a girl, all skin and bone, eyes like great dark bruises in her pale face, unwashed hair straggling over her narrow shoulders in dark rats’ tails. I gripped her by the throat all the same; the bitch had my bag open at her feet, various of my possessions strewn on the floor. I raised my dagger so she could see it and shook her hard.