Footsteps approached where she sat. Lina looked up to see Oscar Pleasant moving past her toward the bow with a coil of rope slung over one shoulder. The two of them had been on separate watches ever since she'd dropped him over the side of the ship. They had otherwise avoided each other, but for the frantic times when all hands were needed on deck.
Oscar stopped a few feet away. He sniffed, wriggling his long, ratlike nose. His lip curled in revulsion as he peered down at her. "You're crazy," he said. "That thing is going to kill you. Or someone else."
Lina didn't bother meeting his gaze. "Captain said it was all right," she replied. Runt coiled and stretched for the hard-tack. She'd found that the scryn would eat or drink just about anything, though it still preferred hard liquor. Inspection of its mouth revealed fangs like a snake and a triple row of crushing molars all the way back where its throat began.
"Captain's crazy too," replied Oscar sullenly.
She rolled her eyes. "Nonsense. Look. I've been teaching him tricks. He's really very smart." Lina held up the chunk of ship's biscuit. "Sit!" she commanded. Runt stilled, coiling neatly at her feet. She wiggled the biscuit in the air. "Beg!" Runt lurched up as high as it comfortably could. Then Lina pointed the hardtack at Oscar, and lowered her voice. "Now, Runt. Kill."
Her pet turned toward Oscar and hissed. Venomous spittle flew from its open maw to spatter across the deck. It unfolded its wings and mad red light danced across his face. The pirate screamed and backed frantically away. He tripped over an equipment locker halfway across the deck and tumbled into a pile. Other crewmembers looked up at the disturbance. A few laughed.
Lina rubbed Runt along the back of its head. "Good monster. Who's a good little monster?"
"Chirr!" replied the scryn.
Lina tossed it the biscuit. Runt caught it neatly and coiled down to devour it. Another pair of footsteps sounded an approach, and Lina looked up to where Andrea Holt and Ryan Gae stopped a few feet away. Her friends watched her pet in apprehension.
"Don't worry," Lina said with a smile. "He's safe enough. Have a seat." She gestured.
The two pirates looked at each other, then took up their customary positions to one side. Ryan, she noticed, kept his dagger-hand free.
"What are you getting up to over here?" asked Andrea.
"Waiting," she said. "Shift's on soon."
"We didn't see you down in the mess."
"I ate up here. People were uncomfortable when I came in."
"Now there's an understatement," said Ryan darkly.
Lina shrugged. "They'll get used to it in time. Runt's harmless." She paused. "At least, I think."
Andrea rubbed her forehead. "Your new pet is awful, yes, but that's not what's got everyone upset."
Lina looked up at her friend. "Oh?"
"It's this...detour."
"Oh, that. Yeah, I wanted to see Breachtown, too. I've only ever heard of it. And I wish we'd get farther away from Natasha's Reavers. What if they catch up to us again? Still, we've plenty of coal."
"Lina," said Ryan as he rubbed his forehead. "That's all part of it. But you really mean to tell me you haven't heard of the Lantern? That's why Captain changed course. He thinks these weird fires will lead us to where it is."
"Oh, is that it?" She leaned back against the pipe. It was warm. "Seems a lot of work when we've already got the treasure down below."
"Aren't you worried about the curse?" asked Andrea.
Lina looked over at her friend. She saw the worry there, and it dawned on her what the problem was. "Wait. You're telling me that everyone's worried about a curse?" Lina shook her head. "There's no such thing."
"Of course there is," said Ryan. "This one time I saw Maxim—"
"Magic, sure, of course. But a curse? I'm more worried about that bitch wife of the Captain's."
"Anyway," said Andrea. "You're right, curse or no, it's a little silly to linger here when we've got a hold full of loot. And the fires are probably just locals. Ogres or savages or some such. There are all sorts of weird creatures out here, from what I hear." She shook her finger. "Mark my words. Following them is a terrible idea."
"Well," said Lina. "The treasure will probably all go toward his debt before anything. Or, a big chunk of it. That's probably why he wants that gemstone so badly." She paused. "He must think the locals took the gem from the Albatross. Though I can't imagine how the Captain would figure that out."
Andrea and Ryan looked at each other. "What debt?" they asked simultaneously.