Jayln woke up feeling better than she had in awhile. The seasickness was gone and Nita arrived with food. Glancing around the cabin she asked, "Where's the captain?"

Jayln stiffened, "I'm not sure. Out and about probably."

Nita shrugged and gave her breakfast, this one substantially larger than any of the meals of late. Despite knowing it's origin, Jayln gobbled it down. Satisfied as her stomach let it stay there. She thanked Nita.

As the old woman left, she nearly tripped on a piece of blue fabric by the door. Curious, Jayln stood up and went over the threshold. The fabric was Tyrst's sash, the first mate was leaning by the door, an empty wine bottle in one hand.

As if sensing her stare, his eyes blinked open. He winced and rubbed his neck, turning to look up at her. "You're not dead then?"

She blinked. "No. You thought I was?"

Tryst used the wall to push himself up and then leaned against the door frame.

"Well, I had to figure out why the captain slept in my lovely cot instead of his own. Depriving me, I might add, of a rather pleasurable and victorious night."

He shook the wine bottle sadly, a single drop rolling along the bottom. "I figured either you got in a spat and he killed you, or you'd died of consumption and he couldn't bear to dispose of the body. I couldn't imagine you drove him out but I guess I underestimated you."

She pursed her lips. "I did nothing of the sort. He left of his own accord and I don't appreciate you conjuring up rumors and neither would he."

Holding his hands up peaceably, Tryst smiled. "Alright, alright. Can't blame a man for being curious after being ousted suchly." He gave her a dramatic bow. "Well I'll be off to fetch breakfast since mine's sure to be thrown to the wolf." He winked and sauntered off.

Jayln glanced about for Fenrin and not seeing him, stalked across the ship and down to the children's room. She found Echa there, gently stroking Anwen's hair as the girl lay asleep, curled up beside her mother. Jayln shut the door quietly and placed the lantern she'd taken from the hook outside in the corner where it wouldn’t disturb the three sleeping children. She sat beside Echa who still watched her daughter adoringly.

"Poor thing's arms are so sore but she didn't falter, not once." Echa had a smile on her face, her words singing with pride. Slowly she let Anwen’s dark locks fall from her fingers and turned over, readjusting to look at Jayln's troubled face.

"I ought to thank your captain for letting me spend a night with her, you know," Echa teased, trying to draw answers out of her friend.

Jayln tucked her knees up and laid her head atop them. "I'm so confused, Echa. I was so mad at him but I don't know if he deserved all of it."

Echa chuckled. "What did he do to incur such wrath?"

Unsure whether she should say, Jayln bit her lip and hesitated. Finally, she could keep it pent up no longer and it poured out. "Before we spotted the ship, he was going to throw you and the children overboard."

Jayln had expected rage from the protective mother but instead she merely nodded. "I guessed as much. Honestly I was surprised he held out so long."

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At Jayln's shocked expression, Echa sighed. "It's not unusual for cuts to be made for survival and I've been at the bottom of the food chain long enough to know what to expect. You've never been in this sort of situation, you have to understand that the possibility of death always looms around the corner. Life isn't a fair or safe game. When it comes to the wire, you have to be strong enough to protect what you love or you die."

"Fenrin said something like that once," Jayln breathed.

Echa nodded. "We may not be the same sort of people, but we're from the same world, our lives bound by the same rules. Can you say the same?"

Jayln frowned, her spirits sinking lower. "So you're saying I'm wrong to judge him."

The ferocity she'd expected flared in Echa's eyes. "No, Jayln. If men like him, men who would murder children are not judged, then the world burns. You just have to understand him. You cannot continue through life ignoring its ugliness." The woman sighed, her eyes drifting back to the sleeping children. "And don't set aside what did happen, focusing only on what could have."

Jayln’s thoughts from the night before rolled through her mind once more. The whole journey, her deal with Fenrin, leaving her village—it had all been to find a way her people's way of life could survive the harsh and unforgiving future. If she couldn't find a way to work with Fenrin, if she was really as hopelessly naïve as he said, then her village was doomed.

Still, the thought of swallowing her pride and making the first step towards amends with a man who had just ordered the death of a ship of innocent people made her still delicate stomach turn. She groaned. "Still, he makes it so difficult."

Echa laughed, patting Jayln's arm sympathetically. "He's a man, Jayln. He'll always be difficult."

As if on cue, the door opened again to reveal Tryst holding a platter of food.

"I expect there's some empty stomachs in need of filling down here," he announced and then, spotting Jayln, his smile faltered for a half-second before he nodded. "Ah we meet again, fair maiden."

Jayln stood up, brushing dust from her pants. The children were blinking awake at the loud entrance and the tempting smell of food. "I was just leaving."

She left the happy sounds of children at breakfast behind, a bit annoyed Tryst had driven her from her hiding place. “Still,” she thought, “I can't hide forever.”

Fenrin was by the helm, giving orders to Zalif and steering the ship. Jayln only now noticed the state of the vessel. Parts of the rail were broken, scattered barrels and rope were being picked up and stowed, and she noticed three unfamiliar men stacking crates under Firebrand's watchful eye. She turned back to Fenrin as he called her name.

"Jayln, good. I need you to go update the inventory list. I want it by the time the sun goes down."

Not ready for the direct order, she dumbly nodded and Fenrin turned away taking the helm and shouting orders for the sails to be lowered. Now set on a task, a daunting one from the number of barrels and crates, Jayln sighed and went back to the cabin for the inventory.

“Two barrels of apples - mostly fresh” Jayln penned, munching on one as she finished her list. She rolled her neck, working out the kinks from bending over and peering into countless crates...well not countless, thirty-two to be precise. Most were non-edibles, clothes, chatskis, and the like. However, from what she'd studied of Fenrin's calculations, they probably had enough food now to comfortably make it to the original landing point.

As she walked back up to the main deck, the sun was just starting to set. She knocked once then opened the cabin door. Fenrin was hunched over his desk again, scratching at the maps.

"The inventory," she said, handing it to him.

He took it without looking at her. She frowned but took advantage of his distraction to take off her coat and slip into some loose linen pants she'd found during her inventory. She sat on her side of the bed, swaying for a moment, trying to decide what to say, or if to say anything at all.

Before she could make up her mind, Fenrin stretched and snuffed the lamp. She stiffened in the dark, fear trickling up her spine. Then she heard him kick off his boots and his weight hit the bed.

"We land in three days," was all he said before turning over and falling asleep. When his breaths grew slow and her heart stopped pounding, she lay down too, her hand slipping under her pillow to grip her dagger.