Nick did and glared up at Kit, whose eyes sparkled back at him in amusement. His tail curled around Nick’s leg, his entire body relaxed. Kit sank into his chair, his body movements languid. Pleased. Kit sipped the now-cold tea. “Very tasty,” he purred.
Chapter Eleven
Body free of drowsy painkillers, sleep evaded Nick. The bed rocked in the gentle sway of the ocean, and all he could think about was the veranda doors in Laurence’s room at Vi’s. Were they latched? Was the key in the lock? Was Laurence even there? He tried to convince himself that Trevor would insist on Laurence going back home to Ireland. But even if that was true, that still left Trevor. His dad wouldn’t leave this world without him.
Nick rolled out of bed and checked the little porthole. It was too small for anyone to crawl through, and it gave him no satisfaction to find it latched. Each lap of the dark room left him more agitated than before. His mind wouldn’t stop obsessing over what had happened earlier to Kit.
With a curse, Nick lit a lantern, turning a dial on a little contraption like Mini had shown him—with a perverse delight that he knew how and Nick didn’t—and left the bedroom. He shone his light on the kids, making sure those who weren’t scheduled to a watch were sleeping in their hammocks—Nick had memorised the schedule—and then continued on to the mess hall where the jobs board hung. The one person he wanted to find was the only one not listed. Agitated, Nick marched above deck.
A crisp breeze met him, spreading goosebumps over his bare arms and legs. A skeleton crew manned the deck, keeping the ship moving smoothly through the night. Nick tipped his head back to the mast lines, seeing two kits nestled together in the crow’s nest. He waved his arm, and immediately one leapt out over the railing and slid down a series of ropes so fast he seemed to be flying.
Mini arrived with a flourish, flipping into a crouch, tail swinging out as a counterbalance. Nick took in his pink nose and ears. He had on a jacket, but faint vapour ghosted the air between them.
“Are you cold up there?”
Mini shook his head. “Kits run hot. It’s why Captain Hin assigns us to the nest for lookout.”
“He assigns you to the nest because you can near asfly.”
A grin tipped up the corners of Mini’s mouth.
Nick shook his head. From the crow’s nest, the other kit peered down at them, interested, probably bored to be up there staring at empty oceans. Night emphasised their isolation. There were no lights on the horizon, no distant black shapes of land blocking out the night sky speckled with stars. The moon was too blue and full.
“Anybody around to break in?” Nick wanted to wallop himself over the head for the question. It wasridiculous. Nobody was even on board for Nick to be afraid of getting kidnapped! Why were his lungs so tight?
Mini shook his head. “We’re taking the ocean to avoid that.”
Nick frowned. “Wait. Do break-ins on ships actually happen?”
“On the Dia River,” Mini confirmed. “The rebels haven’t let a ship slip past them for months now.” His eyes slid overNick’s exposed arms. “You’re shivering. See? Regular people get cold too quickly.”
“You’rewearing a jacket.” But Nick was satisfied to see the red had faded from Mini’s face. Probably just blood flow from climbing down to Nick. “I’m looking for Kit,” he said.
“Med bay.”
Nick tensed. “He’s hurt? She didn’t call for him again, did she?”
Mini shook his head. “He’s doing paperwork. You’re in his office.”
“Right. Thanks.” Nick checked that there was nobody within earshot. “Good job earlier for looking out for Kit. Cutting that rope? Genius. If you see Kit getting summoned again, get me. I’ll do something.”
Mini peered up at Nick’s face. “You will?”
Nick didn’t know what he could do, but…he’d make something happen. “What she’s doing isn’t okay. And she…” Nick waited as a sailor marched by. “Do you knowwhatshe is?”
Mini’s gaze flicked from side to side. “You can’t talk badly about nobles, or they cut your tongue out…” His voice dropped so low Nick could barely hear. “She’s powerful. You can’t hurt her; you can’t evenwantto hurt her when she’s in front of you.”
“I disagree.”
The look Nick got was pointed. Meaningful. “Ever since her husband left, Kit’s been her favourite.”
Nick scrubbed a hand over his face. That was far from what he wanted to hear. Across the deck, leaning against the steering wheel, Captain Hin watched them.
“You’d better get back to your watch,” Nick said.
Mini followed his gaze and shrugged. “Hin goes easy on us. He’s just scowling because of the damaged ropes.”
“Wait. He knowsyoucut them?”
