It was late at night when the cart finally stopped. I was aware of Roden talking to me and pressing my neck for a pulse, but when I tried to explain what I wanted he just stared at me as if he didn’t understand.
A moment later, Harlowe’s face was leaning over mine. He barked orders at people I couldn’t see and then picked me up to carry me into his home. I tried to talk to him, but he told me to hush and that everything was going to be all right. I understood that already. Wasn’t that why I’d come to the pirates in the first place, to fix things? I was just so tired and nothing anyone did or said made any sense.
Harlowe laid me on a bed in a room I didn’t recognize and covered me in blankets. I kept pushing them off and fighting whoever was nearby until I got the item from my shirt that I wanted.
“Harlowe,” I mumbled. He appeared and said something about having already sent for a surgeon. That didn’t matter. I could hardly feel my leg anymore. All I wanted was to give him the pocket watch, which I pressed into his hand. “Forgive me,” I whispered. I wasn’t sure whether he understood me or not, but he brushed my sweat-dampened hair off my face and told me to go to sleep. This time, I obeyed.
I awoke next to a sensation in my leg so fierce that I shot up in bed and screamed. My hand went for my knife, but as had been common lately, it wasn’t there. So I kicked forward with my good leg and connected with someone who grunted and fell backward.
Hands pressed me down, and somewhere in the room Roden’s voice said it was only the surgeon setting my leg and to stay calm. I wondered if that was who I’d just kicked. If so, he deserved it for hurting me so badly.
The worst of the pain passed and eventually the hands released me. Someone tried to give me something to drink, but it was hot in my mouth and I spat it out.
I heard someone say Imogen’s name. And I lost consciousness again.
The next time I awoke, things were beginning to make more sense. The curtains in the room were shut, but narrow slits of light peeked through them. I groaned as I tried to roll over, and the next face I saw was Imogen’s. She radiated with a glimmer of light on her skin, which made me wonder whether the devils were playing a joke on me, and if she wasn’t really here.
“Drink this.” She helped me sit up enough to swallow a honey tea that both warmed and soothed my dry throat. Until then, I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was.
“Where did you come from?” I asked.
“Harlowe’s messenger caught up to Mott and me as we were leaving Dichell. We were on our way to the pirates, to come after you.”
“I told you not to go back to the pirates.”
“Yes, but you didn’t tell Mott, and unfortunately he was my ride.”
I smiled until it took too much effort. “You’re starting to sound like me. That’s not good.”
Rather than answer, Imogen offered me more to drink. I took it, then asked, “Are we at Harlowe’s?”
“Yes. He asked to see you as soon as you were coherent again.”
“I remember being confused,” I said. “But only because nobody could understand me.”
“Your body was in shock. The surgeon was surprised you survived the trip here.”
“Me too. Roden’s a terrible driver.”
“He had to travel fast. He knew the danger you were in.”
A door behind me opened and Imogen looked up and then motioned at whoever was there to enter. When Harlowe came around my bed, he bowed low. Imogen invited him to take her chair and said she’d return in a few minutes.
Harlowe sat, smiled grimly at me, then leaned forward with his arms resting on his legs.
“The thieves were going to rob someone.” It was important to make him understand that before anything else was spoken. “If I didn’t bring them here —”
“Then they’d have gone somewhere else and caused actual damage. I know. Mott explained after you left.”
“Mott didn’t know. I never told him.”
“But he knows you, and so he explained.”
“I’m sorry, Harlowe. I frightened Nila.”
“Nila was afraid for you, not of you.”
“How is she?”