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old ourselves。 This time； when the others went out drinking； I had the sense to seek out Molly。 And early the next morning； I found an hour or two for Nighteyes。 We went hunting together； good clean hunting； and he tried to persuade me to run away with him。 I made the mistake of telling him that he could leave if he wished； meaning only the best for him； and hurt his feelings。 It took me another hour to convey to him what I had meant。 I went back to my ship wondering if my ties were worth the effort it took to keep them intact。 Nighteyes assured me they were。
That was the last clear victory for the Rurisk。 It was far from the last battle of the summer。 No； the clear pleasant weather stretched impossibly long before us； and every fine day was a day when I might kill someone。 I tried not to count them as days on which I might be killed。 We had many skirmishes； and gave pursuit many times； and it did seem there were fewer raids attempted in the area we regularly patrolled。 Somehow that only made it all the more frustrating。 And there were successful raids for the Red…Ships； times when we put into a town but an hour or so after they had left； and could do no more than help stack bodies or put out fires。 Then Verity would roar and curse in my mind that he could not get messages more swiftly； that there were not enough ships and watches to be everywhere。 I would rather have faced the fury of a battle than Verity's savage frustration racking through my brain。 There was never any end in sight； save the respite that bad weather might bring us。 We could not even put an accurate number to the Red…Ships that plagued us； for they were painted identically； and as like as peas in a pod。 Or drops of blood on the sand。
While I was an oarsman on the Rurisk that summer； we had one other encounter with a Red…Ship that is worth telling for the strangeness of it。 On a clear summer night； we had been tumbled from our beds in the crew shed and sent racing toward our ship。 Verity had sensed a Red…Ship lurking off Buck Point。
He wanted us to overtake it in the dark。
Justin stood in our prow； Skill…linked to Serene in Verity's tower。 Verity was a wordless mumble in my mind as he felt our way through the dark toward the ship he sensed。 And something else？ I could feel him groping out； beyond the Red…Ship； like a man feeling forward in the darkness。 I sensed his uneasiness。 We were allowed no talk； and our oars were muffed as we came closer。 Nighteyes whispered to me that he had scent of them； and then we spotted them。 Long and low and dark； the Red…Ship was cutting through the water ahead of us。 A sudden cry went up from their deck； they had seen us。 Our master shouted to us to lay into our oars； but as we did； a sick wave of fear engulfed me。 My heart began to hammer； my hands to tremble。 The terror that swept through me was a child's nameless fear of things lurking in the dark； a helpless fear。 I gripped my oar but could find no strength to ply it。
〃Korrikska；〃 I heard a man groan in a thick Outislander accent。 I think it was Nonge。 I became aware I was not the only one unmanned。 There was no steady beat to our oars。 Some sat on their sea chests； head bowed over their oars； while others rowed frantically； but out of rhythm； the blades of the oars skipping and slapping against the water。 We skittered on the surface like a crippled skater bug while the Red…Ship forged purposefully toward us。 I lifted up my eyes and watched my death ing for me。 The blood hammered so in my ears that I could not hear the cries of the panic…stricken men and women about me。 I could not even take a breath。 I lifted up my eyes to the heavens。
Beyond the Red…Ship； almost glowing on the black water； was a white ship。 This was no raiding vessel； this was a ship； easily three times the size of the Red…Ship； her two sails reefed； riding at anchor on the quiet water。 Ghosts strode her deck； or Forged ones。 I felt no hint of life from them； and yet they moved purposefully； readying a small boat to be lowered over the side。 A man stood on the afterdeck。 The moment I saw him； I could not look away。
He was cloaked in gray； yet I saw him limned against the dark sky as clearly as if a lantern illuminated him。 I swear I could see his eyes； the jut of his nose； the dark curly beard that framed his mouth。 He laughed at me。 〃Here's one e to us！〃 he called out to someone； and lifted a hand。 He pointed it at me； and laughed aloud again； and I felt my heart squeeze in my chest。 He looked at me with a terrible singleness； as if I alone of our crew were his prey。 I looked back at him； and I saw him； but I could not sense him。 There！ There！ I shrieked the word aloud； or perhaps the Skill I could never control sent it bounding off the insides of my skull。 There was no response。 No Verity； no Nighteyes； no one； nothing。 I was alone。 All the world had gone silent and still。 Around me my crew fellows rattled with terror and cried out aloud； but I felt nothing。 They were no longer there。 No one was there。 No gull； no fish in the sea； no life anywhere as far as any of my inner senses would reach。 The cloaked figure on the ship leaned far out on the rail； the accusing finger pointing at me。 He was laughing。 I was alone。 It was a loneliness too great to be endured。 It wrapped me； coiled about me； blanketed me； and began to smother me。
I repelled at it。
In a reflex I did not know I had； I used the Wit to push away from it as hard as I could。 Physically； I was the one that flew backward； landing in the bilge atop the thwarts； tangled in the feet of the other oarsmen。 I saw the figure on the ship stumble； sag； and then tumble over the side。 The splash was not large； but there was only one。 If he rose to the surface at all； I did not see it。
Nor was there time to look for him。 The Red…Ship hit us amidships； shattering oars and sending oarsmen flying。 The Outislanders were shouting with their confidence； mocking us with their laughter as they leaped from their ship to ours。 I scrabbled to my feet and lunged to my bench； reaching for my ax。 Around me； the others were making the same sort of recovery。 We were not battle ready； but neither were we paralyzed by fear anymore。 Steel met our boarders and battle was joined。
There is no place so dark as the open water at night。 Fellow and foe were indistinguishable in the dark。 A man leaped onto me； I caught at the leather of his foreign harness； bore him down； and strangled him。 After the numbness that had briefly clenched me； there was a savage relief in his terror beating against me。 I think it happened quickly： When I straightened up； the other boat was pulling away from us。 She had only about half her oarsmen； and there was still fighting on our decks； but she was leaving her men。 Our master was shouting at us to finish them and be after the Red…Ship。 It was a useless mand。 By the time we had killed them and thrown them off our decks； the other ship was lost in the darkness。 Justin was down； throttled and battered； alive； but incapable of Skilling to Verity just then。 In any case； one bank of our oars was a splintered mess。 Our master cursed us all soundly as the oars were redistributed and shipped； but it was too late。 He shouted us down to stillness； but we could hear nothing； and see nothing。 I stood on my sea chest and turned slowly in a plete circle。 Empty black water。 Of the oared vessel； no sign。 But even more strange to me was what I spoke aloud。 〃The white ship was at anchor。 But she's gone； too！〃
Around me； heads turned to stare at me。 〃White ship？〃
〃Are you all right； Fitz？〃
〃A Red…Ship； boy； it was a Red…Ship we fought。〃
〃Speak not of a white ship。 To see a white ship is to see your own death。 Bad luck。〃 This last was hissed to me by Nonge。 I opened my mouth to object that I had seen an actual ship； not some vision of disaster。 He shook his head at me and then turned away to stare out over the empty water。 I closed my mouth and sat down slowly。 No one else had seen it。 Nor did any of the others speak of the terrible fear that had gripped us and changed our battle plans to panic。 When we got back； to town that night； the way it was told in the t