GIDEON
GIDEON WANTED NOTHING MORE than to send this insect of a man overboard. The way he spoke to Rune, looked at Rune, made Gideon’s skin crawl.
Unfortunately, he needed William alive.
“With respect, Captain Sharpe,” said William, his back to Gideon, his hands in the air. “You had orders to kill the Crimson Moth. So why is she alive, pretending to be your wife?”
“You can lower your hands,” said Gideon, who kept his gun trained on the spy. With Rune gone, he needed to convince William of his plan. And he wasn’t likely to have much success if he continued to torment him.
William’s arms dropped.
“Harrow knew you weren’t able to go through with it.” He slowly turned to face Gideon. “That’s why she sent me to do your job for you. But now you’re interfering with my kill orders. How many times are you planning to betray the Republic?”
“The only person I’m planning to betray is Rune.” Gideon lowered his gun, but kept it cocked. “Which is why I need your help.”
William’s forehead creased.
“I need to bring the Crimson Moth in alive.”
William crossed his arms, studying Gideon. “I’m listening.”
“We were wrong to think killing her would stop this war from coming— it won’t even delay it. Soren will give Cress an army anyway, as revenge for his dead fiancée. It was the wrong plan from the start.”
“And you have the right one?”
“Cressida isn’t only plotting a war. She’s plotting to raise her sisters from the dead.”
William’s eyes widened.
“Our main goal,” Gideon continued, “should be destroying her before she can set all her plans in motion. And the best way to destroy Cressida is to use Rune as a bargaining chip. To do that, I need to deliver Rune into the New Republic so I can set a trap for her and the long-lost Roseblood heir she’s going to summon.”
Gideon had William’s full attention now.
“And this is where you come in: I need you to convince Harrow to trust me.”
“You’re not exactly in a position to ask for trust.”
“Nevertheless, I’m asking you to report this back to her. All I need is one week. If, in a week, the Roseblood heir isn’t dead and I haven’t delivered the Crimson Moth into Blood Guard hands, Harrow can kill me herself.”
William fell silent, thinking it over. “All right. I’ll report what you’ve told me.”
“One more thing.”
“Pushing our luck now, are we?”
Gideon lifted his pistol, aiming it directly at the center of William’s forehead. Reminding him who exactly was lucky here—lucky to still be alive. “I need to get Rune past the witch hunters and their hounds when we make port. If I manage to do everything I’m planning, I’ll make sure the Good Commander knows you helped me. It’ll mean a promotion, and a pay raise. But first you have to do me this one favor and make sure no hunting hounds set foot on this ship or anywhere near it before we deboard tomorrow. Can you do that?”
“I think so. Yes.”
“Good.” Gideon lowered the gun and put the safety back on. “Stay out of sight. I need Rune to think you’re dead.”
“Fine,” said William, turning to leave.
Gideon called out: “And tell Harrow the next time one of her spies gets in the way of a job, I won’t be so gentle with them.”
William paused before the door, which hung open, revealing a steamy boiler room beyond. “For someone running out of chances, you make a lot of threats. Don’t forget what the punishment is for sympathizing with witches. They don’t carve a letter into your forehead anymore and send you on your way.”
No. With Cressida on the loose, they couldn’t afford to be so lenient.
Now, sympathizers were taken out back and shot.
“Screw this up,” said William, “and it’ll be over for you. When it is, I’m coming for your little Moth.”
It took everything in Gideon not to raise his gun and fire.
