Page 75 of Saint
He didn’t look surprised at that.
I drew in a steadying breath. “You said you saw a future for the Narrows.”
“I do.”
“If you’re ever going to see it come true, then you can’t be like them.”
“I know that.”
I let the map case slide from my shoulder and opened it. “You won’t beat the Unnamed Sea with gems. They’ll always have more—reefs, stones, merchants. But you can use their own power against them.”
The parchment slid from the case into my hands, and I unrolled its edge until I could see the sprawling cluster of reef chain he’d painted there. I pointed to it.
“This is how you do it.”
I had his attention now. He took one side of the map to hold it open. “Tempest Snare?”
I nodded. “If what Zola said is true, there are dozens of ships wrecked in those reefs, many of them from the Unnamed Sea.”
“There are. I’ve seen them.”
“Then there’s no telling what lies in their hulls.”
Saint’s face turned toward me and the memory of him standing that close in the dark the night before came back to life in my mind.
“No one will sail those waters because they’re afraid. But if you can map the Narrows, you can map the Snare. And then all you have to do is take what you find.”
I could see his mind turning with it, flitting from one thought and possibility to the next.
“Build a trading operation that doesn’t rely on the merchants in Ceros. Flood the Narrows with coin and the traders from the Unnamed Sea will begin to lose their grip on the guilds. Once that happens…”
“Everything else follows,” he finished.
I nodded.
His jaw clenched. “I would need a dredger if we’re going to dive Tempest Snare.”
“Map it, and when I’m done with my contract on theLuna,I’ll dredge it for you. Every single reef.”
He thought about that. “You might not have a choice. If you go back to Zola, he’s just going to sell you to Oliver Durant.”
“I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“How?”
I let the map roll closed in my hands. “I can make that bastard more coin dredging than Durant was going to pay him. If I show him that, I can change his mind.”
Saint didn’t look convinced. I wasn’t either, to be honest.
“You’ll come back?” he asked.
“If you still want me.”
He moved so close that when he looked down into my face, the tip of his nose was inches from mine. “I’ve wanted you since the minute I saw you. That’s the problem, Isolde.”
My heartbeat skipped behind my ribs, shortening my breath.
“What doyouwant?” he whispered.
