Page 25 of A Dark and Drowning Tide

“Stop this nonsense,” Lorelei said. It was time to set her plan into motion. If she could convince the others to let thisgo—ifshe could assure them that the killer was no threat tothem—shecould conduct her own investigation unbothered. “In all likelihood, this murder was a targeted act of desperation, singular in intent: persuading us to turn around. The murderer failed. We’re leaving this behind us for the sake of the expedition.”

Johann watched her with some wonderment. “You’d let Ziegler go unavenged? Your kind truly have no loyalty.”

The accusation stung more than she expected. It was as though he could see straight to the heart of her and all the things she so desperately wanted to hide. He was right, after all. Lorelei had abandoned Aaron in his final moments. She’d let his killers walk free. But she would not make the same mistake twice. It didn’t matter how she had to lie and debase herself in the eyes of these nobles. With this scrap of power Wilhelm had given her, she would see Ziegler’s murderer dragged to the gallows.

Lorelei canted her chin. “Sink Ziegler in the river and chart our course. We set off again at dawn.”

“Sinkher?” Sylvia gawped at her with genuine horror in her eyes. “I cannot believe you of all people would do her such disrespect! She deserves a proper burial.”

As if Lorelei did not know that. In the Yevanverte, funeral rites were sacred, done as quickly as possible. They would have washed the body in warm water and dressed it in a plain white shroud. It would have been watched, day and night, until it was buried in a simple pine casket. They would have sat shiva, accepted guests and food. They would have let their loss bring them closer.

“She also deserved a better death,” Johann said wryly.

“Make do with a ceremony if you must,” Lorelei snapped, rubbing her temples. “Just make it quick.”

Within the hour, they collected long coils of rope and fastened them to Ziegler’s wrists and ankles. The other ends were tethered to stones. There was no elegant way to pitch her over the edge, so they placed her on a plank and lowered it onto the river with a pulley. Ludwig had found enough preserved flowers in his luggage to arrange a makeshift wreath around her head. For a moment, the six of them stood, watching her bob and float on the surface. The current lapped hungrily at her limbs.

Heike lifted her arms, and the water surged forward, sweeping Ziegler clumsily off the plank. Lorelei glared at her out of the corner of her eye. It took less than a breath for the body to slip beneath the surface.

Just like that, Ingrid Ziegler was gone.

Lorelei whispered a blessing, one that rolled over her senselessly. The only clear thought in her mind was:I will not waste the chance you have given me.

***

Lorelei found Sylvia on the promenade deck, her arms folded over the railing. In the moonlight and mist, she looked entirelyotherworldly—andalmost lonely. The wind gusted, blowing Lorelei’s coattails back.

As if sensing her presence, Sylvia turned to face her. She twisted her lips like she was going to say something tart, but in the end, she just said, “Can we talk?”

“Come inside first. It’s cold.”

Lorelei led her to the war room. Sylvia hesitated at the door before coming inside.

Lorelei had straightened everything out and scrubbed the room until it no longer reeked of death. There were some of Ziegler’s books here: thick, leather-bound tomes cracked and pilling with age, but everythingelse was manufactured to look older than it was, a cobbled-together imitation of their lives in Ruhigburg. Nothing of Ziegler truly dwelled within these walls.

Nothing but her ghost.

Lorelei shoved that thought down and locked it away where it belonged. She sat behind the writing desk and said, “Well?”

“This is . . .” Sylvia trailed off, searching for the right word. “. . . creepy, even for you. She hasn’t even been dead for twenty-four hours.”

Lorelei opened her notebook, determined not to rise to Sylvia’s petty bait. “By all means, speak your mind. I gather you want a favor, and this is certainly endearing you to me.”

Sylvia slammed the door shut behind her, a little too forcefully. Lorelei set down her pen and finally took in Sylvia’s appearance. Her hair was in utterdisarray—moreso than usual, at least. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were wild. Something about Sylvia, full of inarticulate fury, gave Lorelei pause. “What are you doing, Lorelei?”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific.”

“You don’t intend to investigate Ziegler’s murder?”

Ah. That. Lorelei supposed she should have prepared herself for this. “That is what I said.”

“Nothing,” Sylvia said, clearly working herself up to a tirade. “Nothingis what you plan to do. What happened to your principles? Your hunger for truth?”

“Principles,” she scoffed. “If we begin to make ourselves a nuisance, who do you think they’ll come for next?”

“ButI—”

“Is that all, then?” Lorelei asked. She had intended to sound cool and disinterested, but it came out irritable. “I’m very busy.”