No,” he muttered, running a hand through his copper hair. “No. No. There are dozens.”“Well?” she asked, moving to touch his arm. He shook her off. “Dozens of ships, Lila! And you had to climb aboard his.”“I’m sorry,” she shot back, bristling, “I was under the impression that I was free to do as I pleased.”“To be fair,” added Placard, “I think she was planning to steal it and slit my throat.”“Then why didn’t you?” snarled Well, spinning on her. “You’re always so eager to slash and stab, why couldn’t you have stabbed him?

A Gathering of Shadows