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Brasti jumped to his feet. ‘I have an idea.’ No good has ever come from those four words coming out of that particular mouth.
Kest lifted his nose from an old book of maritime navigational theory – because of course he could read for hours on this nightmare vessel without ever getting even remotely seasick – and peered over at me. Narrowing his eyes, he said, ‘That’s not the look he gets when he’s about to throw up. I think he’s just having some sort of philosophical crisis.’
‘Weren’t you mocking Valiana just a few seconds ago?’ Kest asked. ‘First of all, you celibate barbarian, I wasn’t mocking her. I consider sexual passion to be an outstanding quality in an individual. Second, Valiana’s family: we’re allowed to mock her. It’s practically a law.’ ‘It really isn’t,’ Kest said.
‘He had more faith in you than in the all the rest of us combined, Falcio, but he knew there was a side to you . . . a part of you that loved him so much you would do anything to bring about the vision of the world you both shared. But a dream unchecked by conscience, unrestrained by the law? That’s the first step towards tyranny, Falcio.’
We crave that which is glorious, Paelis told me, and in its presence we will forget everything else.
‘Oh, you know,’ I began, ‘the usual things. So, first of all, I’ve agreed to be declared a traitor.’ He shrugged as if that was nothing new. ‘Well, you’ve always been prone to a little light treason now and again.’ He grinned. ‘Hey, does this mean I’m no longer the Greatcoat with the worst criminal past?’
‘Well then, we’re good and buggered,’ Feltock said. He looked at me. ‘What’s wrong with his face?’ ‘Oh, that’s what Falcio looks like when he smiling,’ Brasti explained.
I hadn’t realised I’d spoken aloud, so it took me a moment to remember. ‘Forgive me, your Grace. I believe I said, “Fuck anyone who ever doubts the purpose of daring acts of heroism”.’
