Isabela was grateful for Celeste. The other woman didn’t push for more than Isabela was willing to give, and she even offered a suggestion on how they could use the book to muddy Castillion’s reputation a bit. Isabela grinned in response. “Now there’s a thought. Or a selection of recipes to get rid of a particularly persistent case of the clap. Some women might take curing his impotence as a challenge-” the bastard was handsome, and Isabela had enjoyed a few rounds with him before she realised that he was an enormous dick in more ways than one – “but that’d be enough to keep just about everybody away.”
Plus, there were many ways to spread that rumour that didn’t lead back to her. Castillion had already been pissed off with her over the slavers, and then even while he’d offered her a get-out-of-murder-free card, he’d put a bounty on her head. And she’d gone ahead and killed one of his men as a result, so now he was even more furious, probably.
“Which one? Not that any of them would be a great loss.”
Celeste was about as familiar with the hierarchy of the Armada as a person could be without being involved in it, so she’d likely know the name. “Hayder. Piece of snot, you probably remember him. Castillion stuck him on my crew for a while.” Whereupon he’d immediately tried seeding dissent, and quickly learned that few were willing to cross Isabela. She might be considered soft by some for freeing the slaves, but on getting the Call back she’d wasted no time in ensuring everybody knew how things were going to work. Obey orders, get your reward. Disobey once, lose fingers. Disobey twice, it depended entirely on Isabela’s mood if you got marooned or simply stabbed and tossed overboard. He’d been so confident that knowing Castillion would protect him, and he’d cried when she’d started in on his little finger.
His cockiness had come back enough to set up the ambush for her, and he’d learned yet again that he should have thought twice about it. He didn’t have the time to really take the lesson on board before she killed him, though.
Plus, there were many ways to spread that rumour that didn’t lead back to her. Castillion had already been pissed off with her over the slavers, and then even while he’d offered her a get-out-of-murder-free card, he’d put a bounty on her head. And she’d gone ahead and killed one of his men as a result, so now he was even more furious, probably.
“Which one? Not that any of them would be a great loss.”
Celeste was about as familiar with the hierarchy of the Armada as a person could be without being involved in it, so she’d likely know the name. “Hayder. Piece of snot, you probably remember him. Castillion stuck him on my crew for a while.” Whereupon he’d immediately tried seeding dissent, and quickly learned that few were willing to cross Isabela. She might be considered soft by some for freeing the slaves, but on getting the Call back she’d wasted no time in ensuring everybody knew how things were going to work. Obey orders, get your reward. Disobey once, lose fingers. Disobey twice, it depended entirely on Isabela’s mood if you got marooned or simply stabbed and tossed overboard. He’d been so confident that knowing Castillion would protect him, and he’d cried when she’d started in on his little finger.
His cockiness had come back enough to set up the ambush for her, and he’d learned yet again that he should have thought twice about it. He didn’t have the time to really take the lesson on board before she killed him, though.
