III | Betrayals
When he returned—mounted upon the horse from the corral—to where the wreckage of Jamais’ boat was moored, he found Shekalane fast asleep, curled into a ball on what remained of their friend’s bed (which had somehow been spared the same fate as the rest of the ship). But, having much thinking to do still, he chose not to wake her after he’d dismounted.
Instead, he stroked her hair in silence for what seemed a long time, and attempted in that time to convince himself he had done no wrong—that it was too late for regret in any case, and that he could simply transport her back to the gondola and they would be away. He tried to tell himself that his actions had been justified; indeed, that he could have a clear conscience regarding all his decisions. After all, it was not easy
