Naamah's Blessing

but I have a proposal.” His dark blue eyes glinted, and I felt the uneasy stirring of his gift and a sharp taste like metal in my mouth. “As no doubt you know, members of House Shahrizai are well versed in… certain arts, which can be put to many uses. And it’s been far, far too long since I had a chance to employ them.” He bared his teeth in a smile. “Would you be willing to consider allowing
me
to question this man?”
    On the deck, Edouard made a faint sound of protest.
    The captain gave Balthasar a long, considering look. “You know, that’s not the worst idea I’ve heard.”
    Balthasar’s smile widened. “I’m glad you think so.” He nodded at the prone sailor. “Have him cleaned up, put some dry clothes on him, and bring him to the wardroom. I don’t want him dripping and bleeding all over the place. Yet.”
    Although I didn’t want to undermine him in public, belowdeck I confronted Balthasar. “My lord, you’re proposing to torture the fellow for your own pleasure! I cannot condone it.”
    “If it works, does it matter whether or not I take pleasure in it?” he inquired. “How is that worse than the punishment the captain’s already meted out? Or the further punishment he had in store?”
    “It’s just… wrong!”
    He sighed. “Moirin, listen. What I proposed and what I plan to do are not entirely the same thing. Tell me, have I earned a measure of trust from you?”
    Reluctantly, I nodded.
    “Then give it to me now.” Balthasar’s gaze was steady and grave. “I swear on my honor, I know what I’m doing.”
    Clemente DuBois essayed a feeble jest. “Couldn’t you find something more convincing to swear on?”
    Balthasar ignored him. “I would ask all of you to trust me,” he said, glancing around the wardroom. “Watch, but don’t intervene. And if I ask you to leave us alone, go immediately. Are we agreed?”
    After a pause, everyone nodded.
    “Good. Now someone go find out the fellow’s surname for me.”
    In short order, one Edouard Durel was escorted to the wardroom with his hands tied behind his back. He was clad in dry clothing, and his wounds had been dusted with powdered alum to halt the bleeding. Although his expression was stoic, I could smell acrid fear-sweat on him.
    I daresay Balthasar could, too. “Edouard Durel,” he drawled in greeting, pointing at the long table with the tip of his belt knife. “Do have a seat, won’t you?”
    The fellow sat. The rest of us stood in the doorways of our cabins, watching while Balthasar paced around the table, toying idly with his knife. Light from the lantern glinted on its razor-sharp edges. The sailor tracked Balthasar’s progress warily.
    “Not a very pretty toy, is it?” Balthasar said apologetically, pausing to stroke the sailor’s cheek with one keen edge. “Pity I didn’t bring a set of flechettes, but I didn’t think I’d have a chance to play.” Leaning down, he whispered in the fellow’s ear. “Thank you so very much for this opportunity. I’ve never inflicted pain on anyone against their will, but I must confess, I’ve always wondered what it would be like.”
    Cords in the man’s neck tightened. “You commit heresy!”
    “Do you think so?” Balthasar increased the pressure, openinga thin gash, which he then probed lovingly with the tip, working it beneath the skin. The sailor gritted his teeth. I caught my breath, and Bao squeezed my arm. “I don’t see it that way at all. Mayhap you would be interested in hearing my perspective?”
    The sailor didn’t answer.
    “You are a thief, Messire Durel.” Balthasar prowled around the table and took a seat opposite the fellow. His eyes were unnaturally bright in the lamplight, pupils dilated with arousal. “That is not in question. And since your actions could quite possibly have doomed the lot of us to death by starvation or worse, one might consider you guilty of attempted murder.
I
do.”
    Edouard Durel looked away.
    “Mighty Kushiel was in charge of administering punishment to the damned.” There was a terrible tenderness in Balthasar’s voice. “They say he loved his charges too well. You have condemned yourself to Kushiel’s ungentle mercy, Messire Durel, and as a proud scion of Kushiel’s line, it is my duty as well as my pleasure to administer it.” He stroked the blade of his knife. “How well shall
I
come to love you, I wonder?”
    “I didn’t kill anyone!” Sweat beaded on the sailor’s brow. “You can’t punish me