Page 11 of Seaborn and the Seven Seas

“Here, take these.” The cook ladled porridge into bowls, added eggs, and stacked bread on a separate plate. He thrust it all toward Kit. “And keep your eyes on the stairs, not the help.”

Kit took the tray, glanced once more at Jina, and left.

The cook shook his head and went back to his pot while we set the meal on the counter. We stood as we ate. There was nowhere to sit anyway.

“So.” The cook shoved an egg into his mouth. “Where’ve you come from?”

I debated making up a story, but Resse already knew where we’d come from. A lie wouldn’t benefit us. And what could he do with the truth anyway?

“A cavern,” I said, taking a spoonful of thick, warm porridge, steam rising from the bowl. “We’ve never been anywhere else.”

He chewed, studying us the way he had earlier. “Never?”

“Never.” Jina set her bowl down. “We don’t know much about any of this.”

He seemed to weigh that, then nodded once as if it explained something he’d already suspected.

Minha broke off a piece of bread. “What does it mean to be sold?”

The cook’s jaw slowed and swallowed. “Means someone pays coin for you and you belong to them. Work their land, their house, their ship. Whatever they need.”

“Like the cavern,” Jina grumbled under her breath.

“Worse, in some cases.”

Those words made my skin crawl.

“Does everyone live on ships?” I asked.

The cook almost smiled. “No, girl. Most people live on land. Cities, villages, farms. Some even in the forest.” He picked up his ladle. “Ships are for people who can’t stay still or have no other choice.”

“What kind of world is out there?” I took another spoonful of the porridge.

He was quiet long enough that I thought he wouldn’t answer. Then he set his bowl down and leaned against the counter, stroking his gray beard.

“There are kingdoms. Each with their own king, own laws. The king you came from rules the land called Jeju. Richest of the seven because of the pearls.” He glanced at us sideways. “Your pearls.”

My jaw tightened.

“Beyond Jeju there’s forest, mountain, desert. Places you’ve never imagined.” He pushed off the counter. “And Juno where we’re headed, is a port city. Belongs to no king. That’s why people like Resse operate there. No laws worth speaking of.”

“No laws,” Minha repeated, defiance kindling behind her eyes.

“Don’t get any ideas.” He pointed a piece of bread he tore off at her. “No laws means no protection either.”

Jina braced a hand against the wall as the ship dipped hard. “Are there others like us? People taken from their homes and sold?”

The cook furrowed his brow. “More than you’d want to know.”

Seven kingdoms. A port city with no laws. A world so much larger than the cavern had ever let us imagine, a place where women with no name and no history might disappear.

I finished my porridge and wiped my mouth. “Tell me about Resse, Brando, and Kit.”

The cook tore off another piece of bread and chewed, considering, then finally said, “Resse grew up on these waters. Her parents lost everything to the king of Jeju when she was young. The ship, cargo, crew. After her parents died, she built herself back up. If she seems ruthless, she has reasons.”

“And Brando?” Minha dipped bread into her porridge.

“Brando is loyal to whoever feeds and pays him. He’s been with Resse for a long time.”