"I don't often get called unpredictable," he said, clearly pleased. "I could get used to that."

After securing the sail, he finished dressing, too, and tossed all of the bottles out into the harbor. He sat and took the oars in hand, swinging them out and dipping them into the water more quietly than he had when they were out near the coast. He trusted that she'd let him know if she saw something amiss or a welcoming party on the dock.

"I say let's get docked and lashed, scrounge up a basket or net, empty the traps, and then head up toward the Hightown exit. It'll be the quickest route." It was also the most exposed, but it would save them nearly a half hour of scuttling through Lowtown. In the balance, it seemed the safer path.