"The gods forbid!"
"Let's go and drink." Edri took Trehearne's arm. "And you can tell me a story—where you came from and what in hell you're doing here!"
"No," said Trehearne, without relish. "I think I'd better see about Shairn."
Edri's jaw dropped. "Shairn?"
"Yes, unfortunately—Shairn." He explained rapidly how the unwilling extra passenger had come aboard.
Edri said some low, hard words. "That isn't going to help matters one little bit. We can hardly leave her on Thuvis and we can't stop anywhere else."
"It couldn't be helped," growled Joris.
"No. Well, I think I'll go with you, Trehearne. I don't believe you'd be safe alone!"
They found her, locked in an officer's cabin for which, on this short-handed trip, there was no officer. She was still bound and gagged. From the look she gave them Trehearne thought she would have killed them both if she had the power.
He freed her. She sat up on the bunk, rubbing her wrists. Two red marks ran from the corners of her mouth across her white cheeks where the gag had rubbed. It gave her a comical expression, like the mask of a clown. There was nothing comical about her eyes.