Contents
26. Catch the Lady
Overview
After the kraken’s attack, the shorthanded Suepka Buryey presses Kinch and Norrigal into brutal whaling work, striking riches in spermaceti and ambergris. Captain Yevar tests Kinch’s magic and settles for his fiddle. Meanwhile, Galva and Malk bond over cards, and Kinch deepens his connection with Norrigal as she reveals her past and he resists fleeing.
Summary
The Suepka Buryey counts heavy losses to whale and kraken, leaving the crew short. Kinch is pressed into dangerous, filthy duty harvesting spermaceti from the whale’s head while the crew celebrates a windfall of ambergris. The ship becomes a reeking factory as blubber is stripped and rendered nonstop.
Shaken by the kraken, Kinch fantasizes about fleeing the Guild’s reach but concedes it is unrealistic. He and Norrigal find solace in conversation; she describes her affection for magic, her forced public renunciation, and how she secretly shed dampening irons to continue study, eventually seeking Deadlegs.
Captain Yevar Boltch evaluates Kinch’s magic, finds it meager for ship needs, and instead hires his fiddle—Kinch plays while Yevar and Korkala couple noisily. Meanwhile, Galva and Malk Na Brannyck grow friendly over the soldier’s card game Catch the Lady, swapping war talk and drink, which heightens Kinch’s anxiety that Malk may strike when work eases.
Kinch and Norrigal labor side by side scrubbing the fouled decks with ash and urine, their bond strengthening through shared hardship and late-night talk. Bully the cat takes to Norrigal, and Kinch briefly imagines a domestic future before pulling back, unsettled by the thought of surrendering his freedom and obligations.
Who Appears
- Kinch Na ShannackNarrator; forced into whale work, tested for magic, ends up fiddling; bonds with Norrigal and resists fleeing.
- NorrigalWitchling; toils with Kinch, shares her secret training and renunciation story; grows closer to Kinch and Bully.
- Yevar BoltchCaptain of the Suepka Buryey; short-handed, tests Kinch’s magic, accepts his fiddling; oversees lucrative whale spoils.
- KorkalaOfficer and Yevar’s lover; present during Kinch’s fiddling while she and the captain couple.
- Spanth GalvaWarrior companion; becomes friendly with Malk over Catch the Lady, shares talk of war and beasts.
- Malk Na BrannyckCrewman-soldier; befriends Galva over cards and drink; potential threat Kinch watches for.
- BullyKinch’s cat; takes a liking to Norrigal, sharing quiet moments that deepen their bond.