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“I don’t know if people would believe me, a ship’s boy from nowhere. Besides, there might not be time—what if Marco thinks he can find the dagger without the map? I have to find it first—I will never let them get it. The captain was doing what he felt was important to him, and I’m going to complete his mission no matter what Marco does to stop me.”

The ship’s boy looked from Camey to Reed and back again.

The ship’s boy nodded and scrambled away, nearly knocking into Cooky, who stumbled from the galley, calling for Aly.

The ship’s boy leaned over to whisper in his ear.

A long shadow crossed the hold to the galley store, where the ship’s boy unlocked the door and began poking among the barrels, a silhouette of long limbs and curls on the curving timbers.