"I don't want to fight. I thought I was protecting you."

  My arms were crossed. "Do better then. I rolled down a few blocks trying to evade one of those shades."

  "They were rough. If I... Look I knew you could handle yourself."

  "Still, it's the thought that counts."

  "I almost died. I did my best to take care of you. If I misstepped, I apologize. I will endeavor to make it right. Next time we are faced with two shades in the middle of a crowded city I will act accordingly."

  I had half a mind to throw him overboard. He was already there, bobbing in the water. Thankfully this part of the bay wasn't terribly bad smelling. I mean he was in the water but that was because we both needed to rinse off.

  I was holding back because I needed someone to make sure that there were no sharks in there. Now that my bait had survived being uneaten for at least a minute and not gotten chilled to the bone, I could accept that it was my time. I stripped off my shift and jumped in.

  Three rope lines with floating rings were there when I came back up for air. The cool crisp water wasn't actually that cold, all things considered. With my hair wet and Martin still in I considered if I even wanted to get back out immediately.

  A quick dip would get all of the dust off as well as most of the blood, but I was finding it awfully pleasant. It was too bad that we were not a bit further out from the bay. The privacy of being in open water was nice. We'd intentionally jumped on the side away from the docks where fewer eyes could see us. And just like that I felt refreshed.

  Martin bobbed over with one of the rings. He handed me one and his arm was warm and inviting. I couldn't keep a smile down.

  "As if we're going to see any more shades like that. Something tells me that was not the norm and that we're not going to see anything. Anyway... Tell me what happened after I provided a distraction."

  I was not going to let being naked in the water distract me.

  "Well I got some ideas. First off, I'm reasonably certain that professor Vaughn either moved or skipped town. Either one could be true. I also got some notes from someone I think is or was his lab assistant."

  I had never heard of a mage having a lab assistant but I was fully interested in that. I could use and assistant. "Go on."

  "Well I've got some addresses, but nothing conclusive. Someone's got it out for the poor professor, clearly. At this rate, the man is going to be killed accidentally for coming up with some theorem that we're all going to have to account for."

  Perhaps Martin would be a good assistant. I was wondering if he was going somewhere with this as we moved back towards the boat.

  "Ladies first," he said.

  "You just want a good view of me heading up."

  "I'm going to be honest with you. Yes."

  That rat bastard was grinning. At least his arm was warm.

  "Nothing like a brush with death to put what's important into perspective. I'll go up first."

  I brushed his arm. "No. Let me."

  As I put my hand on the net rope to the lowest part of the vessel I turned back to him.

  "What?"

  "They went into town. Follow me."

  ---

  An hour later I had gotten everything I wanted out of him and more. We were both sweating and cool and clammy under the deck.

  Stuart had the good idea to install at least two sturdy beds that could be used for the important business that adults needed to carry out between each other while naked. He was all over me and it felt good to get that out of our systems.

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  I hadn't even needed to touch my cap for so long that I'd almost forgotten where I placed it.

  The fact that I hadn't even thought to go for it the whole time we were going at it meant that I was in a good place.

  "That certainly was something," he said.

  "Yeah and no matter what I say now, Valerie is going to know. That sea salt smell isn't going to cover up what we just did."

  He kissed me. "It's fine. Let them know. It's okay if they know. We're both adults. It occurs to me that I've always considered you an adult but I'm..."

  "I'm an adult." I nuzzled into his arm. "Even by human standards. You weren't hoping otherwise, right?"

  He shook his head vigorously. That was good news.

  "Excellent. I don't have to punch you for being an idiot. You don't know how many males I know that... Well let's just say that I'm a loner for a reason. I'm not happy with the fae that fill up the courts. They let too much go."

  It was partially true. I wasn't happy to talk with them. I had Stuart and the blood maidens company for a reason. It wasn't because I loved them so much. Indeed it was more because I hated the rest of them so much. It was nice finding someone with at least some semblance of a moral code. It was also nice to have him with a nice strong chest that I could place my head on and a good bit of stamina.

  "I could keep...going if you wanted that?" He sounded eager to please which was great but I was sore from the entire day.

  "No. This was good."

  "Just... Good?"

  "I'm still in bed with you," I growled.

  "Shutting up now."

  "Okay now the main thing we have to do next is dinner."

  Martin chuckled. "I've got it."

  "You do? Because I don't want to move if I don't have to. That would be wonderful."

  "I said I've got it. Take a rest. If you want to help, I've left my notes over here."

  I gave him a kiss as he disengaged. There went my warmth but at least I wouldn't have to do anything about dinner. That was a plus. I thought back to all the times my ex husband just wouldn't do that sort of thing and I was glad that was over.

  Finally, a male with some class was in the picture.

  Or not a male, this was a man.

  ---

  "So I've gone through everything you had here that I could make sense out of. The first one was just requisition lots of magical materials that he bought. He notes the seller, the cost and the items and in a few places he scribbles things like if the items were quality or not. Professor Vaughn was all about sourcing his ingredients well, apparently."

  Martin nodded. Valerie and Stuart had joined us for this little brief. It turned out that they had been getting some fresh vegetables with the intent of starting a small garden on the ship. They had combined some of that with some exotic prepared fish that I wouldn't ever have dreamed of cooking myself. The smoked fish tasted almost sausage like in the end.

  "So he is picky. What else?" Valerie said. "Are wizards notorious picky?"

  "That is unfortunately correct. I assume that you're going somewhere with this?" Martin said, popping a piece of smoked fish into his mouth.

  "I am. He has a shop that he frequents. We can start there."