Despite knowing Bardarian was dead, Archer could feel his gaze on the back of his neck. Tonight, the crew of the Avourienne were playing that old game of truth—the one the late captain had challenged him to a long time ago.

It felt like a dangerous game then, and it felt like one now, too. It was Rusher—now conscious and apparently declaring the whole passing-out situation as 'inevitable' in the pirate world—and Starle again in the middle, but instead of Silta monitoring their lies, Eiler sat in a chair across from them, bored as he called Rusher out for perhaps the seventh time.

Archer's skin simmered with familiarity. He looked around for Silta but couldn't find her. Like Bardarian, she rarely showed herself when the crew gathered like this. Still, Archer knew she'd show sometime tonight. She always did—if only to check that no one was killing anyone. When she did, he had a plan. After the fiasco in the navigation room a few days ago, he was desperate to speed up his idea.

Archer debated the best person to carry out his plan, for he was far too dangerous for Silta to play along. He'd considered Alli, but she was with Shuri in Archer's room, attempting to console her sister and help her with her shoulder.

But Britter—Britter could work. In fact, he was the only one that could pull it off, since everyone else would be far too suspicious.

The first mate sat lounging on the couch across from the whole truth debacle, next to Harvi. Jackson had now wormed his way into that group, too, loud and laughable as they watched Rusher lie for the thousandth time. Archer worked his way over, nodding to Liam as he approached. The first mate caught his eye and stood.

"Kingsley," he acknowledged, moving them away from the group. "You come to yell at me for breaking Laurier's heart?" A smile cut his face, but there was something fake about it.

Alli and Britter's fight the night of the navigation room incident had been common knowledge, since Alli screamed at him loud enough to wake everyone up. She'd been upset over the Shuri situation; he'd shouted back in confusion as to why she expected anything else from him. Eventually, Britter called her some name, and Alli stormed off. Since then, the sisters had been sharing the queen bed in the corner room, and Archer had been nodding off on the floor next to the door. He'd lock the door each night, but he was too worried He was going to come after Alli again to really sleep.

"I think you could've handled it better," Archer said, "but that's none of my business. I've come to ask you for something."

Liam gave him a look.

"Look, you want me to fix Silta, and I think this whole 'truth night' thing is our best shot at it," Archer told him.

Liam shook his head. "She won't play against anyone. She always mutters something about rule number three and leaves."

Rule number three: Pick your battles. Always weigh risk to reward. If the exchange does not offer to you as much as it may take, do not enter it. Silta would follow it religiously.

"Then there needs to be an incentive," Archer told him. "Something that playing will offer her. A reward that outweighs the risk."

"She knows everything, Archer," Britter answered, his voice bored. "There's nothing she desperately needs."

"I'm not talking about her gaining something if she plays," Archer explained. "I'm talking about having her lose something if she doesn't play."

Liam's eyes sparked with new interest. "And how do we pull that off?"

"We cause problems with her leadership. We insinuate that you're smarter, that you're more fit to lead. That way, she'll be careful to prove that she can beat you in this game."

Britter squinted, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. "I don't know if it'll work," he said cautiously.

"Sure it will. She's a woman in a position of power over almost entirely older men. You're older, you're a man. There's doubt there. Just let me do that part. If it goes right, she'll challenge you."

"This is sketchy, Kingsley. She's pissed at me already because I didn't cut Shuri enough, apparently. She thinks I'm down bad for Alli, and she thinks I'm conspiring with you."

"Well, you are."

Liam sighed. "Look, I don't think this is going to work."

"It'll work. I know her. Especially now that she's all off, I'm finding her a little easier to beat. I know her rules. It'll work, and when it does, you can't ask anything too outright. Keep it simple. I think I understand how He is who He is, but I just don't know who He is. I just need little things. Details. Keep her talking."

Liam glanced around. Alli was pushing open the door to the common room. She wasn't mad at Archer, but she didn't look happy that he was speaking with Britter, who rolled his eyes upon seeing her.

"I don't understand why she's so pissed," Liam complained. "So I called her a bitch. She was being a bitch."

"Then why are you mad that she's mad at you? You don't room with her anymore."

Liam glanced at him. "I don't like being crucified when I did nothing wrong."

"Sure. Are you going to help me with this or not?"

Liam sighed. "I'll help. Just don't paint me out to be disloyal, okay?"

Archer nodded carefully and allowed Liam to go back to his seat. He found his crew over in their own corner, ignoring the truth game. Since the Shuri situation, they'd stopped fraternizing with the crew of the Avourienne. Marquis was telling them a story, and Archer apologized for interrupting as they all looked up at him.

"I have a request," Archer said to them once he had their attention.

Pincho leaned forward. "Anything for you, Captain," he said.

Archer sat down next to them. "We need to get Silta into that truth ring," he told them. "To do that, I need you to make some drama."

Bickie's eyes brightened. "Drama?" he repeated.

Archer reiterated what he needed them to do, and they listened carefully. When he was done, Marquis nodded, and Archer left them to their jobs. All he had to do was wait for Silta.

She came hours later. He barely noticed her slip through the doorframe, leaning against the wall near the back of the room, but when he did, he gave Marquis a discreet nod.

Archer walked over to her, standing slightly behind her, just like she had to him the first time. "I don't think this is a game you want to play," he said.

She searched the room with those eyes, watching everything carefully. "Familiar, isn't it?" she murmured.

"Haven't seen you in a few days," he noted.

"You could've," she replied.

He watched her carefully from the corner of his eyes. Her gaze was sharp, her replies were tactical, and her voice was low and quiet. She was as lucid as ever. In fact, there couldn't have been a worse day for Archer to implement his plan.

He took a deep breath. "You know what I don't get, Novari?"

"What's that, lover?"

"Why you hurt Shuri when I begged you not to, but you let Alli win with her nine coordinates," he said.

"I don't find Shuri entertaining, but I do find Alli entertaining. She reminds me of me."

"I know. That's why I let her on board."

She smiled slightly. "You could just have the real me. That way, Alli won't have to dye her hair."

"I let her on board because I wanted to save her from becoming you."

"Brutal today, aren't you?" She tilted her head a little. "I like it."

Archer never took his eyes off that sharp edge of her jawline. Careful, now. While she knew she had him, she spoke again, eyes still on the room. "Come up with me, love," she said softly.

Careful, now. Archer placed a hand on her back and guided her closer to the circle—closer to his crew. "I'm not coming up with you. But I will play you." He nodded his chin to the circle.

She did nothing but hum a little, searching the crew. Archer watched her head turn slightly to the left as she picked up the conversation around her. The first voice she heard was from Marquis, who'd shuffled into earshot, just enough to be a coincidence.

"I'm sure she used to be brilliant," the scout said. "I just don't see it myself. Maybe she's lost it."

He was speaking to Starle, now out of the truth circle. The assistant navigator was listening, but he looked uncomfortable.

"She's still got it," Starle said.

"If I were you," Bickie said from Starle's other side, "I'd want Britter as Captain. He's obviously quite sharp. And he's older. More experienced. And a man, for angel's sake."

Starle swallowed, his eyes darting. "It would make more sense," he replied curtly.

The fact that Archer's crew was talking to Starle was no coincidence. The assistant navigator was the most easily manipulated man on the ship. It was no coincidence that Kourvourk was sitting next to him, either. Kourvourk—a good friend of Courtley's—spoke next, "There was a time when I'd say Silta was double the pirate Britter was," he said. "Not anymore, that's for sure."

Marquis nodded, his expression simple. "I'm sure he could run circles around her."

Archer was pretending not to listen. In fact, he was actively trying to convince Silta why she should play him. The words around him were merely whispers, but to Silta's perfect hearing, Archer was sure the comments of his crew and hers were loud. Her eyes flicked as she heard Kourvourk's last sentence.

Archer turned to her, stopping mid-sentence. "You're not listening," he told her.

She looked back towards the circle. "I'm always listening," she said. "You were saying Britter's won the last few rounds. Lots of talk of Britter today."

Archer tried to not to express excitement. "Well, he's good," he said.

Silta glanced at him, searching his eyes. "Sorry, love. It's not working," she said.

Archer rolled his eyes. "There's no way."

She laughed, placing a hand on his forearm. "Come on, love. Starle's easily manipulated, and Kourvourk hates women unless they're under him. It was a good plan, though."

Archer sighed. He might be able to win by choking her navigator, but he'd never win the mind game.

"However," she said. "In your little scheme, you have managed to convince two of my crew members of my incapability. I'll play your game." She spoke up louder, to the room, "Britter! You want to have a go?" She nodded to the truth circle.

Liam looked from Archer to Silta, obviously surprised that Archer had managed to pull it off. Not that he really had.

Britter stood and made his way to one of the chairs. The entire room turned to pay attention as Silta sat down. Eiler sat up a little straighter across from them.

"You can choose not to answer, but then you lose the game," Eiler said, relaying the rules as he had all night. "By lying, you lose. You must answer the questions with full honesty, or I will make it known that you are lying. Captain's initiated, so Britter gets the first question."

Britter took a deep breath and glanced at Archer. "Why are we going after the chest?" he asked.

Archer knew the answer to this. He waited for Silta to give the same answer she'd given him.

"For revenge," she answered, her voice steady. The room was perfectly calm around them. "Who did you kill to get on this ship?" she asked.

When Britter went to speak, she raised a finger. "I want your relationship to them. Not just a name."

Britter lifted his chin, and Archer saw his jaw tic. Silta was going for the throat, right off the bat. It might not be good for Britter, but it was good for Archer. That meant she was trying to get him to fold as fast as possible.

With another deep breath, Britter answered, "My fiancé." His face was bitter and angry, and he didn't bother to hide it.

It was not something Archer had known. It had to be something Silta knew—even though she came onto the ship after him. Liam had always been the sailor with his arm around a new girl each night. Archer assumed he'd always been that way, and he never imagined Liam might've loved a woman before the Avourienne.

"The man who's after us," Britter said, calming his expression, "would I know his name?"

"Yes," Silta replied. "How did you kill your fiancé?" Her question came quick, taking the attention off her answer and putting it on Britter's.

Archer wouldn't fall for it. He considered her answer as Britter paused. Someone Liam would know wouldn't necessarily be someone Archer knew, but it was a start.

Britter was grinding his teeth, already on the verge of losing. That was another one of Silta's hidden mind games, to ask Britter personal questions, urging him to lose track of his logical ones and do the same to her.

Britter waited one more moment before he answered, "With my hands. Nobody gave me a pistol or a knife. So I did it with my hands." He barely thought about his next question before he fired it at her, "What positions has He held?"

Silta shrugged. "Quite a few. A deckhand, an officer, a strategist. A first mate, a captain."

So He'd been in the ship business for a long time—but not necessarily piracy. Old pirate ships used to have officers, but not anymore. The navy still had them, so perhaps He used to sail for the crown.

"Britter," Silta began, drawing Archer's attention back to them. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Alli Laurier. You have no feelings for her?"

Britter grinned at Silta, but it lacked his normal edge of nonchalance. He glanced out at the room, to Alli, perched on the arm of Pincho's couch.

He looked away from her and ran a hand through his hair. "I do," he answered. "Small, but they're there. Are you—and were you ever—in love with Kingsley?

Britter had fallen for Silta's trick and lost track of the right questions, but Archer couldn't be annoyed, because the attempt at cornering her was just excellent for him.

Silta shifted slightly, but it wasn't uncomfortable. "No. Not before, and not now," she answered.

Archer glanced to Eiler, but the mediator looked confused. "I—hold on. Say it again, Cap."

"I'm not and have never been in love with Kingsley," she repeated.

Eiler shook his head. "You're beating me somehow," he said.

"You can tell a truth from a lie without fail," Silta replied.

"Well, yes, but—" He cut off. "I guess—I'm not sure? I can't entirely—"

"Is it a lie, Eiler?" Britter said, impatient to move on.

"No," Eiler decided.

Archer remembered the things Silta taught him about being a liar: To be convincing, you had to believe you were telling the truth.

Silta glanced back at Britter. "Why lie to me about Laurier the first time I asked? For clarification," she told the room, "I asked him before, and he said it was nothing."

Britter looked at Archer again, seemingly asking to give up. Archer wanted to tell him that he could; he didn't want to force Britter into anything else, but he couldn't quite do that. They were so close to getting information from Silta that could help.

At Archer's pleading look, Liam turned back to Silta and said, "Because you're a hypocrite, and you'd kill Laurier if you thought she made me weak. But you knew that already; you just wanted to force me to say it in front of her, so she'd take off running on her own, leaving less work for you."

Archer resisted the glance at Alli as Silta smiled. "Something like that," she said.

Liam leaned forward as much as possible. "What does Kingsley need to focus on to figure out who He is?"

It was the perfect question. It wasn't quite bold enough for her to consider folding, but it was extraordinarily helpful to Archer.

Silta didn't take any extra time. "He needs to focus on the things he already knows rather than tricking me into more information," she said.

"Something specific," Britter snapped.

Silta didn't specify; she didn't have to. Britter needed to word it better next time, but Silta knew he would.

While the crew hung onto her every word, she drew out her question, "Give me the exact name of the person you fear the absolute most in your life."

Britter took a deep breath and frowned. "Bardarian?"

"Fear, as in present tense, love. Bardarian is dead."

Britter didn't lose the frown. "You, then."

"Incorrect," Eiler said.

Britter glanced at him. He frowned. "I—" He cut himself off.

Silta tilted her head.

"That's the truth," Liam insisted.

"It's not," Eiler said.

Silta seemed to know who it was, but somehow, Liam didn't.

"I don't—everyone I've feared is dead," Liam said.

Something went off in Archer's head. It was Him—He was the person Liam feared the most in his life. Liam thought He was dead, so he didn't understand how it could be Him if it couldn't be Bardarian. But He wasn't dead—not like Britter must think He was.

"Britter—" Archer spoke up.

Silta lifted her hand. "Hush, Kingsley. No outside interference."

Archer gritted his teeth. If Britter could just list a bunch of names of people he'd once feared and have Eiler catch the true one, Archer would know the name. But it had to be in response to this specific question, or it wouldn't be the truth. Britter only lifted his hands in frustration and confusion, trying to understand what Archer was attempting to tell him.

"You can't ask a question that I don't know the answer to," Liam snapped at Silta.

She shrugged, her golden eyes amused. "You do know the answer."

"Clearly, I don't."

"You've got to answer," Eiler prodded. "Or you forfeit."

"I don't know the answer!" Liam insisted. He looked at Archer again, who tried to mouth before Eiler pointed at Archer and shook his head.

Liam stood, kicking his chair out from under him. "I'm done. You win." He left the room eagerly, whispers following him.

Silta sat back in her chair, watching him leave. She glanced at Archer and stood, placing a hand on his arm as she passed. "Don't think you've ever won a round, love.

Archer stepped in front of her to stop her from leaving. "Then play me," he said. "If you're so damn confident, play me." He spoke loud enough to draw the interest of the entire room, put her in the spotlight once more.

She met his gaze, and her eyes found his, fire burning in the calmest way possible. "I would do the same thing to you as I did to Britter, love. You'd be out on the first question."

"Really? What's that?" Archer snapped.

"If you had the opportunity to go back to Orphano—have Jeanne back and never board this ship or meet me—would you take it?

"Absolutely."

Silta glanced back at Eiler, still listening in. He looked at Archer, smiled sadly, and shook his head.

"What?" Archer asked.

"That's not the truth, sir," Eiler explained. "You'd be out."

"That's—that's the truth," Archer insisted.

Silta smiled. "I could teach you, you know, how to beat Eiler. But I think, Kingsley, that I'll tap while I'm ahead. You have a good night, love."

Archer stopped her again. "Play me now, then." Now he knew the answer—that in his heart, he would've left Jeanne for the adventure either way—he could play her.

"I just gave away my trick," she said, smiling. "Look, lover. Maybe one day you'll win the mind game," she said, "but I doubt it. You're brilliant and you're attractive and you're capable, but you will never be as brilliant or as attractive or as capable as you think I am. It's your own wild expectations of me that stops you from winning games like you did with the Lauriers." She paused, gauging Archer's expression as she spoke. He watched a hint of realization flit across her face.

"Or rather—it's not me that's the problem, is it?" she asked. "It's not me that you're comparing yourself to all the time."

Archer shook his head, not as an answer but to try and make her stop.

"It's him, isn't it?" she asked softly—mockingly kind. "It's Bardarian. Bardarian who was a better leader. A better captain. Bardarian who was older and taller and more sure. Bardarian who did it all better than you." She paused again, searching his eyes. "Bardarian who got the crew you wanted, the ship you wanted, and the woman you wanted."

She was right.

"It's hilarious to me," she said, "that I had to talk him down from the same comparative issues you struggle with now. That you're so jealous of a man that wasn't nearly as smart or as skilled as you. It's all so funny, because you would never have fallen into the traps he did—not the mutiny I saved him from, not the alcoholism I had to drag him out of—you're twice the man he was, and you still compare yourself to him every second. It's pathetic."

He let Silta go the next time she went to leave.

Because she'd just told him who He was.