Free The Storm Witch by Violette Malan

were still surfacing and making sounds of their own, sounds her Partner was trying to match with his drones.
    “Heard the music and knew, but wanted to be sure.”
    “Of course.” Bumping into the ship—though granted, no one else on board seemed to be worried about that—dumping Parno into the water.
    Malfin mistook the nature of her silence. “Nothing to worry you. Even if hadn’t confirmed his Pod sense by touching him, could see and smell him. He wouldn’t have been lost.”
    Dhulyn smiled, consciously stopping short of letting her lips curl back in a snarl. Even if he had a way to know of her private worry, she reminded herself, this was not a completely human person. The Crayx were citizens of a country no one else belonged to, and through their connection, the Nomads would see the world at least partly through the eyes of the Crayx, with whom they had at least as much in common as they had with any human being. Nothing they said or did—or believed—could be taken for granted.
    No wonder they had trouble understanding, let alone being understood by, the landlocked Mortaxa. These negotiations would have been very interesting. Very interesting indeed. If only—She stopped that thought. No point in going down that path again.
    Dhulyn put down the wrist knife. One of Parno’s throwing rings had found its way into her pack and she picked it up, with a frown for the dull spot along one edge. She folded the oily cloth to expose a cleaner patch and glanced at the captain. “Now, what is it you want to ask me ?” she said, smiling again at his startled look.
    Malfin cleared his throat, looked toward Parno again, and back at her. “My sister has a mind to bed your man,” he said finally. “If you’ve no objection.” His tone ventured on the defiant.
    Dhulyn thought she could understand that. Captain Malfin couldn’t be sure just how far she accepted what he’d told her—or how far her acceptance of the outsider extended. Dhulyn had no intention of letting him know just how familiar she was with his fears. He knew nothing of what he’d call landsters’ attitudes toward each other. He’d have no way of knowing how people looked sideways at her—not because she was a Mercenary Brother, but because her coloring marked her clearly as an Outlander. To say nothing of her other Mark, which couldn’t be seen.
    On the land, for the most part, the Marked were respected, trusted, relied upon. But there were many people who would nevertheless hesitate to welcome one into the family.
    “My objections seem an odd thing for you to be worrying about,” was what she said. “Considering how and why we find ourselves on your ship.” He found some reassurance in her tone, evidently, for the tight muscles around his lips relaxed. “Why is it you ask me? Why not your sister?”
    “To show the family agrees with her breeding plan, so I speak both as brother-and-twin, and as co-captain of the Wavetreader .”
    “Breeding?” Dhulyn was careful to keep her tone light, interested curiosity only, but she had to loosen her grip on the throwing ring before she cut herself.
    “Have to be careful about breeding,” Malfin said. “Even exchange between Pods doesn’t mix the blood as much as we’d like. When find a landster with Pod sense, it’s a good way to add a new bloodline.”
    “And if a child doesn’t have ‘Pod sense’?”
    Malfin looked at her as though measuring something. “Have havens,” he said finally. “Ashore. Different places. Where those children can be safe. Still our kin, Pod sense or no.”
    Light dawned as Dhulyn realized what Malfin meant. “Landed kin. Where your ships are built, and where you can make repairs that can’t be done at sea.”
    “They are secret, the havens.”
    Dhulyn smiled. “I will tell no one except Parno Lionsmane.”
    “Have called yourselves Partners, you and the Lionsmane. Does that mean Darlara is out of luck, or that you would claim the child, if there is