He smiled affectionately. "Much better," he agreed. "I don't think...it said Kullie didn't kill it. I'm not sure if it got eaten. I think...I think it might be bound to an object in the kitchen. I'm thinking maybe something that wasn't on the ship, originally."

Spider began to look uneasy. "Leannan, when it said we didn't kill it . . . are you sure it mean we as in us on this ship, or we as in you two there speakin' to it?"

Andre frowned. "Oh," he said. "I didn't...I thought it was obvious. Do you suppose it was someone else, then?"

"Maybe." She rubbed her elbow again. "I think I want to speak to Ashon about this. Except . . . hell. I feel like we're goin' in circles. It's just here." She flicked the lid of her box shut with her foot. "I don't think I've worked a ship yet didn't have something you just had to live with."

Andre nodded. "If we just had to live with it, I wouldn't be upset," he told her. "It's the part with the tryin to kill us that has me more worried."

"I'm still scared it's Kullie," she admitted. "If it's her, she might be gunnin' for me. So to speak."

Andre kissed her cheek. "I don't think it's Kullie, or none of us would be alive," he answered. "I just...I wish I did know. I want to help is all."

"Help who? The ghost, or us?" She reached for his hand. "Can't help the ghost, love, it's dead. Once you're dead there's not much can be done for you."

"It could be given some peace," Andre pointed out. "I think helping the ghost and helping us are two sides of the same coin. We need to do one to do the other, don't you agree?"

"Aye, except the ghost wants us dead," she replied, laughing. "If that's the only way it's gonner get any peace then sorry, I ain't feelin' that generous today." She bit her lip again.