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docks eventually. They probably would have crashed into the docks, but luckily, Sadie knew a few of the wags in port who helped guide them in without sinking themselves or someone else.
    Sadie gave the sailors a terse grunt of thanks, then stomped down the docks, her blood-encrusted saber still in hand. Red scurried behind, eager to see how his new hero exacted her revenge.
    It was too early in the day for Backus to be working at the Sailor’s Mother, so Sadie headed for the Drowned Rat. When they reached the tavern, she threw the door wide. “Backus! You shifty assworm!”
    Backus lifted his thin, pouchy face up from his mug of ale and looked across the tavern. Every patron of the Drowned Rat went quiet, and all eyes bounced from him to Sadie and back again.
    “If it ain’t Sadie the Goat.” His calm tone sounded forced. “I didn’t expect to see you again. Too ugly for sailors even, is that it?”
    “I’m about to make you a whole lot uglier than I left them.” Then Sadie lifted her sword and charged.
    Backus looked at first incredulous. Everybody knew you didn’t start trouble in the Drowned Rat. But as she drew near, his expression turned to terror.
    Then Bracers Madge rose up, seemingly out of nowhere, and caught Sadie’s sword arm. She yanked hard enough to lift Sadie off her feet, a snarl on her thick lips. She slammed Sadie’s hand down hard on the nearest table, sending tankards of ale flying and forcing Sadie to let go of the sword.
    “You know better’n to start trouble here, Sadie.” Her voice was a throaty growl.
    “He’s gotta know!” said Sadie, trying to twist her hand free of Madge’s iron grip. “Everybody’s gotta know they can’t southend Sadie the Goat!”
    “I understand you,” said Madge. “But everybody’s got to know, even you , that nobody kills nobody in my bar. Now get the hells out of here.”
    Everybody knew that Madge liked Sadie. She was giving her an out right then. Sadie could have taken it, and that would have been the end of it. But she didn’t.
    “Not till I show them all!” She lunged toward Backus with sudden strength.
    Bracers Madge only grunted, her hand still tight around Sadie’s wrist. She reeled Sadie back in close, grabbed her head with her other hand, leaned down, and with a wet tear and a spurt of blood, bit off Sadie’s ear.
    The wail that came from Sadie’s throat was loud enough to rattle the glass behind the bar, as much from rage as it was pain. Sadie clutched at the bleeding side of her head. Madge held the ear between her teeth, along with a tuft of hair that had gotten in the way. Sadie ran out of the bar, choking back the sobs of shame.
    All eyes were riveted to Madge as she walked calmly to the bar, took out an empty jar, spit the ear into it, and added it to the rest of her collection.
    Red saw Sadie’s bloody sword still on the table. He didn’t know what would happen next, but he knew Sadie would probably need that sword. He sprinted across the tavern, just as Backus was turning toward it. Red snatched it up before Backus could lift a hand. Then he dashed out of the tavern after Sadie.
    He found her stumbling back toward the docks. She was cursing and crying as she held the side of her head, blood leaking out from between her fingers.
    “What happened?” His voice was shrill.
    “I’m through,” she howled. “Sadie the Goat, shamed in front of everybody. Bracers Madge has my ear in her collection and I can never show my face there again.”
    “What do we do now?” he asked.
    “We?” she snarled. “What do we do?” She looked like she was about to haul off and smack him. But then she stopped and stood there, frowning. “We,” she said again, this time a little quieter. She looked out at the docks. The Savage Wind was still tied up where they’d left her. “We,” she almost whispered. Then she grinned at Red.
    “ We are entering a new business enterprise, my best wag. Who needs the filth of Paradise Circle,