Interlude
LORD ROAR LISIKA, WARDEN OF THE WEST, HOUSE OF THE SNOW LEOPARD
The sun set over the horizon as Lord Roar Lisika looked out over the bow of the warship. His scouting ships had already reported that in the distance vessels flew the grayish-blue sails of House Virtoris and blocked much of the eastern entrance to the Shivering Sea.
Soon they’d meet those vessels, and destroy them. Without support from the Virtoris Armada, Roar doubted that whatever forces Isolde and her sister had amassed would be capable of breaking through the army surrounding the capital.
“Remain hugging the coast, Lord Lisika?” asked the captain of the vessel Roar had claimed as his own.
Fifty vessels sailed with Lord Lisika from Avaldenn. According to the king’s letter, which had arrived in the small hours of the morning, he was bringing another fifty ships weighed down with mage fighters. The rest of the Nava remained near Avaldenn, ready to take on the Falks whenever they came.
“Until we see a fight begin, we stay close to the land. In fact, go behind the islands when we reach them.” He knew there were some not far to the east, in Lord Riis’s territory. They would provide cover and protect them but were also not far from where the action would take place.
“And when we anchor, set up a night watch.”
“One is already lined up, my lord.”
“Very good. Dismissed.” Roar didn’t think the entire Virtoris fleet would come their way, not when they had likely been instructed to wait.
But that didn’t mean a ship or two wouldn’t venture west and try to pick off some of his fleet.
Or sabotage them. Best not to give the Lady of Ships the chance.
So tonight they would remain vigilant. And tomorrow, when two fleets converged, they would require every vessel to sink the House of the Sea Serpent to the frigid gray depths.