Chapter 3
From Agrevlari’s back, before returning to the Fanged Whale, Syla saw another set of fleet ships leaving the capital. With a salty breeze filling their sails, they headed along the coastline in the direction of Lyvoran Freight Harbor.
Syla grimaced. Was it chance? That they were navigating toward the harbor she’d just checked on?
Maybe they were simply being sent out to circle the island and find her fleet, wherever it dropped anchor.
Lord Fograth didn’t have the help of a dragon to scout, but Castle Island wasn’t so large that ships could hide for long, not even in a quiet and unpopulated cove.
By the time Agrevlari glided toward the deck of the Fanged Whale, Syla decided that Aunt Tibby would need to be dropped off at the glassworks in Lyvor.
Syla could take Vorik and Fel along to guard Tibby while she worked, but the five ships couldn’t stay in the area and risk having to confront the entire Kingdom fleet.
Syla dearly hoped the glassworks had the magical tools that Tibby would need to craft a new shielder.
If they could get Harvest Island back, that would help Syla gain the support of the people.
Not that she believed the people were against her.
It was the scheming bastards who wanted the throne for themselves—and unfortunately the military willing to go along with them.
Major Hixun and Captain Vonla were waiting on deck when Agrevlari landed. Tibby remained near the weapons platform, though she was no longer poised to fire if need be. For the moment, no ships beyond their five were in view.
I will return to your vessel soon, Wreylith spoke from somewhere to the south. Harvest Island, presumably.
Excellent. Syla didn’t comment on moodiness or pregnancy possibilities. In your absence, I had to ride on Agrevlari.
An inferior mount, I have no doubt.
He’s all right. And it gave me an excuse to wrap my arms around Vorik.
Syla hadn’t even clasped his hand during the day’s journey to Castle Island.
She’d felt inhibited by having so many people around.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t refrain from touching him for a day, but she would have enjoyed being able to hold hands or lean on him for support and comfort.
I haven’t observed that you need an excuse to do that. I am hunting sea-kelp marauders. I had an urge for their rubbery tentacles.
Those are related to squids, aren’t they?
They are like large squids with powerful tentacles and suckers that can pull the scales off a dragon.
They sound dangerous.
Sometimes, dangerous food is appealing. I have been hungry lately—no doubt due to all the battles we’ve fought—but I will eat my fill and return soon.
“Do dragons have pregnancy cravings?” Syla whispered to Vorik as they slid off Agrevlari’s back.
It was possible hunger rather than moodiness had driven Wreylith to depart abruptly.
Or at least in addition to moodiness. “Aside from the turtle eggs and shells, I mean. Like, do they eat seemingly strange things during that time?”
“They eat strange things all the time.” Vorik patted Agrevlari.
I cannot imagine to what you refer, the dragon said, including Syla in his response.
“Earlier, you wanted a horn-hog cobbler,” Vorik said.
And that is stranger than a blackberry cobbler?
Vorik arched his eyebrows toward Syla.
“It is, yes.” She spotted Major Hixun and Captain Vonla approaching and faced them.
Fel also stood nearby, scowling at Agrevlari and Vorik, doubtless irked that they’d swept Syla away.
Since she and Vorik had been fired upon by cannons, bows, and crossbows during the short excursion, Syla admitted it had been foolish of her to go along, but she hated standing idle while others endangered themselves on her behalf.
Besides, she’d wanted to see for herself what the Kingdom ships were up to.
“Major,” Syla said, “I’d like you to find a quiet cove along the northern shore and drop me off with Aunt Tibby, Sergeant Fel, and Vorik.”
“Vorik,” Hixun said. “Your prisoner.”
“My prisoner who likes to defend me like I’m a precious gem, yes. With his many skills, he eagerly risks his life on my behalf. An incursion across the countryside wouldn’t be practical without him.”
Vorik lifted his chin, appearing pleased by the words.
“I do those things too,” Fel grumbled. “When you stay on the ground and let me.”
“You do them excellently, yes,” Syla said. “And I’m appreciative.”
“It’s why you’re on the incursion team.” Vorik nudged Fel with an elbow.
Fel gave him a look that could have withered the suckers off a sea-kelp marauder. If not the scales off a dragon.
Vorik merely smiled.
“Your Majesty.” Hixun looked at Vonla, who was shaking her head. “You’ve got a dozen Royal Protectors as well as all the soldiers you want from the crews that you can take with you, and what do you mean by incursion?”
“We need to get Aunt Tibby tools for repairing the shielder, and I need to figure out a means by which to confront Lord Fograth and reclaim the throne.”
“And incursioning across the countryside is how you intend to do that?” Hixun asked.
“It would be wise of her to collect intelligence before walking into the capital,” Vonla said.
Syla nodded to her, glad for the captain’s support. “Judging by the reception I’ve received thus far, I wouldn’t be able to sail into Sky Torn Harbor and stroll up to the castle even if I wanted to. Instead, I’m going to have to be stealthy, gather information, and come up with a plan.”
“You could remain safely onboard while sending a team ashore and having others gather information on your behalf, Your Majesty.” Vonla placed a hand on her chest. Volunteering herself for such a team?
Syla hesitated. It would make sense for her to send trained soldiers rather than stumbling around herself, but… “Aunt Tibby has to go.”
“How lovely for Aunt Tibby,” Tibby murmured.
“And I need to go with her,” Syla said.
“Why?” Hixun asked. “Unless I missed a report, you’re a healer, not an engineer.”
“I have other talents.” Syla glanced at Vorik but then wished she hadn’t, certain he would mention her ability to bake cobblers, since that had so recently been on his mind.
Or, worse, he might share that she had learned to use her power for self-defense and even killed people.
That was something she preferred not to share with the world.
“Queen Syla has proven herself resourceful in many ways,” Vorik said. “In addition to receiving enhanced powers from her dragon bond, she has been cunning and a serious threat to my people. Even General Jhiton acknowledged that before… the end.”
It wasn’t the accolade Syla had expected, and she caught herself touching his hand in thanks for backing her up before she remembered all the eyes upon them.
“Oh,” Hixun mouthed.
Vonla nodded firmly, as if she’d believed all along that Syla had value. Maybe she had. She’d been on Syla’s side even before Syla had fought beside the soldiers at Harvest Island, risking herself to keep firing the weapons platform. Syla nodded back to the captain, again glad for her support.
“We’ll have to be careful about putting ashore though,” Syla said. “We saw from above that the fleet is sending more ships out to monitor the coastline, probably to figure out where we’ll anchor. And I expect there will be teams on land, as well, watching for trouble.”
“Watching for you,” Fel said.
“I believe I am their trouble, yes.”
“You’re a lot of people’s trouble,” Vorik murmured with a smile.
Syla returned the smile but with a tinge of glumness.
When she’d been a healer, people had known she could help them and had appreciated her for that.
Now… Well, there was nothing keeping her from healing someone, but it would never be her dedicated job again.
But she had another equally important duty to focus on.
“I have been, yes,” Syla said firmly. “And I will be again to anyone who stands in my way. A cove, Major.”
He sighed but didn’t protest again, instead heading to the wheelhouse.
“Your Majesty,” Captain Vonla said, “I won’t object to your right, maybe your need, to go ashore yourself, but you should consider sending other parties—military parties—to scout and figure out what’s going on. It’s already obvious that a lot has changed since we departed last week.”
“Has it even been a week?” Tibby murmured. “So much has happened.” She and Fel looked at Vorik. “All of it bad.”
“I don’t think she’s going to forgive you for sinking our ship while she was on it,” Syla told Vorik.
She didn’t know why she’d forgiven that.
People had died during that attack, but her soldiers at least recovered the weapons platform.
And, in a way, Vorik might have helped Syla.
If she’d remained in the palace, she might have been there when Captain Lesva returned and kidnapped Lady Abrya.
Syla might also have been taken. By the eyes of the moon, she hoped that woman hadn’t found a way out of the mine.
“Absolutely not,” Tibby said.
“She hasn’t forgiven me for the minor grievance of dismantling her tractor,” Fel said, “even though it was attacking me at the time.”
“You ripped the gearbox off and threw it in the canal like a savage,” Tibby told him.
“The woman holds a grudge,” Fel said to Vorik.
“In my case, I don’t blame her,” Vorik said.
Tibby lifted her chin in satisfaction.
Fel squinted at her. “I blame her.”