Chapter 15
Using the megaphone and standing on top of the wheelhouse with Wreylith at her side, Syla called out to other fleet ships as they sailed along the coastline.
In several cases, those ships had been moving to intercept; in others, they had been observing her passing without shifting course.
She made similar speeches as before, telling the Kingdom crews that she not only had the weapons platform to use on the dragons but that she possessed a new shielder to place on Harvest Island.
Again, her moon-mark glowed silver as she spoke, and she sensed that her words had more power than usual.
Not every ship joined them, but none of them fired upon the Fanged Whale.
Of course, that might have had more to do with Wreylith’s presence than Syla’s words, but seeing the dragon hadn’t kept the earlier ships from blasting cannons in their direction.
Syla had a feeling it was more that she was gathering forces as she went, her little fleet swelling from the original few vessels to more than twenty by the time she sailed around the western end of the island and turned south.
Aware that dragons likely remained on Harvest Island and might be flying about between the landmasses as well, the fleet continued to hug the coastline of Castle Island until they were in a direct line with their destination. Only then did they venture into unprotected waters.
Doubting they would pass more Kingdom ships after they left the shield, Syla hopped down from the wheelhouse and returned the megaphone to Hixun.
“I don’t know what the history books will say about these events in the end,” the major said, “but nobody will accuse you of lacking verve.”
“You don’t think so? All those books ever said about Queen Erasbella was that she was respected, well-liked, and excellent at needlepoint.
” Having read The Secret Life of Queen Erasbella, Syla knew her ancestor had been good with all pointed objects, especially swords.
Sometimes, she wondered if even that hidden text had given her the entire truth.
Hixun blinked. “Is that not correct?”
“Her life was a little more storied than most books suggest. It seems that historians write down what the influential of the time approve of rather than the complete truth.”
“Huh.”
“Truth is open to interpretation,” Aunt Tibby said, walking up with Fel.
“An undeniable truth,” Fel said, “is that it’s difficult to be a bodyguard for someone who leaps on and off the back of a dragon that’s prone to fly off at any moment.”
“You’re a good and noble man for trying to do so anyway,” Syla told him.
“You wouldn’t think so,” Tibby said, “if you’d been the one left standing next to him and listening to his curses. Syla, we need a plan for when we arrive.”
“Beyond driving off the dragons? And dealing with that, uhm, weather?” Syla pointed toward Harvest Island, now dead-ahead as the Fanged Whale sailed through choppy waters toward it.
In most directions, the sky was clear, but ominous clouds loomed over the island, dark gray with a strange green tint.
The clouds hung so low over the volcano that its top was lost in their mist. A branch of lightning flashed as she watched, and Syla jumped. “Is that… natural?”
“No,” Fel said. “But it was like that yesterday too. I think the dragons cursed the island or something.”
“Wonderful.” Syla couldn’t see any of their winged adversaries in the sky ahead but had no doubt that some lingered in the area.
Before her Freeborn Faction allies had left, they’d reported that the stormer-allied dragons had driven them away from the harbor, leaving the island once again undefended.
When lightning flashed again near the volcano, Syla sighed.
“I think you’re right. That weather has to be due to a magical influence. ”
“An evil magical influence,” Fel said.
“These ships and the weapons platform are for dealing with the dragons, I assume.” Tibby didn’t look that concerned by the prospect of evil magic, but maybe it was because she had other concerns on her mind.
She pointed to the large canvas-wrapped sphere, now strapped down on the deck next to the weapons platform.
“After that’s done, we’ll have to get the shielder onto land and to a safe place where I can set it up.
” Tibby lifted her gaze toward Wreylith.
“Your dragon didn’t have an easy time carrying it out of town. ”
“No, and that reminds me. Did you by chance bring my medical kit?”
“We brought all your gear.” Tibby waved to where Teyla was chatting with Captain Vonla by the railing, bags and packs on the deck between them. Celena had made it on board with everyone but must have gone belowdecks.
“Thank you,” Syla said. “I need to find a salve for someone.”
Tibby arched her eyebrows. “Does that mean that someone won’t carry the shielder again?”
“She might, but it looked every bit as heavy as I remembered from pushing the other one.”
“That’s because of its sizable outer core.
It’s comprised of thick glass woven with magical strands made from the teal ore.
That’s what gives it its durability.” Tibby wiggled her fingers to suggest she’d done the magical weaving herself.
“We’d better clear the way of dragons and know exactly where we need to put it before asking your red-scaled ally to tote it again. ”
You’d better clear the way, know the location, and place numerous large and meaningful offerings out for me to dine upon, Wreylith said. It takes a great deal of energy to carry something that large.
Did you provide offerings to the four dragons who flew the weapons platform across the sea to Castle Island? Syla asked.
I did not, but perhaps you should volunteer several delicious meals to them once you establish the horn-hog farm.
I’ll keep that suggestion in mind.
“Syla?” Tibby prompted.
“Yes, I’m discussing the transportation situation with Wreylith.
As to where to put it, does it need to go into a permanent location right away, or can we activate it as soon as it’s on land?
” Again, Syla remembered awkwardly rolling the other shielder across the lava-rock landscape while dragons flew overhead.
Last time, those dragons had been distracted by a desire to hunt.
This time… they would attack if the weapons platform couldn’t drive them back sufficiently.
And who would man that? Syla would have to send Tibby to place the shielder, so that meant she would have to stay behind and do it.
“You remember the mount, right? The magical silver framework that the shielder rests in?” Tibby drew branches in the air spreading downward and upward.
“I remember, yes. The frameworks are similar at all the shielder locations.”
“They’re conduits that assist the artifact in sending its power out in all directions to activate the shield around the entire island.”
“So, they’re necessary.”
“To provide the kind of coverage we need, yes.”
“It sounds like we need to put the shielder back in the same place it came from then,” Syla said.
“At least for now. In the future, maybe a new chamber and framework could be made, but…” She spread her hands, not certain if that was true.
They hadn’t yet moved the shielder on Castle Island because the chamber—all of the chambers—had been made by the gods and were part of what protected the artifacts.
“The stormers know where that chamber is,” Tibby said, “and it’ll be a lot harder to guard than the one right under your castle.”
Syla started to nod in agreement but paused. “That might not be true. I know Vorik was following you and Fel and saw where you went underground, but he’s the only one, right? Lesva was busy, er, torturing me.”
“Vorik probably told his people all about it,” Fel grumbled.
“I suppose he could have reported the chamber’s location, but he also might not have. After the shielder was gone, would there have been any point in him drawing a map for his people?”
“I would prefer to place it somewhere that nobody knows about,” Tibby said, “but the framework was undamaged there, so it does make the most sense, at least for the time being. Assuming the dragons and stormers haven’t found the chamber in the weeks they’ve had access to this place.
If they have, they could have sabotaged it. ”
“We closed the hidden door before we left,” Syla said.
Actually, it had magically closed itself after they’d removed the shielder and walked out.
“Yes,” Tibby said. “Let’s hope it has remained closed.”
“Dragons ahead!” a crewman called from the crow’s nest. “Four of them are flying this way. Fast!”
Soon, everyone could see them, a yellow, two grays, and a green. None carried riders.
Stormer allies or wild dragons, Wreylith? Syla headed for the weapons platform. Do you know?
Those four are aligned with the stormers.
I have not seen wild dragons for a week or more.
The island has been over-hunted, so it is less of a draw now for those who do not have political reasons for being here.
Wreylith managed to convey a telepathic snarl of condemnation with the last words, political in particular.
Syla lamented that even one of the Kingdom islands had become over-hunted and hoped that enough animals had managed to survive to repopulate the various species.
“I’ll take care of them,” Syla said firmly as Wreylith launched into the air. “Keep sailing toward the island, Major.”
“We will.” Hixun’s tone suggested he’d never intended to turn aside. He ordered men to the cannons.
A nearby ship was already opening fire.
Syla’s people were determined. Good. So was she.