“Are you anticipating damage once we…land?” asked Ben.
“Even if we bring her close to sea level before we leave the Dreadwall, I anticipate much, yes.”
“I ain’t sure how to haul closer, sir,” said Ben. “We already got the sea anchor and the cannons to keep us from rising with the current.”
“We are currently a quarter league over level, Mr. Kobe. The Court of Sand is working on a jointKinestorum, but if we cannot get lower, we will shatter the hull entirely when the Dreadwall ends.”
Ben made a face.
“I shall leave it to you, then,” said Thanavar. “You have four bells to implement a solution. Mr. Broom, we will need guns a-ready, but that will be difficult, because they will be out of position.”
“They’re out of position now, sir,” said Broom.
“And they will need to be moved once more and sharp on mymark,” he said. “I fear you may lose another man or two in this regard. Once I brief you on what is needed, I will let you see to the precautions.”
Broom frowned, but Thanavar moved on.
“How is your leg, Mr. Buck?”
“Not bad, for not there.”
“Excellent. I will need the strength of you and your men at both the capstan and the line. Mr. Oakum and Mr. Kobe will need to fashion an entirely new type of sail. Our survival will depend on it.”
Smoke raised his brows.
“Designandimplement an entirely new type of sail that will ensure our survival without a chance of testing, in a matter of hours.”
“Yes,” said the captain.
“Well, I’m always up for a mortal challenge. What say you, Ben? Between figuring out how to bring the ship to sea level and then doing it.”
Ben rubbed his forehead as if trying to put his own face back to level.
“Currently, the Court of Sand is pressed hard maintaining the illusion of level,” said Thanavar, “and they will be pressed harder with aKinestorumuntil we hit the sea. Indeed, we may lose an ironmage or two in this endeavor.”
Finally, his eyes fell on me, and he released a long-held breath.
“And we will have to do this without Ensign Renn’s chimeric.”
I pushed up my sleeves.
Some scars flickered, but most were quiet. Just faded outlines of patterns and rune.
“I’m used up, and it’s getting hard to breathe.”
“Well, that’s a pox-smacked pickle,” said Smoke.
“TheTouchstoneis, herself, magik,” said Dev. “Blue’s chimeric was helpful, but the ship has stores of her own.”
Thanavar glanced at me.
“Nothing in the chests, sir,” I said. “Sailing the Dreadwall has taken it all.”
“There still be cannonballs,” said Broom. “Might they help?”
“A sound thought, Mr. Broom,” said the captain. “Make it happen.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” I said. “I would willingly give it all for her now. She deserves it.”
