“Spinning, aye!”
The water was coming fast, and the surface would be as hard as stone once we hit. But waves picked up under Fahr’s casting, making the surface choppy, soft, and yielding.
Still, we hit the water hard. TheTouchstoneslid forward, nose deep across the waters, and the bowsprit snapped, sending spar and cable whipping backward. I was thrown forward, then backward, and again, very glad I was tied off. I’m sure we lost a hand or two below decks as the cannons hurtled, shattering the hull of the gundeck.
“Bring us aright, lads!” cried the captain. “Bring us aright!”
With savage force, we slid across the waters, and I felt my belly press up into my ribs. If there had been anything in my stomach, it would have been gone along with my breath. Here on the main, the sea broke the bulwarks and flooded the deck as theTouchstoneheaved deep and low and port. But still, with the sails and the guns, the spinning and thrum, the keel began to roll, and slowly, the masts turned to the skies.
I held my breath, counting as she stayed low, praying she wouldn’t go under, capsize, or break.
But she heaved, then sighed, then settled on the water like a gull.
There was silence on deck for a long moment before the ship erupted in cheers.
It was magik, pure and simple, like nothing we had ever seen or experienced before. Magik and seamanship.
That was the Ship of Spells.
I peered over the bulwark.
It was an island with a volcanic peak that swept upward, disappearing into thick, roiling cinnamon clouds. I could see the gleam of iridescent waters falling from that mountain and purple palms glittering with frost. Three large bergs floated in the island’s tides, and in the distance, the Dreadwall rose as she had for a thousand years, unaware and unmindful of what we had just accomplished.
At anchor in a wintery bay was theMarelethan.
And next to her, theEndorathil.
37. Surrender
“Stormveil!” cried the captain. “All stations, run dark!”
The first mate swung to the captain.
“We can’t,” he said. “There’s too much damage.”
“And we’ve already been seen,” said Smoke. “You can’t miss a frigate just dropping out of the sky like that. Look.”
And he pointed. True enough. While theMarelethanboasted a skeleton crew, theEndorathilwas fully manned, and she was already making sail to turn.
“Damnations,” Thanavar cursed. “She must have just arrived. Report, Mr. Fahr.”
“Bowsprit disabled, and damage to the foremast and yards. Gundeck and hold breached. Taking on water, sir.”
“The rudders?”
“Sound, sir!”
“Bring us about, Mr. Oakum!”
“Release the drag sails, Buck!” called Smoke as he spun the moonswheel, and the great canvas domes fluttered to the deck. “Let’s see if we can move this old girl!”
TheEndorathil’s long guns boomed, but she was out of position, and the balls splashed harmlessly into the sea.
“Mr. Broom,” snapped the captain. “Report from the gundeck. We need the guns in place and firing immediately.”
“Sir!”
“Aro’el, rouse the Court of Sand. We need theAluciatusandMendacium.”
