“It’s just the windmill on Stade Street, madam,” said another of the boatmen, kindly. “You should hear it when there’s a storm. It shrieks fit to take your ears off.” The other boatmen chuckled softly. “You needn’t worry about the Frenchies, ma’am. We’ve got lookouts everywhere, and if they’re sighted inland, we’ll receive a signal.”
Elizabeth wasn’t foolish enough to ask what kind of a signal it would be, but she felt relieved. The smugglers knew their business more than anyone else. She had found no sign of anything unusual in any case.
As it so happened, the windmill had served a purpose, she was now wide awake, and ready to start working again. Not long after, Darcy joined her, and then Redmond. The night seemed to stretch on forever as they went back to setting up Wards and checking them for weaknesses.
It must have been close to dawn when a subtle change in the darkness caught her eye, and Elizabeth sat up straight in her chair, her heart beating frantically.
“Do you see anything?” said Darcy to her, in a quiet, tight voice.
Elizabeth looked out to the blotted ink of sea and sky, merged together into a single unit of the deepest navy. She strained her eyes, trying to pick out some movement or shape to break the darkness. She kept her gaze on the horizon, afraid to look away even for an instant. “I cannot see it when I look, but I sensed something ahead — a change in the darkness. Look straight ahead, then a little to your right. I feel there is something there.”
"I trust your instincts." He peered out into the water.
Another time, she might have rejoiced that he had so much faith in her, but not now when it felt like the whole world was waiting. She hardly dared to breathe as she kept her focus on that elusive something out there.
A minute later, she shook her head. “It’s gone. I must have imagined it.”
“Maybe it was just a large wave.”
“Yes. It must have been.”
Relief made her feel giddy. She reached out to touch Darcy’s arm. Instead, he gripped her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. The contact reassured her, making her feel warm and secure. It reminded her that they had each other, no matter what happened, that they were working together. They had done it before and survived.
To her right, Redmond shifted. "I wish they would come so it would be over and done with."
"Do you really?" said Elizabeth softly.
She did not want daytime to come. She wanted this time with Darcy to last forever.
"Perhaps they will change their mind. Perhaps they will not come at all." She could still cling to that hope.
To the left of her, Darcy squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Perhaps.”
Redmond snorted. "If only that were the case."
Darcy came to full alertness as a warning shout came from the castle ramparts. Moments later, everyone congregated at the edge of the beach, just behind the Wards.
The boatmen had returned. They were shadows in the water, the soft strike of their oars hidden by the swish of the waves. The Royal mages gathered, ready to strike if necessary.
Darcy stood tensely, spell at the ready. He had already set up Wards around the mages standing on the shore, but he did not know if it would be enough. Lady Alice was right about the boatmen, even if saying it aloud was foolhardy. There was no trust between the smugglers and the military. The smugglers’ loyalty was bought with silver, and if they had been offered more by the Imperial mages, it would be easy enough to smuggle some of the French mages in under cover of darkness, dressed in fishermen’s clothes. He strained forward to see if there was any hint of magic, knowing Elizabeth was doing the same, but even someone as good as her may not be able to detect magic signatures on the water.
It was a perfect disguise.
The boatmen reached the beach.
“There’s a fog behind us,” one of them said, visibly shaken.
“It ain’t natural,” said another. “I never saw the like in my life.”
“Like a giant shadow.” Darcy recognized the man who told Elizabeth about the windmill.
“They’re coming.” There was panic in the man’s voice. “Let us in.”
“Let them in,” said Captain Laker, vouching for them.
No one objected. Darcy had to believe Captain Laker could recognize them and distinguish whether there was something suspicious. He carefully lowered a small part of the Ward – a part narrower than a doorway – and let the men in one by one, with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Captain Laker checking each one of them before they were allowed through.
Then, like a huge wave, the fog rolled in.
