He’d probably come down with Jhiton.
Syla glanced over. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“It’s what they chose.”
“It’s not whatyouchose though?” Syla glanced at the men coming behind them, but they were probably too busy swimming and pulling Lesva to listen in.
“I’m not even supposed to be here. I came because— Oh.” Vorik almost laughed that he hadn’t had a chance to tell her what had changed things for him, making him disobey orders to come. But it wasn’t funny, and he hesitated to give her more bad news now, but if they were separated… “I flew past your castle.There’s a yellow flag hanging from the wall where your family’s was. And there are dozens of Kingdom ships in the harbor, presumably to support whoever took over the castle.”
Syla spat water. “Those ships are supposed to be cominghere.”
“Yellow,” Fel said. “Is that the Fograth family?”
“Yes,” Syla said. “They moved quickly. I didn’t even know— I mean, I guess I knew, but I expected Relvin would be the one to take the throne. I thought he was angling for it.”
“General Dolok wouldn’t have supported him,” Fel said.
Syla coughed as more water flooded her mouth, and she focused on swimming.
So did Vorik. The current was more agitated now, threatening to separate them, to send them floating into the depths of the mine to drown instead of letting them reach the exit.
You have not drowned yet,Agrevlari stated.I sense through our bond that you live.
I’m fine. Other than needing toswimthrough what I walked over earlier.
Interesting. Up here, what is unfolding is, even by dragon standards, epic.Agrevlari was flying above the barrier, directly overhead now, so he had a decent view of the island below and shared what he witnessed. Beneath the barrier, Wreylith was sailing about, sending gouts of flames into troops and leaving trees burning in her wake, but the lake was what was mesmerizing, with boats being sucked under near the huge whirlpool the dragon had described. Like a giant drain, it pulled down everything from wreckage to shrubs and trees that must have been growing close to the crumbling shoreline.There is a hole, and the water is flowing into the mine, yes?Agrevlari asked.
Oh, yes.
You had better escape while you still can.
We’re working on it.Vorik shifted his grip on Abrya so that he could dash water out of his eyes. Nobody was talking now, their group all panting from the ongoing exertion. Only the shouts, clashes, and clangs from the direction of the lift floated to them, carrying far over the water and echoing from the salt pillars.
There is another complication,Agrevlari said.
What more could go wrong tonight?Vorik frowned as another body floated past, the woman’s throat cut. It wasn’t thewaterthat was killing people, at least not yet.
During this time, the gardeners have continued to work to extract the weapons platform. It is now resting on the solid cobblestones of the street near the burned docks, and they are maneuvering an undamaged ship into place so that they can load it onto the deck.
Storm-cursed luck.Just when Vorik had thought things couldn’t get any worse for his people.
The next body that floated past wore a Kingdom uniform. That didn’t make him feel any better.
Wait, Syla is with me, and the aunt is down here too,Vorik said.They’re the only ones who can use the weapons platform, right?
I am unaware of its operational parameters.
Yeah, me too.
Perhaps you should have discussed them during one of your many encounters with your queen.
We were busy discussing other things then.
It wasn’t as if Syla would have told him all its secrets, anyway.
Sex orifices.
You’re a pain in the ass, Agrevlari.
