“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As he hurried away, Syla asked Fel, “Do you think my aunt’s booby traps could damage something made by the gods? Of marble and magic?”
“Questions on that topic weren’t discussed in my basic Fleet training,” Fel said.
“It didn’t come up in your twenty years as a bodyguard for the royal family either?”
“Your parents and siblings didn’t acquire any magical marble artifacts that I was aware of.”
Syla didn’t truly expect Fel to know the answer to her question but wished someone did. “I’m going up there.”
Fel dropped an arm to block the door. “It’s been less than ten minutes since you agreed to stay in your cabin.”
“My dragon ally is being deterred, and my weapons platform is in danger. Things have changed.”
Exasperation stamping his face, Fel didn’t lift his arm.
“Let me go, Sergeant,” Syla said. “Vorik won’t blow it up if I’msittingon it.”
“If someone in his chain of command orders it, he will.” Fel tapped his temple to indicate the possibility of telepathic communication.
Since Syla already knew General Jhiton could talk to Vorik that way, she didn’t argue that part. “No, he won’t. If he wanted me dead, he could have broken my neck any number of times, including last night.”
Fel’s eyebrow twitched. “While he was drugged and sedated by your Candles of Serenity?”
“His sedation wasn’t as complete as you would have liked.”
Fel did not appear surprised. “I don’t believe hewantsyou dead, but if General Jhiton commands it… are you certain he would disobey a direct order?”
The memory of Vorik standing between her and his brother in the shielder chamber under the castle came to mind. “Regarding my life, yes.”
Syla ducked under Fel’s arm and jogged for the ship’s ladder. Her long-legged bodyguard could have caught her, but he sighed and strode after her to protect her instead of slinging her over his shoulder and locking her in her cabin. He would havepreferredthat, she was certain. But he was ever loyal. Someday, she hoped she could reward him for that.
When Syla stepped out onto the deck, distant screeches reached her ears.
Wreylith?she asked telepathically, afraid a battle had already started.
Bogberry Island filled the horizon now, the landmass dotted with lakes, bogs, and forests, with a single sprawling hill rising miles inland. Unlike the volcanos at the core of many of the Kingdom islands, the high ground had been formed by an underground salt dome. A mine within it provided the Kingdom with all the salt its people needed to preserve their food, with surplus left for trade. It would be a valuable resource for the stormers to claim.
Syla frowned at the thought, eyeing the hill as they sailed toward the mouth of the Prominence River, a waterway that flowed down from the inland lakes and springs. The main city of Seaward lay along both sides of the river, the bridge over it visible beyond docks along its banks. Close to the mouth of the Prominence, those docks were in deep enough water for ocean-going vessels to sail to them.
Inland from the river and uphill lay the island lord’s palace. As promised, smoke wafted from the structure, and numerous other buildings in the city burned, as well.
To each side of the mouth of the river, wide stone towers with multiple platforms supported cannons that were currently pointed toward four stormer ships anchored out of range. Archers and crossbowmen stood upon the platforms, facing the threat.
With dragon figureheads, the stormer ships were nearly identical to the one that had brought the supposed diplomatic party to Castle Island weeks earlier. They were laden with cannons aimed toward the city. More concerning than the ships, six dragons flew back and forth just outside the island’s barrier, as if they were waiting for something.
The screeches, however, came from the opposite direction, back toward Harvest Island.
The oaf issingingto me while he and his allies obstruct my flightpath,Wreylith said.
Are you within five miles?Syla couldn’t yet pick out a red dragon in the sky.
After glancing around the deck to make sure Vorik wasn’t crouched somewhere with an explosive in hand, Syla strode toward the weapons platform. There were enough crewmen about—each cannon was manned, and the fleet commander and major stood outside near the wheelhouse—that she trusted he couldn’t have approached it without being seen. In addition, four Royal Protectors surrounded the weapons platform. Aunt Tibby sat on it, a book open in her lap, though she was looking pensively toward the stormer ships.
I am uncertain of the precise distance,Wreylith said.
I canhearhis screeching. You can’t be that far, right?
