One.
“We have the target, Captain.”
“Wait!” Dary nearly leapt off the parapet. “It’s Lieutenant Marskal.”
“Are you sure?” Brant snapped.
“His personal signal, sir.” She did leap off the parapet, running up to me, dark eyes large in her tight face. “Don’t shoot, Captain. I’d stake my life on it.”
“Stand down,” I ordered the ballistae crews, who leapt to disarm the weapons. “But keep the alert. You’re staking the lives of everyone in Ordnung, Dary—not just yours.”
“Yes, sir.” She spun to watch thedragon as they closed the distance, no doubt having observed our disarming. Then she pumped a fist in the sky. “Itishim. And Scout Jepp and General Kral.”
This day got better and better. At least we wouldn’t die by dragon fire.
“Stand down to normal alert,” I called. “And send for Her Majesty. I’ll meet her at the castle gates. She’ll no doubt want to see this.”
