I froze.
Niallan’s Spit.
It was the arm of the southern ocean that dove inland and up, from the maps I had seen in the Stronghold. It was a trade route from years ago, and I realized that it would have been used...
Dorian was staring at me.
Belshazzar was also staring at me.
“It was the smuggler’s route, wasn’t it? That’s why it was called Niallan’s Spit. It’s not a nice name, it’s not mean to honor him at all. It’s meant to remind people of what happened, and even that’s been forgotten.”
“I guess it has,” Dorian said.
I took a deep breath. “Staviz, do we have a xebec?”
“A zeh-what?” Rilen asked.
“A xebec. It’s a three-mast ship that should be able to transport the lot of us quickly and without looking like one of the warships we have,” I answered. “It can look like a long-range fishing vessel if you don’t know what you’re looking for.”
“And the vampires generally don’t,” Aiko said. “Not the army, anyway. We didn’t use the ocean. I hate the water.”
“I don’t know if we have a captain,” Staviz said.
“I can handle it, as long as people listen to my direction on deck,” I said.
Belshazzar and Dorian stared at me. Rilen and Roran snickered. Aiko just grimaced.
“You can handle a three-masted ship?” Odom asked.
“I can handle a massive galleon,” I answered. “My father loved the water and the ships that sailed it. He taught me how to sail all kinds of ships. The xebec will be simple.” I bit my lip. “But everyone has to listen to me. Otherwise, we can run aground or break apart on the rocks at the Gate.”
“We don’t have navigation maps of the waters in the south,” Odom said.
“I can handle it,” I said.
“This’ll get us to Gwen?” Bel asked.
“We’ll have to find her once we get there, but I’m sure that it won’t be that hard to find out where the insane queen has hidden her.”
Aiko sighed. “Lady Stormbreaker is right. This is going to be the best way to get to the queen without fighting battles on the Scar.”
Belshazzar looked at each of us. “So where is this Summer Landing place?”
Chapter Twelve
Kimber
Rilen and the king hada hand over their mouths, desperately trying not to laugh. Roran’s jaw was gaping open. Aiko’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head, and Dorian looked absolutely furious.
“What thefuckare you dressed as?”
I folded my arms. “You cannot possibly expect me to captain a ship in a gown. Admiral Featherstone suggested I wear something that allowed me to move with ease and not get caught on every piece of rigging and cracked wood.” I looked down and smoothed my coat. “I feel rather handsome, really.”
“Excuse me,” Rilen coughed and ran into the galley.
Aiko’s eyes darted after him and back to me and back to Rilen and back to me. Belshazzar started laughing, hard, and walked to the bow of the ship, trying not to trip over his own feet. I could hear him gasping for air.
Dorian’s scowl grew. “You cannot wear a military uniform—”
