Fel gave him a look that could have withered the suckers off a sea-kelp marauder. If not the scales off a dragon.
Vorik merely smiled.
“Your Majesty.” Hixun looked at Vonla, who was shaking her head. “You’ve got a dozen Royal Protectors as well as all the soldiers you want from the crews that you can take with you, and what do you mean byincursion?”
“We need to get Aunt Tibby tools for repairing the shielder, and I need to figure out a means by which to confront Lord Fograth and reclaim the throne.”
“Andincursioningacross the countryside is how you intend to do that?” Hixun asked.
“It would be wise of her to collect intelligence before walking into the capital,” Vonla said.
Syla nodded to her, glad for the captain’s support. “Judging by the reception I’ve received thus far, I wouldn’t be able to sail into Sky Torn Harbor and stroll up to the castle even if I wanted to. Instead, I’m going to have to be stealthy, gather information, and come up with a plan.”
“You could remain safely onboard while sending a team ashore and having others gather information on your behalf, Your Majesty.” Vonla placed a hand on her chest. Volunteering herself for such a team?
Syla hesitated. Itwouldmake sense for her to send trained soldiers rather than stumbling around herself, but… “Aunt Tibby has to go.”
“How lovely for Aunt Tibby,” Tibby murmured.
“And I need to go with her,” Syla said.
“Why?” Hixun asked. “Unless I missed a report, you’re a healer, not an engineer.”
“I have other talents.” Syla glanced at Vorik but then wished she hadn’t, certain he would mention her ability to bake cobblers, since that had so recently been on his mind. Or, worse, he might share that she had learned to use her power for self-defense and even killed people. That was something she preferred not to share with the world.
“Queen Syla has proven herself resourceful in many ways,” Vorik said. “In addition to receiving enhanced powers from her dragon bond, she has been cunning and a serious threat to my people. Even General Jhiton acknowledged that before… the end.”
It wasn’t the accolade Syla had expected, and she caught herself touching his hand in thanks for backing her up before she remembered all the eyes upon them.
“Oh,” Hixun mouthed.
Vonla nodded firmly, as if she’d believed all along that Syla had value. Maybe she had. She’d been on Syla’s side even before Syla had fought beside the soldiers at Harvest Island, risking herself to keep firing the weapons platform. Syla nodded back to the captain, again glad for her support.
“We’ll have to be careful about putting ashore though,” Syla said. “We saw from above that the fleet is sending more ships out to monitor the coastline, probably to figure out where we’ll anchor. And I expect there will be teams on land, as well, watching for trouble.”
“Watching foryou,” Fel said.
“I believe I am their trouble, yes.”
“You’re a lot of people’s trouble,” Vorik murmured with a smile.
Syla returned the smile but with a tinge of glumness. When she’d been a healer, people had known she could help them and had appreciated her for that. Now… Well, there was nothingkeepingher from healing someone, but it would never be her dedicated job again. But she had another equally important duty to focus on.
“I have been, yes,” Syla said firmly. “And I will be again to anyone who stands in my way. A cove, Major.”
He sighed but didn’t protest again, instead heading to the wheelhouse.
“Your Majesty,” Captain Vonla said, “I won’t object to your right, maybe your need, to go ashore yourself, but you should consider sending other parties—militaryparties—to scout and figure out what’s going on. It’s already obvious that a lot has changed since we departed last week.”
“Has it even been a week?” Tibby murmured. “So much has happened.” She and Fel looked at Vorik. “All of it bad.”
“I don’t think she’s going to forgive you for sinking our ship while she was on it,” Syla told Vorik.
She didn’t know whyshe’dforgiven that. People had died during that attack, but her soldiers at least recovered the weapons platform. And, in a way, Vorik might have helped Syla. If she’d remained in the palace, she might have been there when Captain Lesva returned and kidnapped Lady Abrya. Syla might also have been taken. By the eyes of the moon, she hoped that woman hadn’t found a way out of the mine.
“Absolutely not,” Tibby said.
“She hasn’t forgivenmefor the minor grievance of dismantling her tractor,” Fel said, “even though it was attacking me at the time.”
