“A veteran bodyguard who wants to continue living pulls his charge behind a stout object rather thanbeinga stout object.”
“That must be how you’ve survived so many years.”
“Yes.”
“We’re heading out, Your Majesty,” Hixun called.
Syla lifted a hand in acknowledgment, but her gaze was locked onto Wreylith.
As cannons fired at her—why couldn’t the officers in that ship learn from the poor choice their superior had made?—she again zigzagged, managing to get close without being hurt. This time, her ire stoked by the last encounter, she blasted fire onto the ship instead of bothering with plucking up crewmen. On the first pass, she scorched the masts and sails. On the second, she poured flames onto the deck and hull.
Syla closed her eyes, her stomach turning at the screams of men. Would she have to employ Wreylith to destroyallof the warships in order to escape?
The cannon fire halted. Wreylith, her task finished, flew higher in the air and circled around the fleet. In the stillness that came over the cove, Syla could hear the waves lapping at the hull of their ship.
As theFanged Whaleand accompanying vessels sailed toward the sea, and Wreylith flew menacingly above, three of the warships participating in the barricade broke ranks. They sailed away from the cove and in the direction of Lyvor. The burning ship was too damaged to sail anywhere. Four others shifted away from theFanged Whalebut didn’t leave the area.
When their ship drew even with them, Syla held her breath and watched the crews. Some men glanced warily at Wreylith, having pointedly stepped back from the cannons. Others looked across the waves at Syla. Several nodded toward her. A few saluted. Two officers on one ship even dropped to one knee.
“Does that mean they’re joining us?” Syla murmured. “Or simply acknowledging that they won’t impede us?”
“We’ll see,” Fel said as theFanged Whalesailed out of the cove.
The crews on the remaining ships jogged about, lifting their anchors and adjusting their sails. As they worked, more than one man looked over at the burning vessel, a few crewmen remaining on its scorched deck. Nobody else touched a cannon. In the end, four of the original eight warships sailed after Syla’s fleet.
“They’re following us,” Hixun said a few minutes later, wonder in his tone as he and Captain Vonla joined Syla and Fel.
“You had doubts?” Syla smiled, though she’d been full of doubt herself.
“About their wisdom and common sense, many. Not about you, Your Majesty.” Hixun bowed to her. “You proved yourself when you first battled the dragons and their riders with us.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m afraid we’ll all have to prove ourselves again though.”
“We’ll do so.” Syla nodded firmly. “We finally have the means to fully secure the Kingdom again.” She waved toward the shielder and glanced up at Wreylith as she alighted on the wheelhouse and lifted one of her legs to examine her talons. “We just have to scare away a few dragons first.”
“Always a delightful task,” Fel muttered.
“Will you feel better about it if I promise to stand behind a stout object?” Syla asked.
He looked sourly at her. “You’re going to stand out in the open. Onthatthing.” He pointed at the weapons platform.
“Yes, but the posts are stout.”
“But not wide enough. General Jhiton almost perforated you with arrows the last time you stood on it.”
“Yes, but he’s…” Syla almost saiddeadbefore remembering that Vorik didn’t believe that he was. “He won’t be there,” she said, reasonably certain that was true.
“We’ll see,” Fel said grimly.
Syla saw Lord Ravoran, still glowering, going back belowdecks on his ship. Hopefully, he would stay there, but something told her he might be a problem later on.
14
Aware of Lesvaapproaching the cave, Vorik moved so that his back wouldn’t be toward her as she entered. After all their clashes lately, he wouldn’t put it past her to hurl a dagger between his shoulder blades without a challenge.
By moving, Vorik ended up standing next to Jhiton. He shifted a step to the side, uneasy after that strange flare of power he’d sensed from his brother. Even if it had only been for a moment, and Jhiton appeared his calm, usual self now, Vorik didn’t think it had been his imagination. Usually, Jhiton wasn’t one for deception with his men, but maybe he was feigning that calm and was as furious with Vorik as he had every right to be.
