by K Hanson
“Any useful knowledge from them?”
“We’re still sorting through it, but at the very least, it paints quite a picture of how efficient these things are at killing people. We are lucky to have someone like you. Otherwise, I’m not sure how we would fight them.”
“Well, this whole ship is made of double-forged steel. It seems to have kept them contained. Photios is getting a ship to tow it back to the capital. We might be able to strip it down and turn it into weapons to fight these things.”
“That is a good idea,” said Jax.
“If you’ve found all you could in the captain’s cabin, I think we’ve done all the good we can here,” Nereyda said. “It’s time to head back to the capital and tell Sibylla about what we found. Maybe this will be enough for her to trust us.”
“We’ll see,” said Jax. “It should be a start, at least.”
Nereyda and the crew climbed back aboard the Morgiana with whatever they had taken and waited for the tow ship to arrive.
Once it was there and they had made sure it had properly attached to the Stalstan ship, Nereyda set her ship on a course for the capital city. Photios instructed her on the best way to maneuver through the islands so as to evade anyone who might be following them.
“Even if you don’t see anybody behind you, make sure to act like someone is. We don’t want any surprises at home.”
Nereyda nodded and followed his suggestions for the circuitous route that took them back toward the city. After a bit, she stretched her hands. “Photios, would you mind taking the wheel for a few minutes? I need a short break.”
“Of course.”
Nereyda relinquished the wheel, then strode down the deck where she found Jax chatting with a few Islanders. “Jax, can I talk to you for a minute?”
He clapped one of his friends on the shoulder, then followed Nereyda to a quiet spot at the bow. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
She rested her arms on the railing and leaned out over the water. “Did we make the right choice?”
He sat on the railing next to her and crossed his arms. “What do you mean?”
She filled her lungs with the air that breezed from the forested islands. “We have everything we wanted. I have a ship. You’re back home. And I love what I’ve seen so far. A whole nation of people who love to sail and express themselves. But something’s bothering me.”
“Thinking about Devrim?”
Below, the waves splashed against the hull as the ship cut through the water. “Well, yes. That’s part of it. He always smelled of pine, and these forests remind me of him. But that’s not all of it.”
“What’s going on, Reyda?”
“The Stalstans aren’t just going to leave you . . . us alone, are they?”
“I doubt it.”
She shoved herself up and paced the deck. “If they decide to invade us, we don’t have the strength to beat them, especially if the Cambisians keep raiding villages as well.”
“Aren’t the Cambisians a bit distracted?”
“Yes, for the moment. But the rebels don’t have a navy. And there’s no guarantee that they’re going to win. What if we could help, though?”
Jax tilted his head and tightened his arms around his chest. “Are you saying we should go back?”
Nereyda started to nod, then shook her head. “I don’t know what I want to do. We have what we wanted when we started this war, yet it doesn’t feel like enough.” She paced faster. “Why can’t I just be satisfied with what I have? A ship, my crew, you—it should all be enough, but it isn’t.”
Jax strode toward her, gently held her shoulders, and prevented her from pacing more. “It’s because your crew isn’t all here. Devrim, Limbani, the people of Antalia. They’re a part of your crew now, and you don’t like leaving them behind.”
Nereyda relaxed in his grip as she pondered what he said. “I think you might be right. So do we go back and help them?”
“I’m in if you want to go.”
“Are you sure? You just got home.”
He gave a resolute nod. “Absolutely.”
Her eyes traced the grain on the wooden deck. “If you’re coming with me, I have another favor to ask,” she said in a deadly serious voice.
“Anything.”
Nereyda held her hand up. “Listen before you make that kind of promise.”
He let go of her shoulders and studied her with concern. “What do you need?”
“In Goremia, I came awfully close to hitting my limit. The way those people looked at me, how the priest treated me . . . I can’t take that again. Promise me, if you see I’m going to be captured again, that you’ll put me down.”
Jax pulled back with a stony expression. “You want me to kill you?”
Nereyda gave a sharp nod. “Please.”
He turned away and stared at the passing cliffs.
“Jax,” she said as she placed a hand on his back. His muscles tensed at her touch. “That priest tortured me and cut off my hand. It nearly killed me.” Her voice shook. “I can’t imagine what awful treatment or experiments they might use the next time they catch me. Please kill me before letting me go through that.”
His muscles slackened as his shoulders fell. Jax glanced back over his shoulder. “Fine. If it looks like you’re being captured again, I’ll do it. I’ll hate it, but I’ll do it.”
“Thank you, Jax.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
After a few hours, they pulled back into the docks of the capital.
“Let’s go talk to Sibylla,” said Photios. “She’ll be excited to hear about what we’ve done . . . what you’ve done. I’ve never seen anyone do what you did with the water. She won’t believe it, but I can’t wait to tell her about what we accomplished.” He bounced on his feet as he strode away without waiting for Nereyda.
“Come on,” he said over his shoulder.
Nereyda hurried after him, with Jax following her. “Look after the crew and make sure they get things all set,” she told Fariha.
“Got it. We’ll get everything done here. Don’t worry about us.”
“I always do,” said Nereyda with a wink.
They hurried as they followed after Photios through the winding docks of the city.
Once they reached the longhouse, he burst right in with them on his heels.
“We did it,” he proclaimed to Sibylla, who lounged in a chair woven from wood and reeds.
She glanced up in surprise and bewilderment and took in the three people who had barged into the room. Her hands held a pair of knitting needles and half of a sock.
“I didn’t expect you to be back so soon,” said Sibylla, a sliver of a smile on her face. “So you found a Stalstan ship?”
“We did,” said Nereyda. “It won’t be a problem anymore. The ship is being towed back right now so we can strip it down and use it for anything we need.”
Sibylla gave an impressed nod. “We will also be able to look at it for more evidence of what their goals were,” she said.
“That’s true. We did find some notes in our own search. We will share them with you.”
“That would be most excellent.” Sibylla returned her focus to her knitting as she listened. “What did you find on the ship? Any of these fire demons?”
“Yes, there were some fiery creatures,” said Photios. “They had the shape of men, but their skin smoldered. They shrieked and attacked anybody in sight. They killed most of the Stalstan crew themselves and would have destroyed us, too, if not for Nereyda.”
Sibylla peered over the sock, but did not stop knitting. “How did she stop them? Just one person?”
“Yes, she somehow created a wall of water as they tried to jump over to our ship, and they crashed into it, destroying themselves. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
With that Sibylla stopped and set down her knitting. She rose and appraised Nereyda with squinted eyes. “And how, pirate, do you do this with the water?” she asked in a cautious tone.
Nereyda shif
ted her feet and flicked her eyes away from Sibylla as she remembered the reaction in Goremia. “It’s hard to explain.”
“Come now. I don’t mean to scare you,” said Sibylla. “We don’t have the superstitions of those on the continent. Once, our people used similar abilities. Please, share what you can.”
Nereyda nodded. “I found something on an island once, and ever since I can do things like that. It’s taken some time to learn to control it, and it can tire me out, but in situations like this, it comes in pretty handy.”
“Seems more than handy. Is controlling water all you can do?”
Jax spoke up. “She destroyed some ships with lightning and can throw people with wind. She, err, she did it to me once when we were sparring.”
Nereyda smirked. “To be fair, I held back. That was only a fun little gust.”
“But I’ve seen you throw enemies into stone walls with it.”
“Seems like you’ve found yourself some useful abilities,” said Sibylla. “But this is getting us off track, as interesting as it is. You’ve done us a significant service in dealing with that Stalstan ship. No longer will it attack and terrorize our people in the outlying islands. It’s hard to say if it’s the only ship that’s been in our waters or if it will be the last, but this should at least make them think twice about trying to make incursions against us. I may see if I can get you to make some more trips like that to see if you can find more of their ships, but you’ve more than earned a rest. And you are certainly welcome to live among us.” Sibylla gave Nereyda a tight embrace.
“Sibylla,” said Nereyda as she pulled back, “I have another favor to ask.”
“What kind of favor?”
“It’s more of a deal, actually. What would it be worth to you to rid the Shattered Sea of both the Stalstans and the Cambisians?”
Sibylla leaned back and crossed her arms. “Quite a bit, if it could be done, but I don’t see how.”
“I can do it, if you lend me the ships. The Cambisians are divided in a brutal civil war. We can help win that war for the side that will be friendly to you, and then they can help defeat the Stalstans.”
“Jax and Photios, can I speak with you for a moment?” Sibylla’s eyes did not leave Nereyda as she led the two Islanders into a corner.
They spoke in hushed voices for several minutes. Nereyda fidgeted and shifted her legs as she waited.
Sibylla returned with a grin across her face. “Is half of our entire fleet enough?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Brynja trudged through the sand as she traced her way along the coast. Just around the bend, she would find the town where the Empire’s western fleet had established its temporary headquarters after the fall of Antalia. Heat radiated from both the noon sun above and the sand below.
At dawn, the Stalstan ironclad had dropped her off half a day’s hike north of the town. Brynja still couldn’t believe what the Stalstans had created. An entire ship assembled from double-forged steel. Rather than float above the surface, it lurked with only a hint of the hull above the waves. Most of the ship remained beneath the water. This low profile was nearly undetectable, especially at night. As she learned from the crew, the Stalstans had not yet revealed these weapons in combat. Instead, they served as scouts and spies.
When she had asked if they were concerned about her telling anybody, they had merely smiled and asked, “You really think they would believe you? So far, we’re just ghosts.”
Brynja reached the bend in the beach and shoved through a thicket of trees. As she emerged from the branches, she could see a large harbor town spread out a couple of miles ahead of her. Imperial ships bobbed up and down at the docks, their flags flapping in the wind. Warehouses dominated the coast near the docks. Houses and shops stretched inland.
Before she continued, Brynja waded out into the water and dunked her head below the waves. Seawater thoroughly soaked her hair. She plodded back up the sand and wrung out her hair. The warm sun would cook in the salt as her head dried.
She hiked the rest of the way into town. People bustled around the streets near the docks. Soldiers marched the length of the harbor as they patrolled. Sailors hauled supplies to and from the ships. Hammers and saws sang their tunes from the decks of the docked ships.
Brynja’s eyes hunted for anything familiar. The shape of her ship, a member of her crew, even Ilker. After minutes of wandering the docks, she found it. “Tavara,” scrawled across the stern of one of the numerous frigates.
An anxious flutter in her heart quickened her pace as she strode toward the ship. She shifted her walk to a stagger as she remembered that she had to play the part of someone who had floated in the sea for a while. Brynja ran her hand through her hair. Good, it had crusted nicely in the warm afternoon sun. A fishy smell even clung to her locks.
As she clomped up the gangway to the Tavara, a familiar voice shouted commands at the crew. Ilker stood at the helm, gesturing as he gave his orders. Brynja limped her way up the stairs and caught his eye.
He stopped midsentence and studied her as he scrunched his face. “You. Where did you come from?”
“Some fishermen found me drifting and took me in. They didn’t have much, as you can see.” She waved at her tangled and salty hair. “But it was better than dying in the water.”
He squinted at her. “You came back voluntarily? We had written you off as dead. Why return?”
“I’m here for my crew, not for you.”
“Did your new friends drop you in the harbor? If so, I would like to thank them.”
“No, it was too crowded for their liking, but they gave me this.” She withdrew a piece of cloth from her satchel. It displayed a simple seal with a fish on a hook, circled by a wreath of flowers.
Ilker took it and pursed his lips as he studied it. “A symbol of some peasant family? You could have gotten this anywhere.”
“What’s the problem?” She planted her hands on her hips. “You have your humble servant back. Would you find it more believable if I claimed I swam to Stalsta, ate a meat pie in Kleifar, then swam back?”
Ilker huffed out a laugh. “It seems your time away has rekindled your pirate spirit. That may be all for the better. You’ll need your energy.”
“Why? What’s next for us?”
“Our northern scouts have reported a large fleet approaching from the Shattered Sea. It is making its way at full speed toward Antalia. We believe that it intends to link up with the rebels there.”
“Are we going to try to intercept the fleet?”
“No. We’re going to let it arrive, then trap it in Antalia. Once we have it pinned down, we are going to bombard it into oblivion. Antalia kindled this rebellion, and it is there we will snuff it out. We’re bringing everyone with us and we’ll hit them with everything we have.”
Brynja kept her face placid, but her mind whirred over what this meant. This might be her best opportunity to start her quest for revenge against the Empire.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Nereyda balanced herself on the bow of the Morgiana, holding the line for the foresail as she stood above the rolling waves. The Antalian harbor reached out to embrace them. One of her crew took the helm while they pulled toward the harbor so Nereyda could see the looks on the people’s faces as the pirates brought the massive Islander fleet behind them. She glanced over her shoulder at the ships spread out behind her. Vessels of every size cruised over the waters, their sleek maneuverable forms etched elegantly against the clear blue sky, cutting smooth lines through the waves.
The Islanders knew how to make ships. They may not be made for open combat against large formations of heavy ships, but their design, optimized for navigating the treacherous waters of the Shattered Sea, made them incredibly maneuverable. It would not matter that they had fewer guns and thinner hulls if their enemies couldn’t hit them.
Turning her attention back to the harbor in front of them, she watched as they passed between the small peninsulas that created the op
ening into the harbor. The other ships slipped in behind them one or two at a time. They would fill all of the docks that Antalia had to offer. They might possibly need to dock in shifts, or use their longboats to bring their crews to shore. The Antalian docks were made to house the entire western Cambisian fleet, yet the Islanders might have lent Nereyda even more ships than that.
The Morgiana slipped up to a dock. Nereyda could now make out the faces of the Antalian people. They stopped walking, turning to see the vast array of ships filling their harbor. Nereyda smiled to herself. She had delivered Devrim a grand fleet. They could finally finish this war for good.
Nereyda climbed off of the bow and helped her crew secure the ship to the dock and prepare for shore operations. When everything had been prepared, she relieved her people of duty, aside from those who would take shifts keeping watch on the ship, then hopped off the deck. Striding down the dock, she spotted Devrim and Limbani walking toward her, both beaming with surprise.
Nereyda’s heart took off at full speed upon seeing Devrim. She waved at them with her new left hand as she wiggled her fingers.
Devrim and Limbani stopped and gawked at her.
“What are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen someone regrow a hand?”
“How did you do that?” gasped Devrim.
“I’ll tell you later. But first . . .” She lunged at Devrim and planted a kiss on his lips. Nereyda savored the moment and filled her lungs with his pine scent.
She dragged herself away, then embraced Limbani. “Thank you for everything you did. Without you, I wouldn’t have had a chance.”
“You would have done the same for me.”
“Who gave you so many ships?” asked Devrim.
“The Islanders. I helped them with a small task,” said Nereyda, “which isn’t important right now. But I also made them some promises on our behalf. I told them they could take ownership of the southern part of the Shattered Sea and that we would stop running raids against them once we were in control of the Cambisian government. I also suggested that we might be allies against any Stalstan raids they experience.”
