Page 82 of The Queens and the Kings
Rosenvatten settled into the water by listing side to side in a trough. She grabbed his arm. As always, Pedr didn’t budge. Immovable, even against ocean instability.
They remained far enough from the ship of the line to be uncertain how it responded to their sudden appearance. Did the sailors panic? Scream? Through the spyglass, she thought she viewed figures racing around. The wyvern cut overhead, attempting to land on a sprawling mid-deck larger than any she’d seen in the past.
“It’s a mainland ship of the line, all right.” Pedr’s shrewd eyes confirmed details she couldn’t. “The insignia has been hidden, but who else would have such a large ship in these waters? The eastern colonies aren’t that organized anymore, and the citadels long gone.”
Eastern colonieswere something she knew nothing about. Nor the citadels, though they’d come up in conversation before. She ignored the references to focus on details of the rigging and sails. She held the spyglass to her eye.
“Pedr?”
He grunted.
“There’s a midship area,” she said. “It’s very flat, and square, and mostly clear of rigging. At least, there’s enough space without ropes that a wyvern could feasibly land there. Because that ship is . . .huge.”
“Yes it is.”
“But . . . why?”
“Power and motivation is universal, little sister. They’re bastids, anyway. Pay attention, because they’re going to let the wyvern land on it.”
“Not surprising, considering the wyvernlaunchedfrom it.”
“Why would the mainland want to transport wyverns?” he asked, darkly thoughtful.
“I cannot guess. Aren’t they dead set to hit Kapurnick island if they continue on this path?”
“They’re reckoning west. Whether their motivation involves Kapurnick, I have no idea.”
His tone, devoid of emotion except mild astonishment, drew her attention from the wyvern, who approached the ship with a wriggling tuna in its teeth. The giant beast gracefully navigated between the ropes, landing with a gentle dexterity. The ship sloshed side to side, but corrected with surprising fluidity.
Her jaw dropped.
“It worked!”
“Indeed,” he muttered.
“Are they using the arcane?”
“No, just science.” Pedr studied her, one light eyebrow quirked high. “Speaking of arcane, one of us needs to head over there and find out more, and we know it won’t be me. How do you feel about wings?”
Chapter Twenty Three
HENRIK
General Nils,a wizened man with a pointed mustache and knowledgeable eyes, didn’t speak at all. Henrik, who never needed a reason to stay absolutely quiet, wondered if he’d met his match.
The Ladylord played her own game of power. Instead of just Nils, Alma had Carina escort Henrik and Einar into a room filled with a smattering of male and female military commanders. From across the room, Alma tipped them a salute with her wine glass and a saucy smile.
Touché.
They spoke in small groups, segregated into no more than four or five. None approached Henrik and Einar at the same time, and neither did Alma. At first, a lower General introduced himself, then swept them to two others.
After their first five minutes in the room, Alma vanished. Then again, she ruled all of the mainland. Surely, issues outside of Klipporno required her attention. Henrik would be an idiot to assume otherwise.
Einar readily carried conversations. With his bold, easygoing smile, he wheedled out information regarding the mainlandleadership from every General. Answers flowed. If not detailed, at least not sparse.
The mainlanders tried to make a show of caring about the soldats, but it was painfully obvious that the Ladylord was the only person with interest in Stenberg. Only General Nils, who said nothing for the first hour, showed shrewdness and longevity. As the officers bled away, clearly having fulfilled their obligation to make small talk with the soldats at the Ladylord’s behest, only General Nils remained.
The moment the room emptied, Nils’ pretense dropped. He turned to them with an exaggerated, crisp turn.
