changes to the set of the sails.
By mid-afternoon, I couldn't have judged whether the other ships would catch us before dark. The cabin boys came by, handing out food. "Dareena, I left the sheets hanging up to dry."
She said something to Francis who answered her. "Francis took care of it," she said. "He rewashed your original tunic and breeches; they grew musty. Everything is down below drying off. They will be returned tomorrow."
"Thank you."
She nodded.
By late afternoon, I could see the hulls of both ships. They were still quite a ways off, but I didn't think we would make it until dark.
"Dareena," I said. "Why hasn't Tendaria used battle magic in the war? I've been in several skirmishes, and in none of them has any magic been used."
"That is a state secret," she said. "I won't answer questions like that."
"If it's because you can't, then it perhaps might also mean that those ships aren't expecting battle magic to be used and may not have any means to counteract it."
She turned to look at me. "This is a moot conversation."
"Is it? Why am I wearing this amulet if I have no magic?"
She laughed. "As if you would use your magic against your own ships. You want them to catch us."
"Remove the amulet and the collar and I will disable both ships. Then you set me on a life raft and sail away. You can save everyone aboard. I can go home and confront my betraying sister. Everyone wins. Well, except my sister. "
"I am sorry, but I must decline your offer. I have a counter offer."
"Oh, do tell."
"If you vow to accept the collar and amulet afterwards, I will allow you to disable the ships and we sail away with you."
"You would trust me not to sink us?"
"If you vowed on your honor, yes."
I thought about what she was implying. "Interesting offer. I must decline. You shouldn't trust me, anyway."
"You would violate your oath?"
"Why not? You did."
She was silent for a while, and we went back to watching the other ships. Fifteen minutes later, they were noticeably closer. "Could you really disable them?"
"Honestly? I don't know. It is a significant distance over salt water. I've never tried to use magic on the open sea. I also wouldn't know what to do."
"Disabling their rudders would be sufficient."
The next time the first mate drew close, Dareena talked to him for a moment, and he handed her a spyglass. She studied both ships for a time then handed the spyglass back to the mate.
"May I see?"
She looked at me.
"I have been polite all afternoon. What would it hurt?"
She nodded and talked to the mate. He handed me the spyglass. I extended it and peered through it.
It was a trick to use it on the rolling deck of the ship, but I grew used to it after a few moments. I studied the nearest ship.
"Oh, what do you know?" I said. "That ship is the Enigma ."
Dareena took the spyglass back from me and looked at the ship. "I don't see a name. It would only be on the stern."
"Do you see the captain?"
"It is way too far away to recognize the captain from here."
"Do you see the unusual hat he is wearing? That is Mindo Grayson. I've known him all my life, and I've never seen him without that hat. He is a very experienced captain. Granted, he was a merchant captain before the war. Maybe he doesn't know how to conduct a sea battle."
"Would he recognize you?"
"Not at this distance, as you say. Not even much closer unless he has reason to expect me."
"But if we were in hailing distance, then yes?"
"Then yes. I would make a good ransom."
She didn't respond. We continued to run from the Norinian ships, but it was clear we would be in cannon range long before dark.
"You are going to lose, Captain," I said. "You can negotiate your surrender terms with me."
She turned to look at me. "If you have any offers that get you to your trial, I will consider them."
"You are awfully single minded."
"You are awfully cheerful compared to earlier."
There was a cry from the crow's nest. Dareena smiled. "We haven't lost yet."
She didn't
By mid-afternoon, I couldn't have judged whether the other ships would catch us before dark. The cabin boys came by, handing out food. "Dareena, I left the sheets hanging up to dry."
She said something to Francis who answered her. "Francis took care of it," she said. "He rewashed your original tunic and breeches; they grew musty. Everything is down below drying off. They will be returned tomorrow."
"Thank you."
She nodded.
By late afternoon, I could see the hulls of both ships. They were still quite a ways off, but I didn't think we would make it until dark.
"Dareena," I said. "Why hasn't Tendaria used battle magic in the war? I've been in several skirmishes, and in none of them has any magic been used."
"That is a state secret," she said. "I won't answer questions like that."
"If it's because you can't, then it perhaps might also mean that those ships aren't expecting battle magic to be used and may not have any means to counteract it."
She turned to look at me. "This is a moot conversation."
"Is it? Why am I wearing this amulet if I have no magic?"
She laughed. "As if you would use your magic against your own ships. You want them to catch us."
"Remove the amulet and the collar and I will disable both ships. Then you set me on a life raft and sail away. You can save everyone aboard. I can go home and confront my betraying sister. Everyone wins. Well, except my sister. "
"I am sorry, but I must decline your offer. I have a counter offer."
"Oh, do tell."
"If you vow to accept the collar and amulet afterwards, I will allow you to disable the ships and we sail away with you."
"You would trust me not to sink us?"
"If you vowed on your honor, yes."
I thought about what she was implying. "Interesting offer. I must decline. You shouldn't trust me, anyway."
"You would violate your oath?"
"Why not? You did."
She was silent for a while, and we went back to watching the other ships. Fifteen minutes later, they were noticeably closer. "Could you really disable them?"
"Honestly? I don't know. It is a significant distance over salt water. I've never tried to use magic on the open sea. I also wouldn't know what to do."
"Disabling their rudders would be sufficient."
The next time the first mate drew close, Dareena talked to him for a moment, and he handed her a spyglass. She studied both ships for a time then handed the spyglass back to the mate.
"May I see?"
She looked at me.
"I have been polite all afternoon. What would it hurt?"
She nodded and talked to the mate. He handed me the spyglass. I extended it and peered through it.
It was a trick to use it on the rolling deck of the ship, but I grew used to it after a few moments. I studied the nearest ship.
"Oh, what do you know?" I said. "That ship is the Enigma ."
Dareena took the spyglass back from me and looked at the ship. "I don't see a name. It would only be on the stern."
"Do you see the captain?"
"It is way too far away to recognize the captain from here."
"Do you see the unusual hat he is wearing? That is Mindo Grayson. I've known him all my life, and I've never seen him without that hat. He is a very experienced captain. Granted, he was a merchant captain before the war. Maybe he doesn't know how to conduct a sea battle."
"Would he recognize you?"
"Not at this distance, as you say. Not even much closer unless he has reason to expect me."
"But if we were in hailing distance, then yes?"
"Then yes. I would make a good ransom."
She didn't respond. We continued to run from the Norinian ships, but it was clear we would be in cannon range long before dark.
"You are going to lose, Captain," I said. "You can negotiate your surrender terms with me."
She turned to look at me. "If you have any offers that get you to your trial, I will consider them."
"You are awfully single minded."
"You are awfully cheerful compared to earlier."
There was a cry from the crow's nest. Dareena smiled. "We haven't lost yet."
She didn't
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