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act on their own.”
    Nachia sighed. “We might yet have to go to the churches and ask the leaders.”
    Merros shook his head. “I already did. They seem as baffled as we are. I have witnessed several groups from different churches placing laurels and treasures at the feet of the statues. Tributes, I think, but I’ve seen no response.”
    “No more from this Pilgrim of yours?”
    Merros shook his head. “He’s not mine, I assure you.”
    Desh nodded. “Yes, well, if he were, there’d be no real problems, now would there?”
    Nachia barely moved, but her eyes flicked from one man to the other. “What of the other kings of the Sa’ba Taalor?”
    “Sorry?” Merros seemed surprised by the question.
    “There are seven kings. What of the other five? Where are they and their armies?”
    “Well, quite honestly, Majesty, we’re not completely sure. One of them we believe is on the ocean. The black ships have moved to the south and have been engaging the Brellar.”
    “How have our associates been doing?”
    “It seems they’ve been having a few successes and a great number of losses.”
    “How many losses?” Nachia asked and prepared to hide the wince that she knew would come when she heard the numbers.
    “Well, the Brellar really do have a great number of ships. Somewhere over a thousand. Which, truly, is a staggering number, but they are spread all along the edge of Fellein. They’ve lost over fifty ships.”
    “That’s not so horrid, really. I mean fifty out of a thousand?”
    Merros nodded. “True enough, but they are not happy with our previous arrangement and would like to renegotiate.”
    “How did you receive that information? I thought only a few of the Brellar spoke our tongue.”
    “A good number understand the tongue well enough but few speak it, true.” Merros nodded again. “They have sent back a couple of messages on the bodies of their dead. It seems they really don’t have time to be more personal than that as they are retreating from the Sa’ba Taalor as quickly as they can.”
    “So. No navy then?”
    “Not as such.”
    Nachia stared long and hard at Desh Krohan. Hard enough that he fidgeted. That was effectively a gigantic victory.
    “Is there nothing that you or the sorcerers can do, Desh?”
    “I’ll look into the matter, Majesty.” The chill from his voice nearly matched the weather outside. As the walls were beginning to get a layer of ice, that said a great deal.
    “Desh, you know I would not ask…”
    “Yes. I am aware of the dire situation, Nachia. You have seen one demonstration. I cannot promise that any actions taken wouldn’t destroy the sea life for a hundred miles in all directions.”
    Nachia thought back to the vast swathe of lightning blasts Desh Krohan had cast from one hand in her presence. She recalled very clearly the devastation he’d wreaked at her request.
    “Please give careful consideration, Old Man. I need the help.” Desh did not look old. He was. He had been around since the first rise of the Silent Army over six hundred years earlier. He looked to be roughly forty and was handsome enough to distract her sometimes.
    She pushed that thought aside. While she could use a distraction, she’d not try seducing him again. That hadn’t gone well the first time and wouldn’t go well now, she’d have wagered.
    Nachia looked at the map though it offered no new information. “Are we safe from the Sa’ba Taalor if they should try to reach us from below?”
    Merros gave her an arch look. “You mean if they should grow wings?”
    The first Advisor said, “The entire city has been destroyed and rebuilt. I for one am not moving under the city to discover anything, but the Sisters have traveled around the underside of Canhoon and spoke of many openings in the belly of this floating nightmare.”
    “Openings?”
    Desh shrugged. “As I said, the city has been rebuilt many times. They could lead almost anywhere or nowhere.”
    For twenty more minutes they