“Thank you, Captain,” Alexander said, turning back to Wyatt. “You’re about a day and a half away from the ship carrying Lacy. It’s manned by men dressed like Zuhl’s soldiers but they’re really Regency soldiers.”
Wyatt frowned in puzzlement. “What’s their game?”
“Phane wants the contents of a magical box that Lacy has in her possession and she’s the only one who can open it,” Alexander said. “And I think he’s trying to trick her into doing just that. There are two warships flying the Regency flag a few days out and they’re headed right for Lacy’s ship.”
“Sounds like this ocean is about to get very crowded,” Wyatt said.
“It gets worse,” Alexander said, holding Wyatt’s eyes for a moment. “A dragon named Aedan was sent by Lady Bragador to retrieve Lacy from the ship, but the shade possessed him and then retreated.”
Wyatt blinked a few times and shook his head. “I don’t know what we can do against a dragon,” he said. “There isn’t a single wizard aboard any of these ships and I doubt our weapons will have much effect.”
“Trust me, they won’t,” Alexander said. “If the shade wants to sink you, you’re sunk.”
“Why doesn’t he just take Princess Lacy and the box?” Wyatt asked.
“He can’t open it or he would,” Alexander said. “I think he’s waiting for Phane’s ruse to play out. Besides, Phane already has the other two keystones, so the shade will have to get them from him for his plan to succeed. For now, the shade is playing a waiting game.”
“Very well, what are my orders?” Wyatt asked.
“Use Knight Kinley to scout for the dragon,” Alexander said. “If you have clear skies, I want you to attack, board the ship and retrieve Princess Lacy with all of her personal effects. She’s traveling with one of Phane’s agents, a man named Drogan, but she isn’t aware of his true purpose. Do not trust him no matter how much the princess vouches for him.”
“Once we have her, then what?” Wyatt asked.
“Ensure she has the box and make haste for Ithilian,” Alexander said. “Abel and the Ithilian wizards will be ready to protect her the moment she makes landfall.”
“And if the dragon is present?” Wyatt asked.
“Hold back and follow at a safe distance,” Alexander said. “In any event, I’ll be keeping an eye on the situation, so I’ll be here to provide further guidance when you need it.”
“Thank you, Lord Reishi,” Wyatt said, saluting, fist to heart.
Alexander returned the salute as he faded out of sight.
Chapter 23
Lacy woke shivering. The single thin blanket wasn’t enough to ward against the chill of the early morning ocean air. The ache of her broken hand had become a constant part of her day, throbbing, sometimes stabbing and sharp, but always hurting … and the cold didn’t help. Drogan was standing at his cell door listening intently. A moment later a crashing noise was followed by shouts and screams.
“Get ready to move,” Drogan said, retrieving a piece of wire from the hem of his blanket.
“Where did you get that?”
He ignored her, going to work on the lock to his cell door. A moment later he was out and picking the lock to her door.
“Why didn’t you do that before?” Lacy asked.
“Where would we have gone?” he asked, not waiting for an answer before he went to the footlocker containing their belongings. Within minutes, they had their weapons and equipment and were moving toward the stairs leading above decks.
Shouts of fighting and the ring of steel filtered through the deck boards. Drogan stuck his head above, then retreated quickly, cursing under his breath.
“What is it?” Lacy asked. “What’s wrong?”
He ignored her, motioning for her to follow quietly. As they hurried through the hatch, Lacy looked around almost frantically at the battle taking place on the main deck. Zuhl’s soldiers were fighting with almost reckless desperation against the well-organized unit of men that had boarded from an adjacent warship. Three more ships surrounded them, preventing escape while the boarding party worked to seize the ship.
Drogan led her to the aft deck, avoiding Zuhl’s men who were surging toward the foredeck and the boarding party. Lacy recognized their uniforms—the boarding party was from the Reishi Protectorate, the soldiers that had been chasing her on Fellenden before she and Drogan escaped aboard the refugee ship.
“There,” Drogan said, pointing off into the distance.
Two more ships were coming toward them.
“Who’s that?” Lacy asked, trying to overcome the tremor of fear rippling in her voice.