as the sun moved behind Kerberos.
"That's it, I can see the head. Another big push now Katya."
The ship lurched again and Maylan stumbled into the wall. Above them the lamp swung wildly on its fastening and the flame within died.
And then Silus and Katya's son gave voice to his arrival in the world.
Maylan got to his feet and staggered over to Katya. He reached between her legs, urging her to push one more time as the cries of the infant grew in volume.
"You've done it Katya," Silus said. "We have a son. My gods, we have a son!"
"You do indeed," said Maylan, a grin on his face, holding aloft the child, his arms coated in birthing fluids.
After cutting the umbilical cord he gave the boy to Katya. The child struggled in her arms for just a moment, until she helped him find her breast, and then the only sound in the room was the gentle, content sound of his suckling.
Silus looked at their boy and, instantly, it was love. In Katya's eyes was the self same look.
Father Maylan was the first to break the quiet.
"And have you thought of a name for the wee chap?"
Katya looked up at Silus and he said: "Zac. His name is Zac."
"Zac," she repeated as though trying it out. And then: "Yes. Zac."
"Congratulations. Both of you."
"Maylan. I really can't thank you enough." Katya said.
From above them there was the thunder of feet on deck. Silus heard ropes creak as somebody scrambled up the rigging.
And then there was the call they had so desperately been hoping for these last few days.
"Land Ahoy!"
Chapter Fifteen
The city sat atop a rock plateau, supported by the sheer walls of iron green cliffs rising from the sea.
As the leviathan drew them closer, Dunsany could see something moving down the cliffs. He focused his telescope and what he saw just didn't make sense
What he had taken to be walls of green stone were in fact the sides of a vast wall of water. The city was not supported by a series of cliffs but, instead, was riding on the crest of an enormous wave, frozen in the moment just before it would have fallen into an avalanche of frothing surf. And the things descending the wave, moving swiftly down its vertiginous sides, were ships.
The leviathan brought them to the foot of the wave and the ship keeled to port as they stopped side-on to the water. The creature gave a great shudder and expelled a plume of spray. As it let out a bellowing call, Kelos moved to the prow and looked down.
"It's time to part ways with our friend. Ignacio, Jacquinto, give me a hand with these ropes."
Together they unharnessed the creature from the Llothriall.
It didn't leave immediately. Instead, it regarded them for a moment with its many eyes, running its tentacles over the Llothriall - one briefly brushing against Kelos - before it turned and swam away. They watched as the creature submerged, its great tail the last to disappear in a crash of spray.
"It's a shame Silus wasn't here to say goodbye," Dunsany said.
"Goodbye to whom?" Silus said, emerging from below, followed by Maylan.
"The whale thing just swam away." Ignacio said. "It sends its regards."
"I have some news. Katya has given birth to our son. Zac."
"A healthy baby boy I'm pleased to say." Father Maylan said.
"Congratulations!" Dunsany said. "That's terrific. I'd propose a toast but I fear that we may not have time to drink it before those ships are upon us."
"What ships?" Maylan said.
"Look up."
"Gods! What is this?"
The ships were almost on them, sailing down the vertical drop as though gravity was none of their concern. There were four vessels, simple in design, looking much like Allantian trading ships.
As Dunsany watched their approach, his sense of perspective suddenly shifted and - for one vertiginous moment - he felt that he was about to fall out of the Llothriall and towards the ships. The horizon spun and he could no longer tell which was sky, sea or the ship beneath him. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he forced himself to look at the planks below his feet and - taking deep breaths - willed his world to be the right way up.
"Are you alright?" Silus said.
"Fine. Fine. It's just that you don't see something that doesn't make sense everyday."
"Ho there!" Came a call, and they looked up to see the prow of a ship not more than twenty feet above their heads. "What seas