ship captains had devised a system so they could communicate with one another and act as a unified force. They would use different colored flags to represent the different battle strategies they had planned. Leo and his advisors would decide when to enact each strategy, then use the flags to relay the orders to the other ships. Just as they had planned, the first volley of cannonballs had tricked Darroc into dropping his wind, and Rupert had taken advantage by moving the entire fleet forward.
Now the wall of water was back up, making it impossible to see what the Embraced army was doing. Even so, Leo had to stay vigilant. Alfred had already shot two lightning bolts, so Leo had to be ready to divert any more.
“I believe we’re within range now for the cannons,” Captain Shaw told him.
“All right. Let’s do it.” Leo waved a small black flag.
His man in the crow’s nest saw it and waved a larger black flag. Soon, all the seamen in the crow’s nests of the fourteen ships were waving a black flag, and each ship began loading their cannons. As soon as they saw an orange flag, they would open fire.
Leo was reaching for his small orange flag when General Harden grabbed his arm to stop him.
“Look!” The general pointed at the sky. A young soldier was being tossed about in the wind like a ragdoll. “What the hell is he doing up there?”
Leo winced. “That must be Mikayla, the one who can fly.”
“She’s not flying now,” Dimitri muttered. “She’s falling.”
Leo recalled the information on the list he’d received. The girl was only thirteen years old. “Those bastards are using children.”
“I’ll get her.” Dimitri pulled off his clothes and shifted into a dragon, causing the ship to dip from the added weight. He took off just as the girl plummeted into the ocean. Swooping down, he scooped her up, then circled back to drop her on the quarterdeck.
Leo took a step toward the unconscious girl, then retreated as a pool of water spread around her. Even with his boots on, he was afraid he might accidentally kill her with his lightning power.
Captain Shaw kneeled beside her as she coughed and sputtered. “Are you all right, Miss?”
Dimitri landed on the main deck and shifted back to his human form.
General Harden tossed him his clothes. “Get dressed. She’s been frightened enough. And see if you can find a blanket for her.”
After Dimitri dashed belowdecks, Captain Shaw helped the girl sit up.
Mikayla looked around, terror in her eyes. She began to shake, her teeth rattling. “Am . . . am I a prisoner?”
Captain Shaw patted her shoulder. “Nay, Miss. You’re a guest here.”
A swooshing noise drew Leo’s attention, and he turned to see the wall of water crashing down. A ball of fire had been hurled toward them, but Rupert promptly stopped it.
A now-dressed Dimitri climbed the stairs to the quarterdeck with a blanket in hand. “Here.” He wrapped it around Mikayla’s shoulders.
She clutched the ends together under her chin. “Thank you.”
“We’ll get you some hot soup in a little while,” Captain Shaw assured her.
“Aye, we’re a little busy now,” the general grumbled, frowning at the wall of water, which was climbing once again. “Can you fly over that, Dimitri?”
“We can’t send him,” Leo quickly said. “Alfred would hit him with a lightning bolt.” An inkling of an idea took root in his mind. “But if Dimitri gave me a ride, I could shoot back. How close are the other dragons now?”
“They’re almost here,” Dimitri replied. “Just a few more minutes.”
The ocean surface began to churn and foam.
“Something’s happening.” Leo leaned over the railing to look at the water. An enormous shark leaped up, snapping its jaws at him, and he jumped back.
“What the hell?” Captain Shaw ran to the railing as the giant shark skidded down the side of the ship, causing it to shake and wobble.
“Are sharks usually that big?” Leo asked.
“No.” The captain pointed at a huge swordfish that leaped from the ocean. “Look at that!” It flew at Rupert’s ship and embedded its sword near a porthole.
An enormous whale, bigger than any of their ships, breeched nearby, then slammed back into the water with so much force, a large wave crashed onto the fleet of ships. Some of the smaller ones listed dangerously to the side.
Leo and all his men staggered about as their ship rolled back and forth.
“It must be Irene,” Mikayla cried as she crawled toward the railing. “She made