Isla glanced over her shoulder at us, then frowned. “I’m assuming we’ll need to dock in secret to avoid Varek’s detection.”
“Yes,” Kost replied. “Though our options are limited.”
“Penumbra Glades?” Calem offered. “The small trading town there doesn’t get nearly as much traffic as Ortega Key.”
“That won’t work,” Noc sighed, gripping the back of his neck. He glanced out at the horizon, his gaze snagging on the ships. “There are still a good number of people who live there, and word travels fast. Varek will hear of our landing before we have a chance to regroup with our brethren and formulate an attack.”
“And anything along the eastern coastline is too close to Wilheim. There’s no way we’d go unnoticed,” Oz said.
Isla halted and whirled in place, planting her hands on her hips. “I can end this mission before it even starts. If you have no plan to get my troops safely into Lendria, I’ll call them back right now.”
Kost ran his hands along his vest before giving the hem a forceful tug. “I said our options were limited, not impossible. Jumping to conclusions helps no one.”
A spark ignited in Isla’s gaze. An unspoken threat. “Is this how you speak to everyone?”
“Is the leader of Rhyne’s army prone to rushed judgments?” Kost frowned.
“Okay, okay, enough of that.” Calem shouldered his way in front of Kost, giving him a forceful nudge toward Oz. Oz only slapped a thick hand over his face, effectively muffling a sigh. We were used to Kost’s nature, but there was no doubt in my mind that this fiery mage would consider everything out of his mouth an insult. I had at first.
“The issue is,” Noc said, cutting a hard glare to Kost and silencing his second-in-command, “that no matter where we land, it’s only a matter of time before we’re found out. Currently, our troops are in Hireath—a place Yazmin knows well. It’s no secret we’ve made the beast city our stronghold. For now, it’s protected enough. It’s just a matter of getting us there.”
“Have the ships make anchor on Hireath’s western coast,” I said as I tried to sift through my memory of the land. “There isn’t a place to dock, but we can take rowboats to the shoreline. There’s a hidden path there to the city.”
Noc nodded. “Varek won’t think to patrol there, at least not at first. There’s no clear place for an armada to land, and no coastal towns. If you can guide us, then it’ll work.”
“I can do it.”
Isla rounded her stern stare in my direction. Despite her diminutive stature, there was no way in hell I’d ever underestimate this woman. Her umber gaze was not to be taken lightly, and that had nothing to do with the errant spark of magic that would sometimes flare to life across her irises. Finally, she relented with a quiet huff. “All right. We’ll chart an exact course once onboard. Shall we?”
“Lead the way,” Noc said. Isla strode forward once again, her quick pace effectively ending the conversation, and we followed after her in silence.
The moment we hit the docks, Isla directed us toward the nearest ship and then left to attend to her forces, stating she’d rejoin us within the hour in time for launch. Waves crashed against the creaking wooden boards, and the soft breeze I’d felt in the city transitioned to a full-blown wind that smacked into my face with icy force. Shivering, I sidled closer to Noc. He looped an arm around my shoulder and guided us onboard. Sailors moved about the deck shouting orders and readying the sails. Barrels of drink, crates of food, and other cargo were loaded in an orderly fashion. For the most part, no one even bothered to acknowledge our presence. Just the occasional gruff “hello” or “move,” and the one chipper soul who directed us to the captain’s quarters.
Once we were safely inside the warm cabin, I sank into one of the armchairs across from the captain’s desk. My muscles practically melted into the worn upholstered fabric, and I kicked my feet out in front of me. Calem did the same, sprawling out in an identical manner, as Kost came around to the table to examine the maps already laid out against the mahogany wood. Noc leaned against the back of my chair, his fingertips dancing idly along my shoulders.
Rubbing his head, Oz scooted toward the desk. “So, what kind of mage do you think Isla is?”
I tilted my head. “Kind?”
Noc’s fingers tensed, then resumed their dawdling. “There are different types of mages. Depending on their class, they can only wield a certain type of magic.”
“I only know of two, no, three types, thanks to our encounter with Eryx,” Kost mused, his gaze glued to the maps. “Those who can make things out of magic’s essence, like Noc’s old ring. Those who can project magic like a weapon. And, apparently, those who have compulsory talents.”
“The exact mechanics of their magic system are a bit of a mystery to me.” Noc shifted to drop his hands lower and began to massage the base of my neck. My head rolled forward, and he chuckled. “Regardless, their magic is not to be underestimated. As for Isla… I can’t say for sure. But, I did encounter a mage who could fire off offensive magic during a battle with Rhyne. That’s actually how I met Kost.”
Kost allowed himself a small smile. “She would’ve killed you if I hadn’t gotten to her first.”
“Maybe she was a relative of Isla’s?” Oz’s thick brows drew together, and he folded his arms across his chest.
“Maybe. Maybe not. A lot of time has passed since then, though it is odd a mage would call Rhyne her home. There’s likely a reason why she’s not in Allamere.” Noc gave my shoulders one last squeeze, then let his hands fall away.
“And that’s our cue to zip it,” Calem said as he tapped his ear with one finger. A minute later, heavy footsteps crested on the other side of the door before Isla strolled in, a bit of redness to her cheeks. A freezing wind whipped in behind her, and I slouched down in my chair to avoid the brunt of the gust. She slammed the door shut and stalked toward the table, finally taking a seat across from us.
“You’re welcome to use this cabin as your room for the duration of our travel. I’ll be staying with my soldiers. The sleeping chamber has several cots,” she said, yanking her thumb in the direction of a door tucked between some shelves. “Your things will be here momentarily.”
“Thank you,” Noc said.
She braced her forearms against the table, and her blond hair fell in a wave over her shoulder. “Once we get closer to Lendria’s shore, I’ll be counting on you to guide us to a safe place to anchor.”
