Page 51 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“How many?” I asked the ship captain, hoping they had at least sent the rest of the produce shipments, that this was only a message. Winter almost neared and Isjordians were already scarce on food sources as it was, they were about to pay for my father’s games.

“All of them, I am afraid. All the dozen ones you see in front of you,” he pointed, turning towards the ships.

Solarya was not playing or trying to send a message, they were really trying to make more than a statement even, a declaration.

My soldiers begun questioning the rest of the sailors on any valuable information that might point to the reason of the missing shipments. Two Solaryans caught travelling hidden with the sailors toward Isjord were to come with us to be questioned by my father. We searched all the other shipments carefully to check if anything had been missed, but all were filled with rotting fish heads and insides.

My eyes roamed about the large port while working out the conflict of thoughts on this new matter. “Grasmere is larger than I had thought,” I said, examining the coastline stretching ahead and between for miles with sturdy large ships and berths to boast. Malena was indeed fathers favourite, I wondered how much more riches and position in court his decision to move the main port here had given her.

“It’s the largest port and sturdiest ships in the whole of Dardanes, best timber comes from Isjord,” the sailor boasted.

Cai placed a palm atop my head pulling it straight before murmuring in my ear, “Enough with the crazy eyes. You start another lesson on galleys, ships and oars and I’ll dunk your head in the Seer.”

I laughed and threw an elbow between his ribs to silence him.

“How strained would you say are the ties between the two kingdoms?” I asked the sailor again.

He blew a long breath and shook his head. “Depends how the king decides to resolve this.”

My brows rose in question. “War?” If so, my start plan would have worked a wonder, but if matters were hostile enough for war, my new plan would work ways better.

He frowned taken aback. “Heavens no, I hope not. We have not seen one in decades lets pray it stays the same, but unfriendly exchanges, definitely.”

I nodded my thanks and he headed back to his work.

“Did you hear, unfriendly exchanges.” I said, wiggling my brows at Cai.

He cupped my head, thumbs resting atop my brows to stop their movement. “How is that in our leverage?”

“Father has the biggest fleet if not the strongest, what would happen if a few got destroyed?”

The emerald irises pinched in as he answered, “Damage, some damage but how do you intend to make that happen?”

“I will do nothing, Solarya will, in the midst of this…heated agreement.”

He finally moved away from me, raising a brow of doubt. “You will get Solarya to attack your father? Did you retire the oar and galley plan so soon?”

“No, that one is still in the work,” I said. “Do you know who would lose greatly in this?”

“Who?”

I pointed my head to the long white haired sea spirit conversing with the sailors. “That hells hound, the favourite viper in his court. Would it not be tragic, if my father loses control over Grasmere? The fleet, trades, best voting hand in his court, all the gold and much more?”

“Let’s guess, Solarya will be doing all that?” he asked crossing his arms, throwing a snide glare in my direction.

“Correct, Solarya will.”

He shook his head and threw an arm over my shoulder and lowered to murmur in my ear, “You’re crazy, I like crazy you.”

After handing the direct order paperwork for the halting of the next shipments toward Solarya to the Grasmere Lady, we headed to leave before the rising snowstorm caught us.

I felt the burn of temperature steam off me at the touch of cold air brushing my skin almost hissing at the contact. Beads of sweat trickled down my temples and my tongue stuck dryly at the back of my throat. For a moment my sighed fogged and the world went round just as screams and sword clanking filled the air. Was I dreaming again?

Two strong hands gripped me before I toppled from Memphis. I opened my eyes to Cai’s muted face attempting to say something I could not hear. I was not dreaming.

He lowered me to the ground, turning and catching a blade behind his back with his own and digging a dagger held on the other hand in the masked man’s chest.

“Don’t pass out on me, cakes, come on now,” Cai called as we begun surrounding from all sides.