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“Silinna?” Kerrigan asked of the strange word.
“Sorry. Queen. Sometimes, I forget to use the common words.”
A weathered man wearing an eyepatch greeted Constantine as he dismounted from Melidonna. “Aye, General!”
“Gregor,” Constantine said, clasping forearms. “Skies look promising.”
“Skies are favorable. It’ll be a fine day down the Liber. Almost leisurely, sir.”
“Excellent. And you’ve made accommodations for my additional … cargo?”
“Aye. I’ve outfitted a room for you, General. I don’t forget.”
“Wonderful.” Constantine rose his fist and directed his men to help the sailors guide the horses onto the ship.
Kerrigan dismounted from her horse, handing it off to a sailor, who bowed at the sight of her. Pop followed Kerrigan’s beast belowdecks. She stared up at the ship. It wasn’t the biggest in the harbor by any means, but it was nothing to scoff at. Constantine might no longer be a king of Andine, but he’d retained everything but the title.
Kerrigan hesitated a second too long before walking across and onto the boat. She’d done much in her life. She’d flown on dragons, climbed mountains, and fought in an army, but she’d never been on a vessel like this.
For a second, her heart panged. One of her closest friends, Lyam, had been a sailor. All he’d wanted out of the House of Dragons program was to leave and return to the sea. He never got the chance. He’d been murdered in cold blood by the Red Masks. The very same people who had stolen her magic and turned her entire world upside down. Until she’d landed in Domara, she’d always kept Lyam’s compass on her. A reminder of him and the consequences of messing up. Now, she didn’t even have that.
“Are you well?” Danae asked.
“First time on a boat,” she admitted.
Danae gaped at her. “Truly?”
“You know I’m not lying.”
“Well, yes, but it’s hard to believe. With everything you’ve done, it seems inconceivable.”
“I grew up in the capital city. There wasn’t much opportunity for massive sailing vessels like this.”
“In Leon, we grew up on the water,” Danae said wistfully. “It was sort of the capital of Andine as well. But babes went out on fishing vessels before they could do much more than toddle. I could swim before I could walk.”
“That sounds lovely,” Kerrigan admitted. “And how I feel about flying.”
Danae laughed, looping arms with her and walking her across the wooden deck. “The things you say sometimes.” She shook her head. “Incredible.”
“This way,” a man said as he approached them. “The general said I should show you to your room.”
They followed the soldier belowdecks to a small room, outfitted with mirroring beds.
“This will do,” Danae said with a smile. “Thank you.”
“Are we allowed above?” Kerrigan asked.
The soldier nodded. “As long as you stay out of the way.”
“Thank you.”
He dipped his head and then departed.
“Come on,” Danae said. “Let’s get you acquainted with the ship. It’s not that long of a trip on the Liber River. Though not particularly beautiful. Only once you get into Carithian.”
Kerrigan followed Danae back up the stairs and wandered the deck, observing the deck hands as they bustled about. It was another hour before everything was safely boarded and they cast off. Her stomach wrenched at the first move on to the river. She gripped the railing and planted her feet as the boat rocked.
“Oh, I missed this feeling,” Danae said, leaning farther out to sea.
Kerrigan just held the rail harder. “Is it always … like this?”
“Like what?”
“Rolling?”
“Yes, it’s the sea.” She laughed. “Oh no, are you going to be sick?”
“No. Just … adjusting.”
She didn’t throw up. But she thought about it. Many, many times.
Constantine took one look at her face turning green around the edges and laughed. “Guess you don’t have sea legs. Here, chew on this.”
She took a root from him. “Ginger?”
“It should help with the nausea. Otherwise, aim overboard. We don’t want to have to clean up after you.”
She glared at him as he walked away jovially, as if the rolling of the sea had never bothered him a day in his life. She chewed on the ginger root, ignoring the spicy flavor. Luckily, the ginger did help to calm her stomach. Though she couldn’t say that she enjoyed the rest of the trek upriver, she wasn’t going to vomit up her lunch either.
A few hours later, the Liber opened up, and either side of the river, connected by stretching bridges, revealed Carithian.
“Oh,” she whispered, hurrying to the bow of the ship.
Danae was hot on her heels. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
The city was glorious in its grandeur. Every building was ornately decorated with giant white columns and impressive staircases leading inside the buildings. Even the mundane buildings on the Liber were festooned with elaborate carvings. The bridges themselves were artfully constructed, tall enough to let their boat, which was without the giant mast, slip underneath with ease.
