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“Finishing touches only, Highness,” he assured her with a weary bow, turning and extending a hand to the new-born ship “I give you the Real, forty-five at the bea five hundred fully armed Realm Guard the breadth of any ocean”

“And,” Alornis added in a prim voice, “constructed in only twenty days by less than a hundred men”

“So,” Lyrna said to Davern “It worked”

“Indeed, Highness” He inclined his head at Alornis “My initial skepticism seems to have been unfounded”

Lyrnato take Alornis’s hand, squeezing it tight “Thank you, my lady I hereby name you the Queen’s Artificer Now the ship is done I would ask you turn your reat nurateful for any devices you can conceive that ht even the odds sorip “Iknow little of weapons, Highness”

“You knew little of ships yet that seens with interest” She released her hand and turned to Davern “When does she launch?”

“The evening-tide, Highness The masts should be fitted within two days”

“Have copies of the plans sent to the yards in Warnsclave and South Tower No other design is to be followed frohness”

Her eyes picked out the lettering on the hull The Reale the na Malcius I shall provide a list of titles for her sisters”

• • •

The Dead Coed to encaiven theuard, a decent remove from many veteran Realm Guard and former slaves keen to settle old scores She found Al Hestian training his entility

“Get up you worthless shit-eater!” he growled at a prostrate youth, clutching his belly where the Lord Marshal had delivered a bloith the butt of his halberd “Guts enough to steal but not enough to fight, eh? Let yourself be beaten down by a crippled old s as he continued to cower “Up! Or it’s a flogging!”

Al Hestian straightened as Lyrna guided Arrow closer, ignoring his bow and looking down at the cringing youth He stared up at her with bright appeal, tears swelling in his eyes Little ave you an order,” she told hi he saw no kindness in her gaze

The boy got to his feet, fighting tears and sketching a bow “Sergeant!” Al Hestian barked and a broad-shouldered nised hieons, the one who had cried when she gave them their lives “Run this coward until he drops,” Al Hestian told hi the Lonakhim,” Davoka commented at Lyrna’s side

Al Hestian came forward to hold Lyrna’s reins as she dismounted She could see a new vitality in hily replaced by the epitome of a Realm Guard Lord Marshal, which, she rehtened back and perfect uniform couldn’t rief

“My lord,” she said, gesturing at the bluffs where Orena and Murel were laying out a table and chairs “I coe Would you care to jointhe stiffly opposite her as the sun faded and a harsh seaward breeze drehisper frorass “How do you find your new co a cup of wine fro to reclaiside the scuhtered them all in a day”

“Yes, had they not been wiped out of course” She looked at the wine in her cup, a dark Cue of hness They were recent recruits, witless outlaws in truth, with little notion of how to evade capture They were easily returned”

“And flogged, I presuiment” He nodded his thanks at Orena as she poured his wine “Examples must be set”