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“Good Listen tobefore her, he gathered her hands in his “There’s aspell stretched from the Emel Peninsula east, past Astrel Island and Duke’s Citadel We’re nearly certain it’s covering a large pirate fleet His Grace wants then the spells on the chain that blocks the harbor ht under the pirates’ noses I could use your help, but only if you understand the risks We’ll be covered by powerfulto know you’re safe in your mind, and another to know it in your belly”

“Think about this, Daja,” Lark said, her usually cheerful voice husky with sleep and worry “You’ll be in a boat—you won’t be able to run away if the fleet attacks You won’t be able to change your mind once you’re out there”

Daja looked into Frostpine’s bright, dark eyes “What kind of shields do we have?”

“A chunk of the spell-net we dug up yesterday Think about this ahappen to you, but if you’re afraid, I want to know it now”

She stared through the open door to Lark’s workrooo, Third Ship Kisubo was about to put to sea out of Hajur when Fifth Ship Kisubo limped into the harbor She had just survived a pirate attack with tattered sails and a charred aftercastle One mast had been sheared off in the plank—when the crew of Third Ship Kisubo had gathered on the dock to help—the first one to disembark from Fifth Ship was Uncle Tiwolu His sweat-streaked ebony face was sorroisted In his arms he carried the bloody corpse of Aunt Zayda, the ship’s captain, riddled with jishen arrows

Taking a deep breath, Daja nodded “I’ll do it”

Rising, Frostpine tugged her to her feet “Let’s go” He took a haversack fro outside”

Daja kissed Lark on the cheek, then looked at Rosethorn The auburn-haired dedicate glared at her “There’s no need to get emotional,” she informed Daja tartly “I’ll see you in a few hours”

Daja grinned She had expected no other response from Rosethorn “In a few hours,” she proe A ten-squad of the Duke’s Guard, armored in black leather jerkins and hels, waited for them One of them held the reins of a riderless horse; the rest were already mounted

“She’s with you?” The speaker was a short, stocky woeant on her helmet

Frostpine nodded and swung hiet twisted under hirabbed it, he lifted her up behind hi her squeak of dis on a hard roll of cloth “You’ve got my pack?” Frostpine asked the s

“North gate,” the sergeant ordered, and nudged her steed into ed and wrapped both arms around her teacher’s waist When they switched to a trot, Daja buried her face in Frostpine’s habit and prayed to Koma, for protection from pirates, and to her ancestors, for protection fro She only knew they had passed through the north gate by the clanging echo of hooves in the tunnel through the wall

“Listen to ?”

“Yes,” Daja replied “I’”

“You don’t need to look Here’s our plan You’ll sense for weakness in the metal—do you remember how?”

“Yes” She had learned that earlier in the summer

“Once we’re at the chain—it’s two chains, actually—our boat will take us along it link by link, from the Tombstone to the Harbormaster’s tower,” Frostpine went on “If you find a weak spot, tell then it as I strengthen the spells on the chain” Reaching back, he patted her knee “I wish I didn’t have to do this with you, but—”

“I’ Circle” She took her face out of his clothes so he could hear her soft voice “I’s like you do”

“If things go wrong, I may need to draw on your power,” he added “It may take both of us to finish the job”

“Serious ic,” breathed Daja

“As serious as anything you or I have ever done”

When they turned off the road to Summersea to follow a steep track downhill to the harbor, Daja hid her face again Finally they stopped; she could hear the welco rock When Frostpine dismounted, she opened her eyes to see they were on the southeast side of Bit Island, inside the harbor wall Torches had been planted in the sand to cast light on a waiting longboat, crewed by men and women in the dun jerkins and breeches of the ducal navy Daja slid off the horse and ran for the boat, blushing crihs Once aboard, she planted herself quite solidly on the middle bench

“We need to work on your riding,” Frostpine remarked as he pulled the hard cloth bundle off his horse

“We need do no such thing,” she muttered in Tradertalk “I’ll just walk”

“Walking carries no freight, and a freightless Trader is a poor one,” he replied in the sa roll of silvery ht

Carefully the guards cli spears They seated the the sailors and braced their weapons between their knees and feet Once they were settled, Frostpine passed the metal net aboard the boat The sailors opened it to its full length and width, then fastened it overhead, using the spears to hold it like a canopy Once it was secure, other guards took crossbrows and quivers fro one of their number to look after their mounts

Daja was shifted to the port rail, one bench away from the prow Frostpine was on the sauard had carried for hiuards with spears angled the the metal net canopy until it covered the boat

“I won’t activate the spell until we’re at the chain,” Frostpine told everyone “But keep this in mind: once I have, don’t look overhead It would prove very unsettling, take my word for it”

Daja nodded hard She could vouch for how unsettling the spell-net could be!

“Once we’re in sight of the chain, no talking except in whispers,” ordered the sergeant, placing her crossbow on her lap “And benear the sea all their lives, they kne sound carried over open water

The coxswain nodded to the pair of sailors who stood outside the boat, ankle-deep in the gentle harbor surf Grunting, they pushed the boat into deeper water and hopped in The coxshistled softly, and the oars went up; a second whistle, and they bit into the water

Daja felt better already

Bit and Crescent Islands passed on the left like shadows Seeing trees on the islands, Daja realized that it was al uncomfortably visible, even with the bulk of the island and the thick harbor wall between thelimpses of it to be had; the wall kept it from view

When they hit larger waves off Maja Island, a strained voice said, “How er?”

It was Frostpine A sailor hooked a hand through the belt on his habit, allowing the dedicate to lean over the side Taking deep breaths, Frostpine locked one hand on the bench, the other on the rail, gripping them so hard that his knuckles turned white

Daja had a sht you sailed better,” she whispered

“I don’t I need faults, to accent ulped “I would b

e too wonderful to live with” He gasped and made a dreadful noise deep in his throat

“Lucky girl, to have so uard softly

“He thinks it’s bad now,” the sergeant whispered, grinning “He ought to be outside the harbor That’s where the real sea beats This here is like boating in my washtub”

They caht was the harbor’sfifteen hundred yards wide On the west it was guarded by the rising bulk of the Harborranite lu flickered against a mass of black clouds

Daja gasped