whether or not Saanakal actually possessed such an item,
it seemed a logical assumption-and that was what would matter to the crew. “Perhaps that's
why you don't want to fight at close quarters. When the ship sinks, you can escape. But
your magic won't save you if a giant grabs you.”
“One more word and I'll have you launched from a catapult!” the high templar hissed. “Now
return to the floater's pit and let me command the fleet!”
“So your crew can die while you escape?” Tithian replied, shaking his head. “No.”
“Take this passenger below,” Saanakal commanded, motioning for his first mate to obey the
order.
Before the man could step forward, Tithian stared him straight in the eye. “Andropinis
himself loaned me this fleet,” he said. “By refusing to obey me, Navarch Saanakal is
defying your king. Do you wish to join him in that?”
When the mate remained where he stood, the high templar cursed and reached for his dagger.
“Enough!”
“I don't think so,” said the first mate, grabbing Saanakal's wrist. “If I'm going to die,
then I will do it as I have lived-at King Andropinis's pleasure.”
With that, he handed the king's eye to the helms-man, then picked up the templar and
pitched him over the side. Screaming in fear, Saanakal thrust a hand into the pocket of
his robe. The dust swallowed him before he could withdraw the object hidden inside.
“Prepare yourselves to die like soldiers,” Tithian said, giving his crew an approving nod.
“And take us into battle.”
As the astonished officers obeyed, Tithian had his shipfloater relay his attack orders to
the surviving ships. Next, he took the king's eye from the helmsman and began to scan the
haze.
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
“My giant,” Tithian replied.
It did not take the king long to find what he was after. Within a few minutes, he saw
Fylo's ugly form leading an attack against another ship. The giants had already thrown
their boulders and were plowing forward through the silt, their rams cradled under their
arms.
As Tithian watched, the ship fired its catapults, put the wizard mistimed his command word
and dropped the flames behind the giants. Nevertheless, the king could see that the battle
was far from over.
Vats of Balkan fire were lined up all along the gunnel, ready to be dumped on the
attackers, and the ballista crews were holding their fire until the giants came closer.
Tithian gave the king's eye to a junior officer. “Which ship is that?”
“The
King's Lady,”
he replied.
“Good,” he said, pointing at Fylo's ugly face. “Do you see that giant?”
“The one whose head looks sort of human?”
“Yes. Keep us pointed toward him.” Tithian replied. Next, he turned to the shipfloater.
“Tell the
King's Lady
to hold her attacks. We're coming alongside and may be able to save her from this bunch.”
For the next few moments, Tithian watched in grim silence as the
Silt Lion
bore down on its targets. The giants were approaching the King's
Lady
cautiously, suspicious of the lack of resistance from the ship. Nevertheless, they were
close enough to hoist their rams and charge at any moment.
“Captain Saba asks permission to defend his ship,” reported the shipfloater.
“No!” Tithian spat.
“But we'll never get there in time,” objected the helmsman. “If they don't resist-”
“The
King's Lady
is sunk anyway!” snapped Tithian. “And I don't want anyone killing my giant-not yet”
Several of the ship's officers exchanged skeptical glances, then one ventured to ask, “Why
not?”
“He must be the one who set up this ambush, and I want to know why-before I deal a very
special punishment out to him,” the king answered. He looked back to Ictinis. “Tell
Captain Saba this: when the giants hit his ship, he'll be
it seemed a logical assumption-and that was what would matter to the crew. “Perhaps that's
why you don't want to fight at close quarters. When the ship sinks, you can escape. But
your magic won't save you if a giant grabs you.”
“One more word and I'll have you launched from a catapult!” the high templar hissed. “Now
return to the floater's pit and let me command the fleet!”
“So your crew can die while you escape?” Tithian replied, shaking his head. “No.”
“Take this passenger below,” Saanakal commanded, motioning for his first mate to obey the
order.
Before the man could step forward, Tithian stared him straight in the eye. “Andropinis
himself loaned me this fleet,” he said. “By refusing to obey me, Navarch Saanakal is
defying your king. Do you wish to join him in that?”
When the mate remained where he stood, the high templar cursed and reached for his dagger.
“Enough!”
“I don't think so,” said the first mate, grabbing Saanakal's wrist. “If I'm going to die,
then I will do it as I have lived-at King Andropinis's pleasure.”
With that, he handed the king's eye to the helms-man, then picked up the templar and
pitched him over the side. Screaming in fear, Saanakal thrust a hand into the pocket of
his robe. The dust swallowed him before he could withdraw the object hidden inside.
“Prepare yourselves to die like soldiers,” Tithian said, giving his crew an approving nod.
“And take us into battle.”
As the astonished officers obeyed, Tithian had his shipfloater relay his attack orders to
the surviving ships. Next, he took the king's eye from the helmsman and began to scan the
haze.
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
“My giant,” Tithian replied.
It did not take the king long to find what he was after. Within a few minutes, he saw
Fylo's ugly form leading an attack against another ship. The giants had already thrown
their boulders and were plowing forward through the silt, their rams cradled under their
arms.
As Tithian watched, the ship fired its catapults, put the wizard mistimed his command word
and dropped the flames behind the giants. Nevertheless, the king could see that the battle
was far from over.
Vats of Balkan fire were lined up all along the gunnel, ready to be dumped on the
attackers, and the ballista crews were holding their fire until the giants came closer.
Tithian gave the king's eye to a junior officer. “Which ship is that?”
“The
King's Lady,”
he replied.
“Good,” he said, pointing at Fylo's ugly face. “Do you see that giant?”
“The one whose head looks sort of human?”
“Yes. Keep us pointed toward him.” Tithian replied. Next, he turned to the shipfloater.
“Tell the
King's Lady
to hold her attacks. We're coming alongside and may be able to save her from this bunch.”
For the next few moments, Tithian watched in grim silence as the
Silt Lion
bore down on its targets. The giants were approaching the King's
Lady
cautiously, suspicious of the lack of resistance from the ship. Nevertheless, they were
close enough to hoist their rams and charge at any moment.
“Captain Saba asks permission to defend his ship,” reported the shipfloater.
“No!” Tithian spat.
“But we'll never get there in time,” objected the helmsman. “If they don't resist-”
“The
King's Lady
is sunk anyway!” snapped Tithian. “And I don't want anyone killing my giant-not yet”
Several of the ship's officers exchanged skeptical glances, then one ventured to ask, “Why
not?”
“He must be the one who set up this ambush, and I want to know why-before I deal a very
special punishment out to him,” the king answered. He looked back to Ictinis. “Tell
Captain Saba this: when the giants hit his ship, he'll be
Similar Books
