CHAPTERONE

Western Sea near Ecali Coast

Astrid leaned against the battleship’s railing as the massive vessel’s bow rocked upward in the heavy surf before plunging back down into the water. Keeping her knees bent to absorb the boat’s sway, she stared with immense concern toward Erec as the King’s short bright orange hair flashed about in the sea breeze.

“That’s not an expression I’d like to see on anyone . . . let alone a king.” A tall black-bearded man with a gruff voice stated, approaching from the aft before leaning sturdily on the railing beside her.

The teenager shifted her posture, glanced back at the man, whom she didn’t recognize, and shook her head in response before glancing behind them. As far as she could see, the fleet of BjornsGaard warships filled the water, frigates and battleships alike, their paddlewheels churning hard against their sides, steam and smoke billowing from stacks above them. A massive armada, steadily holding its course southward along the Ecali coast, which lay just above the horizon to their east. The dark-featured man was the only person on deck who’d taken the time to speak to Astrid, even though several different groups of people stared at him with concern and angst as the Tau sailors moved around seeing to the ship. He was one of the few individuals on deck who wasn’t wearing a tunic identifying themselves as Tau or Hospitalar, and he’d been watching her curiously for some time.

“Do you know what’s happening?” The brown-skinned girl asked, attempting to pull her thick, impossibly curly hair back from her face as the wind blew it around.

The man grunted negatively and shook his head, “I saw what you saw.”

Astrid knew what he referred to: less than an hour before the adolescent had guided her small messenger airship through shifting and swirling ocean winds, landing precariously on the deck of this ship. The airship now lay thoroughly moored between two mounted trebuchets on the main deck a few feet from them. When they’d arrived, Erec and Evert had descended, and just after that, the king was hailed formally and taken off to the side by a broad-shouldered blond woman wearing a Hospitalar tunic. The two had talked quietly while Evert assured that their weapons and baggage was stowed aboard the ship. As the discussion continued, Erec’s face had grown dark red, and his eyes had flashed angrily. He’d slammed his fist against the ship’s railing, scaring Astrid because she’d only seen the King even and calm. Even in the most stressful circumstances, sh