Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
The Three Sisters are a trio of islands at the very end of the north–south trade route. I never like coming here. It reminds me far too much of Lyari. Only Mairi on Second Sister is a true urban sprawl. Third Sister is the smallest of the trio, and only a few hardy souls live out there on the windswept rocks. First Sister, on the other hand, desperately wants to be something it’s not. Its capital city, Kanghri, seems like it’s filled with all the undesirables from its sister city, Mairi. The people of Kanghri are forced to crouch on one side of the narrow straight and watch the glittering, glowing city that they’ll never be welcomed into. It sets the stage for resentment and hatred, which means it’s only a matter of time before the Three Sisters go to war with themselves.
If I had any choice, I never would have come here. The trade route is heavily patrolled by the Cŵn Annwn. The only reason I can figure out that we haven’t seen any since our desperate flight from the storm is because we came in at an angled approach that didn’t bring us past any ports. But that will change. Sailing into the bay is a huge risk, far too much for me to agree to.
Eyal stands next to me as always, his expression a perpetual frown these days. “What angle of approach do you want to take?”
“We can’t risk using any of the official ports.” I recognize the stubborn look on his face, but cling to my patience with both hands. “It’s the only way, Eyal. We’ll anchor the ship just offshore of First Sister, and two small teams will take a pair of boats in—one to find Dia and one to resupply. I know the crew needs a break and could use some time ashore, but it’s not safe for us to disperse. We need to be able to run at a moment’s notice.”
If I could have risked it, I would have turned south the moment we were clear of pursuit, but I left the old woman in Kanghri, so that’s where we need to look for her. The more time we spend running, the greater the opportunity the Cŵn Annwn have to create a net to trap us. If the horn truly is the way to end this war before it properly starts, then we can’t waste any time doing exactly that.
“Yes, I’m aware.” Eyal waves my explanation away. “The part of the plan I’m getting stuck on is where we anchor in a shallow surf with violent currents. We’ll either be washed ashore or thrown upon the reef. Neither option does much for our chances of survival.”
I haven’t had what the spoiled nobles in the capital city would call an easy life. I’ve fought from the moment I first drew breath, and never more so than once I realized how unfair this world really is. With all that said, the last few days have been some of the most exhausting I’ve experienced. It’s so challenging to pull forth a charming smile and inject cheer into my weary tone. “Come now, Eyal. Maybe that would be true of other ships, but this is the Audacity, with you as the navigator and Poet as quartermaster. I have no doubt that you will make easy work of it.”
He’s used to my shenanigans, so he’s not convinced. I didn’t truly expect him to be. He props his hands on his hips and gives me a long look. “Coming in through Third Sister would be safer. Those beaches are significantly less dangerous, and the island is all but uninhabited.”
“That’s true, but Third Sister means we have to travel through the bulk of First Sister to get to Kanghri—which makes a quick getaway all but impossible.” I shrug, tension riding high in my shoulders. “I don’t like this, either. With any luck, we’ll be in and out of Kanghri within a few hours, with the Crimson Hag’s old navigator in tow. I just need you to hold steady until then.”
Eyal nods. “Be quick, then. Otherwise, you’ll only have wreckage to return to.”
“Dramatic to the bitter end, aren’t we?” My smile fades away. “We’ll see each other through this. I promise.”
“Don’t go making promises you can’t have any hope of keeping.” He narrows his eyes. “Who are you taking with your team?”
That’s the question, isn’t it? There’s absolutely no chance of taking Siobhan and Bastian with me. Bastian was just picked up from Mairi a relatively short time ago, and there’s enough crossover between the two cities that it’s too large a risk. The Cŵn Annwn have a habit of putting out notices to ensure that the civilian population does the dirty work of tracking down their targets. At least when those targets are of the humanoid variety.