Captain Xheng led them belowdecks to the captain’s quarters. The room was spacious, large enough to accommodate ten people comfortably, and lit by a combination of light from a single porthole and waxen candles. The furnishings were surprisingly ornate. The captain’s desk was carved from fine Qi’shathian ebony and detailed with gold. One wall was decorated by a huge painting depicting an ancient battle between two rivals vying for the Jade Throne. There was a black cabinet, filled with liquor, stood against the opposite wall. A map had been draped across the table, pinned in place at three corners by a compass, sextant, and a chronometer—all shaped from gorgeous brass.

  Ylia hated how the ship listed and tilted. The unsteady movement reminded her of feeling drunk, and that brought with it intense memories of shame and regret and fear.

  Urgal went over to the drinks cabinet, sniffed once, and wrinkled his nose.

  “Your felidae is Qi’shathian, no?” Captain Xheng said to Ylia.

  “I found him in Qi’shath. I don’t know where he is from, in truth.”

  “His mother must have fed him a great deal,” Xheng said, eyeing the sheer size of the cat. “And you must have a magical touch indeed to have earned his trust and loyalty.”

  His tone had changed a great deal, now that they were an escort to Qi’shathian royalty, and not simply strangers. But Ylia did not mind. She was grateful for any kindness, at this point.

  There were only two chairs in the office, one behind the desk and one in front of it. Qala sat in the chair facing Xheng’s desk. Only once she was seated did Xheng take his seat behind the desk. His eyes were on Qala, with a mixture of fear, devotion, but also—Yia thought—the glimmer of enterprise. He saw a way to profit from the situation, whether in terms of his station being raised, financially, or some other means. Ylia could not blame him. It was not every day such opportunities fell into one’s lap.

  “Well, your highness, what can I do for you?” he said.

  Qala smiled.

  “It is apt your ship is called the Dire Request, for I must make make a dire request of you.”

  “A Xi Bey did of Li Zhong?”

  Qala nodded. Ylia knew they were referring to Qi’shathian history, but she knew embarrassingly little.

  “Then ask away, your highness. I am yours to command.”

  Qala took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, to Ylia’s surprise, Qala stood and turned to her and Jubal.

  “Before we can begin, I have to ask you something,” she said, looking at Ylia and Jubal in turn. “Are you with me?”

  Ylia blanched. It was not that she was offended by the question but simply that she had never expected it.

  In truth, she had been in a state of shock ever since the dragonflight. She had been vaguely persuaded by Telos that she might set up a new business in Aurelia, start over, but she had possessed very little idea of what that might be. Her whole adult life, she had been self-directed. She had left the Wagemaster, struck out on her own, gone to Yarruk and started her own business. But over the years, her sense of purpose and planning had dwindled. Though it hadn’t seemed it at the time, she now saw that she had been simply existing. Waiting, almost, for something to come and shake up her life.

  That something had been Telos.

  She had hated him for it, at the time. But in hindsight, something had needed to happen to shake her out of her apathy and ennui.

  But that still left the question of what came next. She supposed that, secretly, she had expected Telos might supply the answer, even in an unintentional way. But with him gone, she had been adrift, simply following the others, unsure where she was going.

  But now Qala was offering to formalise their relationship.

  “You have my loyalty,” Jubal rumbled, before Ylia could answer. “I will fight or build for you, as you desire. My bow hand is not what it once was, but I can still wield a blade fine. My kind have been nearly extinguished. I cannot go back to my old home. A righteous cause, such as yours, is all a man like me can hope to live for.”

  Jubal knelt before Qala. Even the heiress seemed shocked by the passion and nobility of his sentiments. Then she smiled, and it was like the sun banishing mist. Qala placed a hand on Jubal’s head.

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  “Rise, my dear friend. Rise. I do not rule from a mountain peak. You have helped me greatly, and I would remember your kindness, even if this was where our roads parted. Rise, my friend.” Jubal stood, awkwardly. Qala’s smile widened. “I am so glad you are coming with me. There are battles to fight, but I see in you far more than just a soldier or mere brawn. You are clever, and just, and you will help me stay on the true path of the Immutable Way when I must make difficult moral decisions. You will be an adviser to me. Always by my side. Does this please you?”

  Jubal nodded, and Ylia thought that the bull-headed man might even have been embarrassed, like a schoolboy given glowing praise by a teacher whom they secretly fancied.

  Now Qala’s eyes turned to Ylia.

  Ylia had been fairly certain of her decision, but Jubal’s response had cemented her thinking. The world was growing strange. She had seen a sky-ship. Telos had spoken of gods in the fire. There were rumours of all kinds of unnatural goings on. Change was coming, and perhaps Qala rode at the crest of that wave. Better to be with the wave than cowering, waiting for it to pass.

  “I am with you,” Ylia said. “I don’t know what good I am, or what skills I have that would be of any use. But I’ll never forget how you tried to help me. So, the least I can do is help you.”

  Qala surprised everyone, Ylia most of all, by throwing her arms around her. It was Ylia’s turn to blush as she felt the Qi’shathian woman pressing her close to her chest. As they parted, Qala looked deeply into Ylia’s eyes.

  “Thank you, Ylia. I cannot say how much that means to me. I feel you are the sister I wished my sisters of blood could have been. When all is done, and we stand in the Palace of the Eternal Dream, you shall have a thousand Houses to your name, should you wish it.”

  Ylia smiled.

  “Perhaps it is best I steer clear of Houses, after what happened last time.”

  Qala laughed.

  “Oh, Ylia. Do not judge yourself too harshly. We all possess a weakness, but you are aware of yours. And besides, I was wrong to tempt you.” Something glitteringly mysterious passed through Qala’s eyes then, and Ylia felt a little thrill at the core of her being, as though a butterfly had just wriggled out of a chrysalis there. Perhaps Qala thought of her as slightly more than a sister. The thought was ludicrous, but Ylia couldn’t help but wonder…

  “And do not disparage your many skills,” Qala went on. If she had noticed Ylia’s reaction, she gave no sign. “You are a formidable business woman, and I will need your help in reckoning the accounts of my army, once it is marshalled. You understand resourcing, supply and demand, and on top of all of that your feline friend makes for an excellent bodyguard.”

  Urgal yowled at them, causing them all to laugh.

  Ylia beamed.

  “You honour me. I am yours.”

  “Well,” Qala said, looking between Jubal and Ylia. “I shall hold you both to this. In fact…” She produced a slender knife from her robe, and before Ylia could do or say anything, sliced her palm, so that blood bloomed from the wound. Then Qala flipped the dagger in her hand, and presented the handle to Ylia. “In blood, we’re bound,” Qala said.

  Ylia grinned. She sliced her hand and clasped Qala’s.

  “In blood we’re bound,” she echoed.

  Jubal did the same with Qala, and then turned to Ylia. Ylia hesitated a moment, then realised the aptness of also pledging allegiance to each other. It made them into a team, not merely servants to one authority. Qala looked on approvingly as they made their pact.

  “This is excellent,” Qala said. “Now…” She turned to Xheng. “You have waited very patiently, dear captain. I appreciate it. Now, I can make my request. We need passage to the western side of Aurelia. Along the way, we would need to make regular stops at port towns. I intend to recruit every mercenary and fanatic I can who might be loyal to coin or my cause.”

  The captain’s eyes went wide.

  “You are building an army? Well, you shall have my crew, at the least.”

  “How many?”

  “About a hundred. Most are ashore now.” The captain grinned wickedly. “I’m told Wylhome has a disappointing lack of brothels.”

  “That’s because it’s the seat of the Governor,” Ylia said drily.

  Xheng nodded.

  “‘It is a crime not to provide services for those who have loved the sea’.”

  Ylia was quite shocked to hear him talk like this in front Qala, but it seemed this was some form of Qi’shathian idiom, for Qala grinned widely.

  “‘For the sea is a cold mistress, a cold mistress indeed’,” Qala said. “A hundred is a good start.”

  “But may I ask, your highness, why you intend to sail to Aurelia’s western side? Surely, it would be more advisable to sail south-east from where we are now, and perhaps attack Xi’ten or one of the northern towns?”

  Qala shook her head.

  “That was my original plan, I confess. But a certain clever friend of ours…” Qala caught Ylia’s eye, and the two shared a moment of grief. “A certain clever friend pointed out that this is exactly what my brother would expect. I intend instead to attack from the west, assailing the more fortified side in a surprise attack.”

  Xheng whistled.

  “In which case, we’ll need to ensure the soldiers we recruit are a little on the crazy side.”

  “So you’ll help us, then?” Qala said.

  “Your highness, I am a simple man. I see an opportunity for glory beyond measure...” He grinned lavishly. “...and I take it.”