Traitor's Moon

screams of panicked horses and the cries of the wounded.
    â€œBy the Four!” Beka gasped. “What the hell was that, Captain?”
    Before Yala could answer, a shaft buzzed past Beka’s cheek and struck the woman in the eye. Clutching at it, Yala sank to the deck with an agonized groan.
    â€œShe’s rounding on us, Captain,” a lookout warned. “And she’s running up fresh canvas!”
    â€œPrepare—” Yala slumped slowly forward, blood flowing down her cheek. “Prepare to repel—”
    Trailing smoke from one smoldering sail, the man-of-war closed on them again with a thick volley of arrows. Pinned down in the shelter of the rail shields, the remaining Skalan defenders shot back as best they could. A dozen or more bodies littered the deck, and Beka’s heart sank as she counted three green tabards among them. Spotting Mercalle and Zir near the aft castle, Beka raced across the deck to them.
    â€œYala’s dead. Have you seen the mate?”
    The sergeant jerked a thumb at the forecastle. “That first load of quicklime got him.”
    â€œThey’re fixing to ram!” the remaining lookout shouted down to them.
    â€œTo what?” called Beka in alarm.
    Everyone on deck had heard the warning, but there was little that could be done about it now. Marten and Ileah hurried over, supporting Ileah’s brother Orineus between them. The young rider’s tabard was stained dark around the broken arrow shaft in his chest. Beka could tell by his color that he was dying. Kallien brought up the rear.
    The enemy vessel was almost upon them now, aiming straight for the
Wolf’
s waist. Another burst of fiery liquid shot from the bronze heads as she bore down on the doomed carrack.
    â€œSakor’s Eyes, the horses!” gasped Zir, face pale beneath his thick beard.
    â€œCome with me,” ordered Beka, starting for the main hatch.
    â€œNo time, Captain!” Mercalle warned.
    The last thing Beka remembered before the whole world heaved under her feet was the muffled screams of the horses.
    Searching the deck for Seregil, Alec caught sight of Thero for the first time since the battle began. Standing calmly on the forecastle deck, he raised his hands palms outward at the oncoming enemy vessel. A bright corona of light flashed around him, obscuring him from sight for a moment. Alec was still blinking when a great shout went up from the crew.
    The enemy ship was foundering crazily off course, her fallen sails sagging over her spars and deck. Fires broke out and quickly spread, driving men overboard into the sea. The
Courser
swooped down to finish her off.
    Alec scaled the forecastle ladder and found Thero sitting on a crate surrounded by grinning sailors.
    â€œWhat did you do?” Alec asked, elbowing his way in to him.
    â€œTurned their ropes to water,” Thero said hoarsely, looking quite pleased with himself. “And relieved them of this.”
    At his feet lay a heavy metal rod nearly six feet in length.
    â€œTheir rudder pin!” Farren exclaimed. “Even with their rigging, they wouldn’t get far without that.”
    But their triumph was short-lived. The
Wolf
was sinking.
    Clambering down the ladder again, Alec joined Seregil and Klia at the starboard rail. Ahead of them, the
Wolf
listed in the shadow of the second man-of-war. The Plenimarans were showering the vessel with arrows and liquid fire. The carrack’s sails and masts were in flames, sending a great column of smoke slanting across the water. They could all make out figures falling or leaping into the sea from the tilting deck.
    â€œThey’ve broken her back,” Klia gasped.
    â€œHoist what sails we’ve got,” Farren shouted to the mate. “Prepare the attack!”
    The battle call traveled the length of the ship as the
Zyria
headed for the embattled craft. The
Wolf
was going down fast.
    â€œBeka’s there,” Alec cried, staring helplessly across at the foundering vessel. “Thero, can’t you do something?”
    â€œQuiet. He is,” said Seregil. “Give him time.”
    Thero stood a little apart from them, eyes squeezed shut. Sweat poured down the wizard’s face as he clenched his hands together in front of him. Then his thin lips curved up in a smile and he let out a small grunt of satisfaction. Without opening his eyes, he chanted softly under his breath and wove a series of symbols on the