Alex slowly breathed in the salty air. Closing her eyes, she exhaled peacefully. A south-eastern wind filled the sails as waves beat against the hull, powerful but not aggressive. If the Jade Sea remained this favourable, it would be a good voyage.

She placed her hand on her forehead, blocking out the sun. Roughly a mile away, on the shore, the Scorian royals were ascending into the carriages drawn by the same stout stallions, chestnut in colour, that had brought them to the harbour. Now that they had sent Princess Alana and her raggedy band of pirate mercenaries off to Socota, it was time to return to their duties in the cool luxury of the Queen's palace.

One figure, the tallest of them all, didn't hurry to join his in-laws. Seb walked to the edge of the pier, where he stayed put. Behind him, the caravan left.

She couldn't ignore the uncomfortable feeling settling in her stomach. Although Alburkhan offered Seb a carelessness he wouldn't find in Sundale, this renewed freedom gave his stubborn nature too much reign. Despite her advice, he had gone looking for the magician. He hadn't said anything about the matter, but he didn't have to. For the past few hours, he had been far too talkative. His embraces playful and jesting. The compass of his behaviour pointed towards mischief—she knew him well enough. If he used his head, his secret would go to the end of the world with her.

He waved.

Grinning, she stretched her arm too.

The smaller one-masters flanking the Kraken steered them away from lower water and guided them through the chain of islands before Alburkhan's coast. Then, the ship turned in a wide arc, following the wind. She could no longer see Seb. When they would next see each other, she couldn't tell, but they would. Though wars waged and storms raged, their friendship cut through each hurdle the Gods threw in their path. Nothing could keep them apart. Not forever, anyway.

Below on deck, the one-belters stood by the rope, eagerly awaiting further instructions from Pan. Alex wasn't going to wait until they reached the wide-open sea. She would only be in their way when they did. As Pirate Boyar, she had to prepare for the meeting with King Siga. Not that she had any idea how to begin.

She pushed her hip against the door to the Captain's cabin and entered. 

Lana was sitting on the bed, gazing out the porthole, her hand clenched around the bracelet the Queen's Wazir had gifted her. In case her stomach acted again, she only had to reach to find a bucket. Surprisingly, she hadn't used it yet.

"A good two miles out of Alburkhan, and the cabin doesn't smell of vomit. Must be a record," Alex teased.

Lana exhaled slowly, not looking at Alex. She moved her hand, momentarily revealing two large beads at each end of the bracelet. One was a horse's head, the other a tiger. "Still feel queasy. At least, the world isn't spinning."

"A miracle." Alex crossed her arms. A bracelet to keep seasickness at bay. What was next—entering a battle with a shoelace and expecting to win? "Forged in the fire of a volcano. Never knew they had medicinal powers."

"Me neither, but if it works, it works. Papa will never send me on a mission again if I return home looking like a walking skeleton. Not to mention how Mama will fuss."

Alex sat down at the table. From underneath the map of Northern Scoria stuck a sketch of the Southern Sea. A gift from Alafin Cyrus, who seemed rather pleased to rid himself of the drawing. A royal's clutter is a pirate's treasure.

"Liene and I also bought black root leaves," she said, switching the maps.

"They taste like feet."

"I'd rather eat feet than throw up."

"Then you and I have vastly different preferences," Lana said in a serious tone that others would mistake for disdain.

They chuckled.

Suddenly, Lana stopped applying pressure to the beads. She brushed her finger along the porthole's edge. 

"Dust or sand?" Alex asked.

"Don't know. Don't want to know."

"You're no longer in a palace, Princess." 

She shot Alex a playful glance, her lips pursed. Alex returned the favour.

They giggled.

With a light green handkerchief, Lana cleaned the porthole. Alex returned to the map, trying to figure out the scale. She moved the heavy three-legged magnifying glass to the edge of the map. Was that a three or an eight? Five or six zeroes? Nautical miles or land miles?

Even if she could read the map, she still wouldn't know its significance. Anything beyond a week's journey south of Scoria belonged to hearsay, rumours, and the occasional explorer returning to Alburkhan with tall tales. To find land, they had no idea whether to head south-west, south, or south-east. With an infinite amount of resources, they could spend the rest of their lives at sea and never see another shore. How would she convince King Siga his investment was worth it?

Lana, once again staring out of the porthole, gasped. "Pigeon," she said under her breath. "They've already sent it."

Alex looked up but saw no bird, which was no surprise. The messenger was faster than the Kraken, and would reach Socota weeks before they did, informing the Jade Islanders of their estimated arrival.

"I do hope Siga has news from the mainland," Lana said. "Not that I'm expecting a sudden agreement between Papa and Uncle Storm—they've had five years to do so, and matters couldn't be worse than they are today. All I ask is a report, a few lines, to know which battles have been fought and when they'll think they'll crush the Silvermarker army once and for all." 

"It's part of the adventure," Alex mused, still staring at the map but not getting any wiser. News comes when news finds you."

"The Goddess is testing me. While I do enjoy spending time away from the castle, I can't help but feel agitated. As though I'm missing out on something important."

"If it were important, Queen Rainah would have received the message too."

"The one thing that could have waited for my return." Lana groaned. She composed herself. "It's fine. Nick can marry an Ician she-dog for all I care, live out his remaining days in a kennel. I don't need to see him again."

"I disagree. One day, I'll gladly sail to Bigtown."

Lana raised an eyebrow, her knuckles white from holding the bracelet too tightly.

"To smack him for being a Muttonhead," Alex added.

"Now that's a mission I'm willing to pay for."

"That's a deal." She darted another look at the maps. "Still no interest in financing our expedition in the Southern Sea?"

"I'm still but a Greenlander Princess. That hasn't changed since yesterday." Lana gave a short snort. "Besides, you'll find a better partner in Siga."

"I'm not sure, Lana. I have no idea what to tell him. Hey, Your Majesty, we have never met, but me and the crew require at least a thousand copecks for a voyage through unknown waters. I can't guarantee we'll find anything, and it's likely you'll never see us or your money again. By Patience's mercy, we're shooting blindfolded at a target that might not exist. He'll think we're a bunch of dumbbells."

"History is in your favour. If it weren't for a group of Jade Islandic boat builders testing out a more sturdy ship, Scoria would have never been found."

"That was over a thousand years ago. And their purpose wasn't to find land."

"But their journey was filled with as much uncertainty as yours. You do still want it, don't you?" 

"Of co—"

Out of nowhere, the ship jerked. Lana stiffened, her face paling.

Outside, Pan was shouting instructions at the one-belters hoisting the sails. They were picking up speed, and one bump on the watery road followed the other. The occasional tip of wave splashed through the porthole.

Lana grabbed the bucket, pushing the bracelet against the iron edge. Eyes squeezed shut, she swallowed visibly but didn't soil the bucket.

Gradually, the rocking stopped, and the ship's pace grew monotonous yet steady. Colour returned to her cheeks.

Alex ground her teeth. Had the bracelet been a gift from the Icians, she would have thrown it overboard. If not magic, how did it work? She understood potions and herbs. Forged objects weren't typically used in healing, not unless a blacksmith applied a hot iron to prevent bleeding or close amputations. But to treat seasickness? She didn't want to believe it, yet the evidence was hard to ignore.

"You're staring," Lana remarked.

"I'm thinking."

"You seem in pain."

Alex glared. "No, I don't understand how—"

Lana cut her off. "Leave the thinking to me. You want to convince Siga? Emphasise how long the voyage will take. Siga's already glad the Greenlander complaints about you lot terrorising our shores have stopped. Wars aren't eternal. We won't need your services forever."

"You're saying he'll be glad we're on the other side of the world."

"Small price to pay to get rid of a headache."

"So, we're a headache?"

"More like the burning sickness that only grows worse if left untreated." She didn't even seem to pause for air. "You need a purpose, and Siga wants you to have a purpose too. It's better for him and trade with The Greenlands. Did you know that nearly half of the army blasters are made in Socota these days?"

Alex didn't. "Fine, so I'll be able to convince him. But Pan also asked me to estimate how much money we should ask. I thought I could figure out the distance to the edge of the map, but I can barely read the scale. The handwriting is terrible."

Lana drummed her fingers against her rosy lips. "Are there any cities on the map?"

"Only Markudya."

"Any other landmark?"

Alex scanned the map. There was only a sloppily drawn curl east of the city. "One of the volcanoes. I think."

"You have another map of Scoria, don't you? All you have to do is measure the distance on the first map, then measure the distance on the second one. A few calculations later, you have the proper scale."

"That's genius." Alex stared at Lana with an open mouth. "How did you get so smart?"

Lana shrugged. "I'm the only child of a King. Papa wanted me to have a broad education, even if Mama didn't necessarily agree on the topics. I read a lot of books on the couch in his office, and I overheard many things."

"Want to help me?"

"I don't know what else to do, Pirate Girl."

That answer was easy: pairing Alex with Pan, which Alex wasn't going to remind her of. At least, preparation work was useful.

Throughout the voyage, she and Lana made long lists of potential scenarios and their solutions. There was order in chaos, even if one needed a dash of creativity and endless calculations to find it. The bracelet, along with a favourable southern-eastern wind and mild waves, kept the Princess on her feet. On the calmest days, she even joined the crew in their gambling games but refrained from drinking Palm Tears. Alex didn't blame her.

A week after leaving Alburkhan, they waved goodbye to the dry Scorian heat and embraced the sticky, sweltering humidity of the western Jade Islands. The crew turned lethargic and lazy, sleeping away most of the afternoon, either on deck or in their hammocks in the Kraken's belly.

All Alex saw as she closed her eyes were numbers and disasters waiting to happen. A tear in a sail. Spoiled food. Leaking kegs. No water.  A storm. Sometimes, nature was stronger than a ship. King Siga could provide them with that many resources; the rest was in the hands of the Gods. If the Kraken sank, how long would it take for the known world to pronounce them dead? A year? Two years? She had to guarantee the Jade Islandic King that her successor wouldn't cause any trouble either, but she could only guess who the pirates would vote for. Let alone, make any promises.

If King Siga said no, the hard work would have been for nothing. She had calculated what their options were, and without someone backing them up, they would only be able to buy three moons' worth of supplies. Perhaps four if they got all the Krakens on board to donate their copecks. They might as well sink the ship to the bottom of the Jade Sea. Four moons would barely lead them to the edge of the Southern Sea. The other option: returning to that Scorian merchant.

After resupplying on Inio, Pan had the harbour master send a second pigeon to Socota. They were days from reaching the capital. The road ahead was as busy as Sundale's streets right before market day. Instead of occasionally seeing another ship on the horizon, either Liene or Pan held a permanent post at the helm, steering away from the one and two masters and zigzagging away from the larger four-masted barks heading for the continent.

Four nights later, they passed the first of many groupings of beach huts, officially a part of Socota too. The fishers sailed along the shore in narrow canoes, barefooted and wearing minimal clothing. The salt in the region was so strong, fabrics didn't stand a chance.

In the early afternoon, the real city appeared in the distance, long and wide with high clay buildings. The roofs surprisingly bare, compared to Alburkhan. A grey, ash-like mist hung over the eastern part of the city. The sharp scent of iron hung in the air. According to the crew, the pollution hadn't been there on their last visit to the capital, before Alex's time.

To enter the harbour, each ship had to enter a lagoon through a narrow passage for inspection. There were a dozen crew before them. They were so close to their destination, yet still so far away.

Alex was keeping Liene company at the helm, praying to the Goddess of Patience for strength. She didn't have any left. And neither had Pan. He had retreated to the cabin, asking only to be woken up when it was their turn. In the meantime, both the sails and the anchor had been lowered. 

When the merchant ship at the front had been cleared, Liene beckoned to raise the anchor. Verban and Desi pulled at the chain. The iron ballast floated for a few feet; then, they dropped the chain once more. Every few minutes, they repeated this ritual.

Alex stood slumped against the back wall of the quarterdeck. She had watched slugs moving faster.

"Swimming ashore is going to be faster than staying here," Alex groaned.

"I wouldn't recommend it. It's further than you think." Liene swatted away a fly, then handed Alex her spyglass. "See for yourself."

Alex set the ocular to her eye and focused. Beyond the wide buildings, at a higher tier, were smaller two-story houses, separated from each other. At the heart of the city stood a temple; if it ever had been white, the ages and dirty air had greyed the marble.

Two hills abruptly marked the end of the city. She would have never guessed there was so much green north of Socota.

The sun was about to sink into the horizon when Verban and Desi raised and lowered the anchor one last time. Alex had dragged Pan out of bed. The Captain looked barely presentable. To mask his spiky, sweaty hair and circles around his eyes, she blew dust and sand off the tricorn hat he had bought for the occasion and flipped it onto his head.

Back outside, a sturdy barefoot woman was telling Liene. "You may tell me you carry the essence of the Holly Virtues. I haven't heard of no dove." 

"We did send one," Liene said.

"Two, actually," Pan corrected her. "Queen Rainah sent one from Alburkhan the day of our departure. And I had another sent a few days ago from Inio. I saw harbour master Jelle release the pigeon."

"I'm not saying you're lying, Mister..."

"Captain Pan."

"Captain," she said humbly. "I'm not accusing you of anything. Pigeons, though reliable, can often disappear at sea. I may have heard of a ship sailing under the Greenlander flag coming from Scoria, but the rumours are a fortnight old."

"The winds were in our favour."

"Blessed be the seven."

"Blessed they are." Pan crossed his arms."Still leaves me with an issue. Lady Alana of The Greenlands is expecting dinner tonight with His Majesty. Don't tell me I need to disappoint her. The Scorians were such fantastic hosts."

"But it's not my fault, Captain Pan."

Pan smiled. "I'm not blaming you, but I do know you can help me out here."

The woman brushed a few stray curls from her eyes. She turned to the shanty at the end of the jetty and whistled her fingers. A young bare-chested boy with pigtails, perhaps seven or eight years old, shot up from the barrel he was sitting on.

"Nisse, inform Boyar Hekla that Princess Alana and her crew have arrived. Run as fast as you can, and make it haste. I'll pay you double if you get back here before sunset."

The boy didn't as much as nod. He leapt into a one-person canoe and began to paddle with Diligence's force behind his back.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Pan said.

She grinned. "That'll be fifty copecks. Harbour tax."

"You're robbing me blind."

"Tell that to Boyar Hekla."

"Then he can pay."

Alex sighed. Pan and his close fists be damned. If she had the money, she would gladly pay the harbour master so they could make port. She didn't even need any fancy carriage or caravan to the castle. Walking would be fine too.

She moved closer to Pan. "Pay the tax and get it over with. Why even wait for the Boyar?"

"Because we'll need his help. They never got the last pigeon, so they're not expecting us yet."

"So? I don't care if it breaches royal protocol. We can walk." 

Pan shot his head backwards. "Got sand in your brain?"

"No, dumbbell, plans and calculations," she hissed. "For you."

"Do you have any idea where the Citadel of Socota is situated?" Pan said calmy. When Alex shook her head, he said. "Take the spyglass."

"Just tell me."

"You're gonna need the spyglass."

Grumbling, Alex peered through the ocular lens. In Sundale, the castle and the temple were next to each other on the market square. "There are too many high buildings. I can't see the castle."

"It's not a castle—it's a citadel," Pan said.

"What's the difference?"

"A castle is a fortified settlement in the middle of a city or a region." He shifted the spyglass up, the view now showing the mountains. "A citadel is a stronghold above a city."

Alex held the metal tube with both hands. Through the thick vegetation, she spotted hints of a curtain wall and a single thick, round tower. Higher up, the front part of the gilded roof curled up like bull horns. The rest remained hidden behind the plants and trees, like a well-kept treasure. It was easily a two-hour journey on foot. Impossible to do with sea legs.

"I see," she admitted to Pan. "Let's wait for Boyar Hekla."

She kept watching. Just because he was right didn't mean she had to acknowledge the smug look on his face.