Maelstrom by Jill Williamson

Author:Jill Williamson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: The Kinsman Chronicles #5;FIC042080;FIC009030;FIC009020
ISBN: 9781441230355
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2016-10-18T04:00:00+00:00

Wilek

For three days the storm raged. The ship rocked from one steep angle to another, shuddering continually under the onslaught and shaking the contents of Wilek’s office like dice in a cup.

Everyone stayed in their cabins, out of the way. Wilek could accomplish little. His mind was weary from the endless preoccupation of a hundred worries. Before the storm he had sent his father to the Kaloday, and he wondered how King Loran’s ship fared. He thought of Trevn and his shattered hand. More died each day from the fever. And while the rain had blessedly replenished their drinking water, food was so low that if the fish didn’t start biting again soon, Wilek would have to have another horse killed.

Then there were the rebels in the hold and the missing evenroot. Who had Hara given the root to? Or had there never been any evenroot to worry about in the first place? Wilek wanted to end the conspiracies once and for all, but he could not hold trials when more than half his council refused to leave their beds.

At least the storm should keep the pirates from taking more ships.

On the morning of the fourth day, the darkness retreated and overcast skies thinned to allow the glow of daylight. The sight eased some of the tension from Wilek’s shoulders, yet he kept up his guard until the sun shone brighter and the clouds parted to show a blue sky beyond.

Captain Bussie reported minimal damage to the ship. As to the state of the passengers, Rayim had encountered lots of seasickness, several dozen minor injuries, one dead from a fall down the stairs, and a total of thirty-one lost to the fever. But it was Admiral Livina’s words that made Wilek’s chest tighten.

“At least twenty ships missing, that we can see from the lookout.”

“What of the Kaloday?” Wilek asked of King Loran’s ship.

“The Kaloday is within my sights, Your Highness,” the admiral said.

Wilek breathed a sigh of relief that they had not lost his father, but he still struggled to keep his voice calm. “Did the missing ships go down?”

“Don’t know, Your Highness. Could be they were only blown off course. Or maybe it’s some of both. I’ve seen no sign of debris in the water thus far, but if they went down days ago, we likely left any wreckage behind.”

“Is there any way to know how many ships were lost and which ones?”

“Once the fleet takes formation again, if a ship is missing, word will come through the flags. But unless we find evidence in the water, there’s no way to know if a missing ship sank or was blown off course.”

“Thank you, Admiral. Bring me a list of the missing ships as soon as you know.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” The admiral departed.

“How many people on twenty ships, Dendrick?” Wilek asked.

“Depends on the type of ship, Your Highness,” Dendrick said. “Likely anywhere from one hundred to seven hundred people per ship.”

Wilek did the math in his head but didn’t want to say such numbers aloud.

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