We left the Bone City before the harbor was fully awake.
Isolde's smallest living ship took us. Deep green hull, pale coral rail, no banners. Lady Sable watched from the high quay and did not waste a farewell on it. Lian and Mei were already moving their watch east. Rhea had gone back to the storm line with a list of hulls she was allowed to sink. The capital could hold for a few days if it had to. The plain could not wait that long.
The crossing was ugly in a quiet way.
The currents Thalia had felt were real. The sea dragged toward the Wound like water going down a crack. Isolde kept the ship off the worst of that pull and still had to fight the hull for every league. I stood at the rail with the thread behind my sternum drawn tight. The closer we came to the outer stair, the more the Seat seemed to notice we were coming back.
Elizabeth hated that.
