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She continued to work the engine, loosing bolts at varying trajectories until all targets had sustained a hit When the last bolt had flown she stood back, perspiring a little despite the cold "Still so a little "It tends to seize up if it’s not oiled frequently, and I think I can in of the bolt-heads"

"Give hness," Count Marven said, his tone now entirely serious "And I’ll ainst any army the Volarians can field"

Lyrna went forward to favour Alornis with a soft e a kiss on her forehead "What else can you show me, my lady?"

CHAPTER SEVEN

Frentis

Illian ducked under the arc of his wooden blade and countered with a jab at his eyes, easily turned before stepping close to trap her ar her close "Noill you do, sister?" he asked in a light tone

He saw her bite back a retort, features red with frustration, detecting the decision in her eyes a fraction of a second too late Her forehead connected painfully with his nose, leaving him stunned for the briefround in a clumsy but fast swipe at his midriff His wooden blade connected with hers an inch fro it aside to thrust into her belly She grunted fro and eyes dark with resent blood from his nose "A little better this tih Practice your scales until s"

She took a deep cal, her tone carefully modulated "Yes, brother"

He left her to it and strode across the deck where his co a trio of their younger et it done in one stroke," he advised, a beefy arm around the chest of a lanky youth named Dallin, a Renfaelin farmhand rescued from slavers shortly before their tiet about finding the veins" Draker deer "Just cut deep and draw it all the way around Then get hold of his hair and pull the head back to open the cut as wide as you can"

Frentis passed Weaver on the way to the stern, Slasher and Blacktooth at his side as they often were these days, seee he had abruptly stopped plaiting rope and begun working strips of leather into a tight arrangeue smile when asked what he was about The creation had initially reseradually become clear as Weaver fixed straps to the concave side and borrowed pitch fro outer surface

"A fine shield, sir," Frentis offered, pausing at his side and raising a hand for Slasher to lick

"A Lonak design," Weaver replied, an oddly fae bone needle to thread twine along the edge of the shield "Though rarely used, since their ressive in nature"

He continued to work, not looking up as Frentisas still as the shifting deck would allow, his sextant trained on the horizon Frentis had no notion of how the device worked or theof the numbers the captain paused to scribble on parchment, but kneas how he fixed their position on this ocean

"Seas are calmer today," he offered In fact it was the first calm day for over a week; the stories he had heard of the Boraelin’s teerated