In their preparations to sail they had made a point of placing a sailor from the prison ships on board each attack vessel. They’d hoped that such knowledge might enable them to avoid troublesome areas of ocean, where the deep pirates were known to operate and decapuses stalked. And, so far, that idea had worked well. They had sailed a curving route from Alderia, heading in towards Skythe to the east of the main islands of the Duntang Archipelago. Amongst those islands was where the largest, oldest of the deep pirates dwelled, surrounded by evidence of their plunder and the displayed bodies of their many victims. But in the open ocean, spinebacks were the greater danger. Their navigators had ploughed a careful path through violent seas. The Spike were always at the ready, but as they drew closer to Skythe, Sol could sense the relaxing of guards. We’re not there yet! he’d screamed at his Blade over dinner, and they armed up and went on deck for drills. The deck guns needed easing and greasing, gears and actions being constantly assaulted by the aggressive saltwater, and they unpacked and rewrapped their various hardweaponry.
