I’m supposed to be seducing the Prinz, not passing him off to Crescentia, but that can wait for another day. These ships were built for something, and I have a strong suspicion that it wasn’t to defend a trade route from a pirate who was—as of my meeting with Blaise last night—hiding behind a forest of cypress trees a mile outside the capital.

“Which parts of the ship were you interested in seeing, Lady Thora?” Erik asks me.

As we begin to walk, the other crew members go back to their duties, not sparing me another glance. If Cress were still here, they would be hanging on each word and gesture, but fine clothes or not, I am still Astrean and therefore not worthy of their attention. Which will only make it easier to gain information.

I don my most innocent smile and link my arm through Erik’s.

“I’ve heard stories about the berserkers. Are they as fearsome as they sound? I would love to see one.”

His forehead creases, and he’s quiet for a few seconds before answering. “I’m sorry, Lady Thora. We don’t have any on board at the moment and…well, I’m not sure the Kaiser would approve of showing you any, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

“Oh, of course,” I say, biting my lip and fidgeting with the end of my braid. “I’m flattered, really, to be thought of as so dangerous.”

He laughs, the tension smoothing from his forehead. “Anything else you would like to see?”

I think for a moment, tilting my head to one side and trying to look slow-witted, even while my mind is churning. “I’m not entirely sure. It’s been such a long time since I was on a boat, sir,” I say finally.

I can tell by looking at Erik that he has no title. He’s too dark in hair and skin, and the palms of his hands are rough with hard calluses. His clothes have been torn and mended a dozen times over. If I had to guess, I would imagine he’s not full Kalovaxian, but rather the product of the siege of Goraki—the last country the Kalovaxians conquered before Astrea—taken pity on by whichever highborn man fathered him.

His neck flushes red at my address and he hastily waves it away. “There are no sirs, or lords, or even prinzes on a ship, Lady Thora,” he says.

“Then perhaps there should be no ladies either,” I reply, earning a laugh.

“Fair enough,” he says. “Why don’t we start with the bow and work our way back?” he suggests.

“Oh yes, please,” I say, following him toward the front of the ship. I keep my eyes wide and eager, ready to hang onto his every word. If he’s feeling confident and important, he’s more likely to let something slip he shouldn’t. “I would love to get a better look at the dragon figurehead. Is it true they’re as popular in the North as birds are here?”

“I wouldn’t know, La—Thora. I’ve never been farther north than Goraki,” he says, solidifying my suspicion.

“Well, they must be magnificent at any rate, though I don’t know if seeing them is worth braving the cold weather,” I say.

An idea suddenly occurs to me, though I know it’s a dangerous one that could turn bad very quickly, especially after my berserker question might have already raised his suspicions. But the threat of a partnering with Lord Dalgaard is nipping at my heels.

“I hope it won’t get too chilly in…oh, where was it Søren said you were going? I’ve never been very good at geography,” I say with my best attempt at looking sheepish.

He gives me a sideways glance, but if he finds anything strange about the question, he doesn’t say. He clears his throat.

“The names do tend to run together,” he agrees. “But not to worry—the Vecturia Islands are only a bit north of here.”

That was easier than I expected. Too easy, I can’t help but think—though why should Erik think my question was anything other than an idle query from an idle mind? It’s practically small talk.

The Vecturia Islands. I repeat the name over and over in my mind, determined to remember it. Something about it pricks my memory, but I can’t place it. Hopefully, Blaise will be able to the next time I see him.

Crates of ammunition are stacked next to cannons. I run the numbers in my head quickly. From what I can tell, it looks like each box can hold roughly ten cannonballs, and there are five boxes sitting at each cannon. Søren said there were twelve cannons….That’s six hundred shots altogether. And there are a fleet of these warships, with the largest operating as the command ship, where Søren will give orders from.

“There are an awful lot of cannons,” I say as we walk past another cluster of them.

“The Vecturians are barbarians,” Erik says with a dismissive shrug, though that word chafes. It’s the same word the Kalovaxians use to describe Astreans, though the Kalovaxians are the ones who thrive on war and bloodshed. “We aren’t anticipating too much trouble, but we need to be prepared,” he continues.

I decide to press my luck.

“That sounds dangerous,” I say, biting my lip. “I can’t imagine what would make that journey necessary.”

He opens his mouth to answer, but after a second of hesitation, he closes it again. “Kaiser’s orders,” he says with a tight smile. “I’m sure he has his reasons.”

“He always does,” I reply, hoping my smile looks more natural than it feels.

THE YOUNGER OF CRESCENTIA’S SLAVES is waiting for me on the dock when we disembark. I tell Erik that I’ll pray for his safety before leaving him.

As I approach the girl, her eyes dart around in an effort to avoid mine. “The Prinz escorted Lady Crescentia back to the palace,” she says, “but they promised to send the carriage for us soon.” She’s skinny to the point of malnutrition, yet her cheeks still have a childish roundness. Her large, dark eyes are sunken deep in her face, making her look far older than I’m sure she is.

She doesn’t curtsy, but then, Astrean slaves never curtsy to me anymore. It can too easily be construed as paying deference to a sovereign, and more than a handful have lost their lives for it. The Kaiser has done everything in his great power to isolate me from my people. Even when there are Astrean slaves around, we can never speak, and most of them won’t even look at me. I never used to understand it. I thought he was simply cruel in putting up so many walls around me. But if I hadn’t been so lonely, if I hadn’t felt so separate, maybe I wouldn’t have been so desperate to break myself into what he wanted me to be.

No one can say that the Kaiser isn’t smart. But now I’m determined to be smarter.

The Kaiser would never have approved leaving me alone with an Astrean, even with my Shadows nearby. But maybe this is one of the inches of freedom that executing Ampelio has bought me. I won’t waste it.