Easier to give orders than to obey them, I thought, and then hurried forward. “Sir?” I requested, and then stood an eternity waiting for the master to turn and speak to me, while the mate glared at me for going straight to the master rather than through him.
“Oarsman?” the master said at last.
“Antler Island. If we make for it now, and catch the current in the channel, we’ll practically fly to the cove where the tower is.”
“That’s true. Do you read currents, then, boy? It’s a useful skill. I thought I was the only man onboard with an idea of where we actually are.”
“No, sir.” I took a deep breath. Verity had ordered this. “We should go there, sir. Now.”
The “now” drew his brows together in a frown.
“What is this nonsense!” Justin demanded angrily. “Are you trying to make me look a fool? You’d sensed that we were getting close to each other, didn’t you? Why do you want me to fail? So you won’t feel so alone?”
I wanted to kill him. Instead I drew myself straight and told the truth. “A secret order from the King-in-Waiting, sir. One I was to pass on to you at this time.” I addressed only the master. He dismissed me with a nod and I returned to my bench arid took my oar back from Kelpy. The master stared dispassionately into the mist.
“Jharck. Have the steersman swing her about and catch the current. Take her a bit deeper into the channel.”
The mate nodded stiffly, and in an instant we had changed course. Our sail bellied slightly, and it was as Verity had said it would be. The current combined with our rowing sent us skating down the channel. Time passes oddly in a fog. All senses are distorted in it. I don’t know how long I rowed, but soon Nighteyes whispered that there was a tinge of smoke in the air, and almost immediately we became aware of the cries of men in battle, carrying clear but ghostly through the fog. I saw Jharck the mate exchange glances with the master. “Put your backs into it!” he snarled suddenly. “We’ve got a Red-Ship attacking our tower.”