by David Weber
And then, as the exploding shells reached a crescendo, Holy Writ’s ammunition did explode. Her main powder store went up like a disemboweling volcano, tearing her to pieces and scattering her fragments across the sea.
A twelve- foot section of Holy Writ’s mainmast slammed into Sword of God’s hull like some demented giant’s battering ram. It hit low enough, and the hull was stout enough, that it failed to penetrate, but Harpahr felt the impact run up through his legs as if the ship had just struck a reef.
Yet he hardly noticed. He was too busy trying to grasp the scale of the disaster which had just enveloped his fleet.
King Sailyswasn’t the only Charisian ship firing shells.
So were HMS Green Hollow, HMS King Haarahld, HMS Port Royal, HMS Wave ... and the effect was terrible. The Imperial Charisian Navy had paid a dreadful price, but it had drawn virtually Harpahr’s entire fleet into close- ranged, furious combat. Now shellfire ripped into a dozen of that fleet’s galleons at once.
Not all those initial broadsides were as deadly as King Sailys’ had been, and none of those other targets simply blew up in the very first exchange. But in some ways, the chains of exploding shells—the repeated chains of exploding shells—were even worse. They were proof that what had happened to Holy Writ hadn’t truly been a fluke . . . and they showed how a ship could be demolished by explosion after explosion.
Hulls were ripped open, huge stretches of decking blew into the air, masts toppled, and flames began to dance and crackle in the wreckage.
It was too much. Harpahr knew what was going to happen. He knew he couldn’t stop it . . . and it never once occurred to him to blame his men for it. How could he? He knew what they’d given and endured. He knew they’d stood toe- to- toe with the vaunted Charisians, and if they hadn’t been as good as the Charisians, they’d been good enough. They’d been winning, trumping Charisian experience and Charisian firepower with numbers and raw courage.
But there were limits in all things, and what ever this new and horrible weapon was, he couldn’t ask them to face it. Not after all they’d already given him. And not when they had no counterweight for it, when the range was too short for the Charisians to miss . . . and when he had no sea room to run for it.
He never knew which ship’s flag came down first. He supposed a careful enough investigation might have determined who it was, which galleon was the first to strike. But it was an investigation he never launched, a question he never sought to answer, because it didn’t matter.
It was the right thing to do, and he knew it.
.IV.
Imperial Palace,
City of Cherayth,
Kingdom of Chisholm
It was cold on the battlements.
Cayleb Ahrmahk stood in the icy wind, staring sightlessly into the driving snow. He’d stood there for three hours, long enough for the front of his hooded parka to turn matted and white, and the tall, sapphire- eyed guardsman had stood at his back the entire time.
Merlin Athrawes, Edwyrd Seahamper, and Sharleyan Ahrmahk were the only people who knew where he was. Sharleyan had wanted to join him, but he’d only squeezed her hand gently, smiled sadly, and nodded at their sleeping daughter. Then he’d kissed her tear- streaked cheek, climbed into the parka, and headed out into the snowy evening.
It was possible the wetness on his own face was only the melting snow.
It was possible.
Finally, his shoulders moved as he drew a vast breath and turned to look at his guardsman, mentor, and friend.
“I didn’t really think they could do it,” he said quietly, the words barely audible, the voice that of the confessional. “I knew they had to try, that I had to let them try, but I didn’t really think they could do it.”
“I know,” Merlin replied.
“It was worse than watching Gwylym,” the emperor said, shaking his head. “All those men—on both sides. All that killing.”
“And Bryahn,” Merlin said softly, and Cayleb closed his eyes and nodded.
“And Bryahn,” he whispered.
Merlin did something he’d never done before. He reached out, resting one hand on each of Cayleb’s shoulders, and then he drew the Emperor of Charis into a tight embrace. He held him there, while Cayleb let his face rest—for a moment, at least—against his armsman’s shoulder.
Merlin felt his own eyes burning as their composites faithfully mimicked the reaction of their flesh- and- blood originals.
The Battle of the Gulf of Tarot was going to go down beside Darcos Sound or Crag Reach. That much, he already knew. What neither he nor Cayleb yet knew, even with access to Owl’s remotes, was how terrible the final cost was truly going to prove.
Lock Island’s twenty- five galleons had been brutally hammered. Eleven of them had been reduced to shattered near wrecks. Three of the eleven had been completely dismasted, and a twelfth ship, HMS Stonehill, had burned to the waterline, then exploded. Merlin wasn’t certain how it had happened, but he suspected the ship had been deliberately fired by one of the Church boarders. He hoped he was wrong, and not just because of the degree of fanaticism that act of self- immolation would represent.
Eight of Domynyk Staynair’s galleons had gotten off with only negligible damage, or even completely untouched, but between them, the other seventeen Charisian ships engaged had suffered over three thousand casualties—four hundred of them aboard Stonehill, alone, when she blew up. That was nearly a third of their total complements, and of that total, half were dead, and many of the wounded were still going to die.
As High Admiral Bryahn Lock Island had died in the final, furious melee aboard NGS Crusade.
Yet terrible as Charis’ losses had been, Kornylys Harpahr’s had been worse. Of the Navy of God’s seventy- four ships, only nine had escaped. Thirty- five of the Imperial Harchongese Navy’s unarmed galleons had been taken, along with six of their armed galleons . . . five of which had surrendered to mere schooners, three without firing a single shot. The remainder of Harpahr’s fleet had managed to escape mainly because there hadn’t been enough Charisians with intact rigging to chase them, and only a handful of those escapees still had any interest in reaching Desnair. The rest were fleeing back the way they’d come.
The surrendered prizes were going to represent an enormous—and welcome—addition to the Charisian Navy’s strength, and their loss represented a body blow to the Group of Four’s plans. Merlin had no idea how the Group of Four was going to respond, but he didn’t expect Zhaspahr Clyntahn to become any less fanatical in the face of this fresh defeat. And despite the Church’s losses, the Temple still had the capacity to rebuild. The question was whether or not its leaders still had the will.
Actually,he thought, I guess that’s not the right question after all. The right question is probably whether or not they see any option except to rebuild and try again.
“ ‘The fortress of Charis is the wooden walls of her fleet,’ ” Cayleb quoted softly. He straightened, stepping back from Merlin’s embrace, putting his own gloved hands on the seijin’s shoulders. “Old Zhan had that right, but he never mentioned the blood inside those walls.”
“No, he didn’t,” Merlin agreed. “But it’s not the walls themselves, Cayleb. And it’s not the blood inside them; it’s the men inside them. It’s men like Bryahn, and Domynyk. Like Captain Baikyr and Dunkyn Yairley. Like Hektor.” He shook his head. “Cayleb, they knew exactly what they were doing... and they did it anyway. They walked straight into that holocaust because they thought it was their duty.”
“Duty!”Cayleb repeated bitterly. “I am so sick—sick unto death—of seeing people die for ‘duty,’ Merlin!”
“Of course you are.” Merlin smiled sadly, reaching out to cup Cayleb’s head between his palms. “That’s because you care. But riddle me this, Cayleb Ahrmahk. If you hadn’t been here in Chisholm, instead, would you have been on the quarterdeck of one of those galleons?”
“Of course I would! It would’ve been—”
Ca
yleb broke off, and Merlin nodded.
“Your duty,” he said softly. “And that’s the true fortress of Charis, and of the Church of Charis, Cayleb. Duty. Responsibility. Love. Because that’s the real basis of your sense of duty, and Bryahn’s, and Maikel’s, and Domynyk’s, and Sharleyan’s. You think I don’t understand about ‘duty,’ Cayleb? That I don’t know how much it hurts? The way it sticks in your throat sideways when you see everyone else you know and love laying down their lives out of ‘duty’? But the reason they do it is the same reason you would—because they love some-thing enough to die for it. They love their kingdom. They love their emperor and empress. They love their church and their God. They love freedom, and they love each other. And that, Cayleb— that—is the true fortress of Charis. I don’t know where this war is going to go before it ends. I don’t know how much more terrible the price is going to be. But I do know that as long as there are men like Bryahn and all the other men who followed him into that battle, the things you and Sharleyan and Maikel and Ahnzhelyk and Nahrmahn are fighting for will always have the champions they need.”
“I know,” Cayleb whispered, closing his eyes again. “And that’s what terrifies me, Merlin. I’m going to need them, and I’m going to call on them, and I’m going to send them out, and they’re going to die.”
“Everyone dies, Cayleb. Or at least, everyone but me.” Cayleb couldn’t see Merlin’s smile through his closed eyes, but he felt the pain, the sorrow in it. “It’s given to some of us, though, to die for the things we believe in. To know our lives—and our deaths—mean something. And it’s your job, Your Grace—your duty— to see to it that those deaths do mean something.”
“I know,” Cayleb repeated very, very softly.
“I know you do.” Merlin put his arm around the emperor’s shoulders and gave him one last, quick hug.
“I know you do,” he said again, more briskly. “But now, let’s go inside and get you wrapped around a bowl of hot soup, Your Grace.” He smiled again. “I think your wife and daughter are waiting for you.”
Characters
ABYLYN, CHARLZ— a senior leader of the Temple Loyalists in Charis.
AHBAHT, CAPTAIN RUHSAIL, IMPERIAL DESNAIRIAN NAVY— CO, HMS Archangel Chihiro, 40; Commodore Wailahr’s flag captain.
AHBAHT, LYWYS— Edmynd Walkyr’s brother- in- law; XO, merchant galleon Wind.
AHBAHT, ZHEFRY— Earl Gray Harbor’s personal secretary. He fulfills many of the functions of an undersecretary of state for foreign affairs.
AHDYMSYN, BISHOP ZHERALD— previously Erayk Dynnys’ bishop executor for Charis, now one of Archbishop Maikel’s senior auxiliary bishops.
AHLBAIR, LIEUTENANT ZHEROHM, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY— first lieutenant, HMS Typhoon.
AHLDARM, MAHRYS OHLARN— Mahrys IV, Emperor of Desnair.
AHLVEREZ, ADMIRAL- GENERAL FAIDEL, DOHLARAN NAVY— Duke of Malikai; King Rahnyld IV of Dohlar’s senior admiral.
AHRDYN—Archbishop Maikel’s cat- lizard.
AHRMAHK, CAYLEB ZHAN HAARAHLD BRYAHN— Duke of Ahrmahk, Prince of Tellesberg, Prince Protector of the Realm, King Cayleb II of Charis, Emperor Cayleb I of Charis. Husband of Sharleyan Ahrmahk.
AHRMAHK, CROWN PRINCESS ALAHNAH ZHANAYT NAIMU— infant daughter of Cayleb and Sharleyan Ahrmahk; heir to the imperial Charisian crown.
AHRMAHK, KAHLVYN— Duke of Tirian (deceased), Constable of Hairatha, King Haarahld VII’s first cousin.
AHRMAHK, KAHLVYN CAYLEB— Kahlvyn Ahrmahk’s younger son.
AHRMAHK, KING HAARAHLD VII— King of Charis.
AHRMAHK, RAYJHIS— Duke of Tirian; Kahlvyn Ahrmahk’s elder son and heir.
AHRMAHK, SHARLEYAN ALAHNAH ZHENYFYR AHLYSSA TAYT— Duchess of Cherayth, Lady Protector of Chisholm, Queen of Chisholm, Empress of Charis. Wife of Cayleb Ahrmahk. See also Sharleyan Tayt.
AHRMAHK, ZHAN— Crown Prince Zhan; King Cayleb’s younger brother.
AHRMAHK, ZHANAYT— Queen Zhanayt; King Haarahld’s deceased wife; mother of Cayleb, Zhanayt, and Zhan.
AHRMAHK, ZHANAYT— Princess Zhanayt; Cayleb Ahrmahk’s younger sister, second eldest child of King Haarahld VII.
AHRMAHK, ZHENYFYR— Dowager Duchess of Tirian; mother of Kahlvyn Cayleb Ahrmahk; daughter of Rayjhis Yowance, Earl Gray Harbor.
AHRTHYR, SIR ALYK, CORISANDIAN GUARD— Earl of Windshare; Sir Koryn Gahrvai’s cavalry commander.
AHSTYN, LIEUTENANT FRANZ, CHARISIAN ROYAL GUARD— the second- in-command of King Cayleb II’s personal bodyguard.
AHZGOOD, PHYLYP— Earl of Coris; previously spymaster for Prince Hektor of Corisande; currently legal guardian for Princess Irys Daykyn and Prince Daivyn Daykyn.
AIMAYL, RAHN— a member of the anti- Charis resistance in Manchyr, Corisande. An ex- apprentice of Paitryk Hainree’s.
AIRYTH, EARL OF— see Trumyn Sowthmyn.
AIWAIN, CAPTAIN HARYS, IMPERIAL CHARISIAN NAVY— CO, HMS Shield, 54.
ALBAN, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER NIMUE, TFN— Admiral Pei Kau- zhi’s tactical officer.
ANVIL ROCK, EARL OF— See Sir Rysel Gahrvai.
APLYN- AHRMAHK, ENSIGN HEKTOR, IMPERIAL CHARISIAN NAVY— Duke of Darcos; acting lieutenant, HMS Destiny, 54. Cayleb Ahrmahk’s adoptive son.
ARCHBISHOP MAIKEL— see Archbishop Maikel Staynair.
ARCHBISHOP PAWAL— see Archbishop Pawal Braynair.
ARTHMYN, FATHER OHMAHR— senior healer, Imperial Palace, Tellesberg.
ATHRAWES, CAPTAIN MERLIN, CHARISIAN ROYAL GUARD— King Cayleb II’s personal armsman; the cybernetic avatar of Commander Nimue Alban.
AYMEZ, MIDSHIPMAN BARDULF, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY— a midshipman, HMS Typhoon.
BAHLTYN, ZHEEVYS— Baron White Ford’s valet.
BAHNYR, HEKTOR— Earl of Mancora; one of Sir Koryn Gahrvai’s senior officers; commander of the right wing at Haryl’s Crossing.
BAHR, DAHNNAH— senior chef, Imperial Palace, Cherayth.
BAHRDAILAHN, LIEUTENANT SIR AHBAIL, ROYAL DOHLARAN NAVY— the Earl of Thirsk’s flag lieutenant.
BAHRMYN, ARCHBISHOP BORYS— Archbishop of Corisande for the Church of God Awaiting.
BAHRMYN, TOHMYS— Baron White Castle; Prince Hektor’s ambassador to Prince Nahrmahn.
BAHRNS, KING RAHNYLD IV— King of Dohlar.
BAIKET, CAPTAIN STYWYRT, ROYAL DOHLARAN NAVY— CO, HMS Chihiro, 50; the Earl of Thirsk’s flag captain.
BAIKYR, CAPTAIN SYLMAHN, IMPERIAL CHARISIANNAVY— CO, HMS Ahrmahk, 58. High Admiral Lock Island’s flag captain.
BAIRAHT, DAIVYN— Duke of Kholman; effectively Emperor Mahrys IV’s Navy Minister, Imperial Desnairian Navy.
BANAHR, FATHER AHZWALD— head of the priory of Saint Hamlyn, city of Sarayn, Kingdom of Charis.
BARCOR, BARON OF— see Sir Zher Sumyrs.
BAYTZ, FELAYZ— Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald’s youn gest child and second daughter.
BAYTZ, HANBYL— Duke of Solomon; Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald’s uncle and the commander of the Emeraldian Army.
BAYTZ, MAHRYA— Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald’s oldest child.
BAYTZ, NAHRMAHN GAREYT— second child and elder son of Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald.
BAYTZ, NAHRMAHN HANBYL GRAIM— See Prince Nahrmahn Baytz.
BAYTZ, PRINCE NAHRMAHN II— ruler of the Princedom of Emerald; Cayleb and Sharleyan Ahrmahk’s Imperial Councilor for Intelligence.
BAYTZ, PRINCESS OHLYVYA— wife of Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald.
BAYTZ, TRAHVYS— Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald’s third child and second son.
BÉDARD, DR. ADORÉE, PH.D.— Chief Psychiatrist, Operation Ark.
BISHOP EXECUTOR WYLLYS— see Bishop Executor Wyllys Graisyn.
BISHOP ZHERALD— see Bishop Zherald Ahdymsyn.
BLACK WATER, DUKE OF— see Ernyst Lynkyn.
BLACK WATER, DUKE OF— see Sir Adulfo Lynkyn.
BLAHNDAI, CHANTAHAL— an alias of Lysbet Wylsynn in Zion.
BLAIDYN, LIEUTENANT ROZHYR, ROYAL DOHLARAN NAVY— second lieutenant, galley Royal Bédard.
BORYS, ARCHBISHOP�
�� see Archbishop Borys Bahrmyn.
BOWAVE, DAIRAK— Dr. Rahzhyr Mahklyn’s senior assistant, Royal College, Tellesberg.
BOWSHAM, CAPTAIN KHANAIR, ROYAL CHARISIAN MARINES—CO, HMS Gale.
BRADLAI, LIEUTENANT ROBYRT, CORISANDIAN NAVY— true name of Captain Styvyn Whaite.
BRAYNAIR, ARCHBISHOP PAWAL— Archbishop of Chisholm for the Church of Charis.
BREYGART, COL O NEL SIR HAUWERD, ROYAL CHARISIAN MARINES— the rightful heir to the Earldom of Hanth. Becomes earl 893.
BREYGART, FRAIDARECK— fourteenth Earl of Hanth; Hauwerd Breygart’s great- grandfather.
BROUN, FATHER MAHTAIO— Archbishop Erayk Dynnys’ senior secretary and aide; Archbishop Erayk’s confidant and protégé.
BROWNYNG, CAPTAIN ELLYS— CO, Temple galleon Blessed Langhorne.
BRYNDYN, MAJOR DAHRYN— the senior artillery officer attached to Brigadier Clareyk’s column at Haryl’s Priory.
BYRK, MAJOR BREKYN, ROYAL CHARISIAN MARINES— CO, Marine detachment, HMS Royal Charis.
BYRKYT, FATHER ZHON— an over- priest of the Church of God Awaiting; abbot of the Monastery of Saint Zherneau.
CAHKRAYN, SAMYL— Duke of Fern, King Rahnyld IV of Dohlar’s first councilor.
CAHMMYNG, AHLBAIR— a professional assassin working for Father Aidryn Waimyn.
CAHNYR, ARCHBISHOP ZHASYN— Archbishop of Glacierheart for the Church of God Awaiting; a Reformist member of Samyl Wylsynn’s circle.