Chapter 402: Over Storm Tossed Seas
"Starboard three-zero!" Valera Rubi, Captain of the Queen of Iron shouted over the roar of the tide and wind, dominating both thanks to the mana enhancing her vocal chords - and indeed the rest of her petite catkin body. As befit her status, she wore a high-collared leather jacket and a rakish hat to help with the cold, which was winterlike for the ocean despite it being the height of spring.
Her pilot called back the command as he turned the wheel, arms throbbing with mana, while the crew struggled to tack the sails for their new heading. She kept her eyes on the horizon a moment longer, then turned to find the other two ships in her expedition changing course to follow.
Like the Queen of Iron, the SteelRorqual was a fast clipper, under the command of one Captain Peot. Val held back a wince as the Rorqual crested the short side of a wave, crashing with enough force that the reinforcement runes flared amidships. Her freedom rested on the safe delivery of all three ships to harbor - and their cargo.
Behind them, a five-masted barque - its sails fanned like a facsimile of a rising sun - struggled hard against the large wave that the Queen and Rorqual had barely avoided. The forward reinforcement runes throbbed from the sheer force they deflected as the barque cut through the wave like a fat finger through melted butter, steam rising where some misspent magic vaporized the foam it touched.
For a moment she could see the name Bitch of Catsperch as the wards lost their glow.
Hold together you bitch. Heaven’s orders.
She thought uncharitably about the nigh-foundering hulk, which had been the constant bane of her forays from the Shattered Isles. The task of bringing her to Ironport was daunting, but Valera couldn’t exactly say no to her employers.
At least they had the prudence to order basic supplies instead of fucking cargo.
"Viper" Val had a reputation to maintain.