Zephyr had connections in this area too, it seemed. Though in the dead of night, the small port was empty, and the buildings were dark and devoid of life. The night had gone unexpectedly cold, and sleet had begun to fall, stinging at Aurora’s cheeks. She pulled the collared neck of her vest up high, blocking the worst of it, and continued after Kiran.

She could feel the Stormlord out there, toiling away at something; dark souls skulked around the city, lingering in the fields and the small rolling hills, and up in the gathering clouds of the inky-black sky, brushing by the city walls. She did not know what the Stormlord had planned, but she could feel him out there as surely as she could feel the souls he corralled.

When they reached the edge of a dock, Zephyr and Raquim were waiting for them, but no one else was present. The port sat at a bend in the river, where it dipped briefly inside the city limits, but then turned again and continued out into the wilds. The city walls continued on the land surrounding the river with bridges built over each section of water. The bridges were lit with a long line of fire torches, but they were far enough from the dock that Aurora could not see details, only the general shapes of the bridges and the shadow of a guard post on top of each. Aurora slowed to a stop in front of Zephyr, wondering how the woman planned to get them past the guard points. Were the soldiers on duty spies of hers too? Like Taven?

“This won’t be pleasant,” Zephyr said, interrupting her thoughts. “Especially not with the dropping temperatures.”

Aurora frowned. “I am not as spoiled as you think me. I lived in the wilds without basic comforts for quite a time. You underestimate me.”

“I don’t speak of your temporary exile, Princess. I mean your mode of travel.”

“And what exactly is that?” Kiran cut in.

Zephyr gestured to the bridge Aurora had seen before. “There’s a guard on duty watching for boats, so the obvious choices are not available. But luckily, I offer a choice that is far from obvious. We have never been caught on one of our shipments,” she said, nodding to Raquim beside her.

“Then what is it?” Aurora asked.

Zephyr paused, and in the stretched silence, it became harder for Aurora to ignore the bone-deep cold.

“You will be going underwater.”