The Luminous Wake raced from the thick of battle, dragging as many Bullet ships from the fight as would follow. Nettle brought them alongside the Rock Isles and tucked the ship in close to the cliff wall. This far south of Cloudbreak, the wall was pocked with skinny, sharp coves and unexpected peninsulas. Sticking close wasn’t easy, and that was exactly what they were counting on—Caledonia wanted these Bullets looking at her and not the minefield they were sailing through.

She heard the first gentle plunk of metal on metal as a mine snapped against their own hull, and her heart lurched involuntarily.

“Damn,” Nettle cursed softly. “Sorry, Captain.”

“It’s all right,” Caledonia reminded her. “We expected to pick up a few. Just make sure it’s only a few.”

They’d laid this field themselves. Each mine was connected to a remote, and when triggered they could punch a hole in nearly any hull. Preferably not their own.

Nettle gave a tense nod, focusing on the way ahead. Oran stood at her shoulder, gently reminding her where the path through them was without directing her movements.

“Incoming!” Amina’s voice announced the arrival of eight pursuing ships just as the first spray of gunfire shattered against their hull.

“Don’t rush it, Nettle,” Caledonia said, standing firmly in the center of the bridge. “We want them right on our tail.”

Above them, Amina gave the order to return fire. Beneath it all, Caledonia heard the subtle plink of another mine connecting with their hull. Nettle heard it, too, shoulders hunching in disappointment.

“Stay steely, girls, this is the plan.” Caledonia caught Oran’s wry grin at being folded in with her girls. She returned it, then swiveled to survey the field behind them.

The eight pursuing vessels were fanning out, perhaps having realized they’d stumbled into a minefield. Farther behind them, the bulk of the fleet struggled against the deepships. They’d dispersed in an attempt to better understand the attack, and from the looks of it, they’d lost more than a few ships already.

How many of her own had she lost? It was a question she couldn’t afford to pursue.

“Captain, we’re coming up on the cove.” Oran pulled her attention forward once more. The cove was hidden just ahead. It was time.

“Do you think—” Nettle began.

“We’re not here for speculation, Nettle. Full speed,” Caledonia said.

The engines roared, and they pushed ahead of the ships on their tail. Caledonia watched their lead grow, and the instant it was long enough, she retrieved the remote and ordered Oran to hit the pulse.