“Dozens of armed men on deck,” she said. “I’d guess a lot more are hidden belowdecks in that transport. Lots of rail slings, fire launchers, and something else mounted forward on the starboard and port bows of both warships.”

“Let me see,” he said.

She stepped aside for him, letting him peer through the scope. He needed only a moment. “Flash rips,” he announced.

Strictly forbidden everywhere—something everyone in the Four Lands knew. Her uneasiness increased. Flash rips were big, dangerous weapons—cannons equipped with specially crafted diapson crystals that could burn an entire airship and everyone aboard it to ash if they locked on their target from close enough. Showing weapons of this sort made it clear the Federation meant business. At the very least, it was attempting to intimidate the Druids with a show of firepower. At worst, it intended to put that firepower to use.

“The warship on the right is the Arishaig—the Federation fleet’s flagship,” Bombax added a moment later.

“Is this Drust Chazhul’s doing, do you think?”

He shook his head. “It’s possible.”

She locked her fingers on his arm tightly. “They know the Ard Rhys and the others are gone. I can feel it. Are the defenses up?”

He turned to her, his smile broad and relaxed. “Always. We’re safe enough if they’ve come to play games. But let’s see what they want before jumping to conclusions.”

He leaped down off the platform and headed for the outer door. Aphenglow and Arling followed on his heels, all of them moving out of the tower and onto the catwalk that led to the parapets. They navigated the walkways until they had reached Krolling and a gathering of other Trolls standing just above the south gates, watching the Federation fleet approach.

“Any signals from them yet?” Bombax asked, immediately assuming command.

Aphenglow might have resented this more if he hadn’t been senior to her. As it was, she felt a hint of annoyance that he did not say anything to her first. But she recognized it as an irrational response born of her ongoing irritation with his poor judgment in Varfleet, so she kept silent.

“No signal of any kind.” Krolling was big and burly and had the size and look of an immovable boulder. Garroneck’s second in command was steady and capable.

Druids and Trolls and Arlingfant stood in a cluster atop the south gate, waiting for the airships to reach them.

“You should get under cover,” Aphen whispered to Arling.

But her sister shook her head. “You might need me to help you.”

They stayed silent after that, although Aphen moved down the parapets so that she and Arling were standing apart from the others. It was an automatic response to the realization that they should not all stand in one place where there was at least the possibility of an attack.