Ndrek met them in the hall, and he smiled at Auburn. “Are you ready, my dear? It may be a shock for you leaving the palace.”

Leopold frowned.

“She most likely has not been outside of these walls since the sultan purchased her.”

Auburn steeled her resolution and knuckled away her tears. “I won’t get to Tamryn staying inside the palace.”

“Put this on.” Leopold tossed her his cloak. “It’ll keep the worst of the sand off you.”

It would also help hide her.

Auburn slipped on the enormous cloak and hid her hair under the deep hood. Her heart ached, and her chest felt painfully tight, but she huddled into the cloak and followed Leopold and Ndrek.

There was something about Leopold that commanded obedience, and no one stopped them as they walked out of the palace and climbed into the waiting coach.

Auburn stayed buried beneath the folds of the cloak despite the heat. As the vehicle passed through the palace’s walls, she gripped the edge of the seat and sucked in a breath. Squat buildings and sand-strewn streets replaced the vibrancy and grandeur of the palace. She inched closer to the Knight, her nose wrinkling at the smell of animals, cooking food, and unwashed bodies.

“Your first look at freedom,” Ndrek said.

“I’m not sure I like it, but my son will.”

“Son?” Leopold’s fists balled. “Eli said... I’m gonna kill him.”

Auburn touched his arm. “I’m not with child, but I want to be a mother someday. And I want my son to be born free.”

“You will be a good mother,” Ndek said. “Few are brave enough to risk all that you have to give their children freedom.”

Leopold shook his head. “Eli’s a fool.”

Auburn blanched and stared down at her hands.

“The Dragon Church swears allegiance to the Crown, but they do not do so blindly,” Ndrek said.

“We make sure the man wearing that pretty trinket is worthy to wear it.” Leopold leaned back in his seat. “Eli hasn’t proven that yet.”

“He would make a good king. Hard but fair,” Auburn said.

Leopold paused. “Maybe he will, but that’s up to him and the Dragon God.”

“He’s worried about what will happen to Tamryn when his father dies.”

“He’s not the only one.” Leopold shook his head. “Boy had promise for a time. Might again.”

“Had promise once?” Auburn asked.

“Boy’s always fought for what he’s wanted, and he’s good at getting it. He used to want the right things.”

“Prince Eli wants to keep Tamryn safe and protect children he doesn’t yet have. He’s willing to sacrifice a lot to do it.”

“He told you that?”

“Yes, but I didn’t mean to betray his confidence. I’m surprised you didn’t know that.”

Leopold fell into a thoughtful silence, and Auburn focused on the sand-strewn streets until their coach pulled up in front of the docks.

She gazed up at the huge ship that waved Tamryn’s flag, and her heart fluttered at the large gold dragon symbol.

“Not that one,” Leopold said as he led her towards a much smaller smuggler’s ship.

Auburn froze on the pier, panic sealing her throat. This was the ship from her visions, the one she’d seen sink a dozen times.

Leopold tugged her arm, but she stayed rooted. “You coming?”

She licked her dry lips and fought for words. “We can’t get on that ship.”

“We must,” Ndrek said. “The flagship is here for Prince Eli. It will wait to take him back.”

“That ship,” she said and pointed to the commandeered pirate vessel, “will sink before we can set sail.”

“What in the seven hells are you talking about?” Leopold said.

Ndrek’s eyes narrowed as he glanced from Auburn to Leopold. “She may have information of which we are unaware.”

“Unless I’m as old and senile as Eli wants me to be, Auburn’s on the up and up. Only one she was conspiring with was herself, and that was to get the hell outta Qumaref.”

“It is possible whoever gave the king misinformation has an accomplice in Qumaref. If that accomplice knows only two Tamarians arrived, but three left the palace under the shadow of secrecy, the accomplice may presume the third person is Prince Eli.”

“So?”

“If the first assassination attempt did not work, sinking the ship Prince Eli is returning to Tamryn on would be a viable second option.”

“I’m not buying it,” Leopold said as he glared at Ndrek. “How much did Eli pay you to get me to bring the girl back to him?”

“He was wise enough not to try, and caution would be prudent. How often does a slave resist her master? Or try to delay her trip to freedom?”

Leopold cursed under his breath. “Keep her safe. I’m holding you responsible for her, and you won’t like what happens if you disappoint me.”

“Please don’t go on the ship.” Auburn caught Leopold’s arm. “I’m not sure when it will sink.”

“I can’t leave the crew aboard if the ship is gonna sink.”

“We will follow Sir Leopold but stay on the docks. Whoever is after Prince Eli won’t strike until the prince, as played by you in Sir Leopold’s cloak, is aboard.”

Leopold cursed as he stomped down the docks and onto the ship. Auburn followed Ndrek and waited beside the ruddy-skinned man as Leopold boarded the smuggler’s ship.

Standing quietly as they waited, the smell of dead fish and brine assaulted her, and Auburn dipped her head to hide her nose in the voluminous cloak. The heat of the sun pounded down on them, and the screaming gulls mixed with the blur of voices into a cacophony that made her head ache.

Auburn moved closer to Ndrek.

“It will get better,” Ndrek said. “The strange will become familiar.”

“I don’t miss my comfortable prison in the seraglio. At least not yet.”

“You may from time to time, but you have something you are running toward. That is very powerful.”

“You’re from Qumaref?” Auburn asked.

“Once, perhaps, but Tamryn is my home now.”

She motioned to his robes. “Are you a wizard?”

“I studied magic in Qumaref, but when my master learned of it...” Ndrek smiled, showing his perfect white teeth. “I found my way to Tamryn.”

Auburn nodded her understanding. “Do you like it there?”

“Better than Qumaref, certainly.”

“Will you tell me more about Tamryn?”

Ndrek tried to allay her nervousness with tales of his deeds and misdeeds in Tamryn, and his various run-ins with the Knights of Valor.

Auburn hid her smile behind her hand. “It sounds as if there are many differences between Qumaref and Tamryn.”

“So there are, but both have much they can learn from each other. Neither country is willing to admit that, however.” Ndrek glanced at the ship. “It would not take so long if there was nothing to find.”

Auburn peered at the ship, and her eyes clouded. “The ship will still sink. When it sets sail, there will be three ships waiting. Two of them will go down, but the third will prevail.”

“Do you know where the ships will attack?”

She shook her head. “I can only see the ocean, and it all looks the same.”

Ndrek’s voice dropped to less than a whisper. “What if you look up? Can you see the stars at the site of the attack?”

Auburn tipped her head upward, her eyes focusing on nothing. “The stars look the same as they do over Qumaref.”

“So the attack would not be far from these shores. Makes sense if they are uncertain about our route home.”

She turned her attention back to the docks. “We shouldn’t get aboard that ship.”

“What about the flagship?”

Auburn glanced at the enormous ship and its heavily armed escort, but her eyes stayed clear. “I’ve seen nothing that makes me believe it won’t return to Tamryn without incident.”

“Harder to take down the flagship and its escort without the Qumarefi navy,” Ndrek said. “Whoever acts does so without official backing.”

Auburn lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know who. If I did, I would tell you.”

Nodding, Ndrek fell silent beside her as they waited.

The sun had climbed a little higher when Leopold clomped down the gangplank toward them.

“What did you find?” Ndrek asked.

“Three powder kegs rigged to blow.” Leopold clipped his words, and his face was tight as his faded blue gaze passed from Ndrek to Auburn. “We’re going aboard the flagship, and this young lady is talking.”

The suppressed anger in Leopold’s voice made Auburn shiver, but she acquiesced and followed him aboard the flagship.

She studied her feet, letting her cloak hide her while Leopold had a few quiet words with the captain. The captain’s eyes widened, and he showed the trio to a room on the ship.

Leopold pulled out a chair and pointed to it. “Sit.”

Auburn did as commanded, folding her hands into her lap and staring down at them. Fear pooled in her stomach and bile burned her throat.

“How did you know?” Leopold asked.

“I didn’t know about the powder kegs.”

“Like hell you didn’t.” Leopold swung around towards her, his anger barely restrained. “Do you know how many men would’ve died because of you? How many kids wouldn’t see their dads come home? I trusted you. Believed you.”

Auburn hung her head, but she said nothing. She didn’t have the words to show him she wasn’t a traitor, to show she was trying to save herself, him, and his crew, so she said nothing.

“Who are you working with?”

She closed her eyes and waited for him to strike her.

Ndrek stepped in front of Auburn. “I do not think she was involved, Sir Leopold.”

“How do you figure that?” Leopold radiated menace as he stood toe-to-toe with the wizard. “She knew the boat would sink.”

“But it will still sink,” Ndrek said. “This time by pirates.”

“What in the seven hells are you talking about?”

“Tell him, Auburn.”

She lifted her shoulders, fear hollowing her voice. “He will believe as he will, but I wouldn’t be aboard that ship tomorrow.”

“And the flagship?” Ndrek asked.

“I have seen nothing to say it won’t make it safely back to Tamryn.”

“Prince Eli would kill us if we took his flagship,” Ndrek said. “But it could get us home.”

“Don’t tempt me.” Leopold studied Auburn. “What aren’t you telling us?”

She said nothing as she continued staring at her hands.

“She is a seer,” Ndrek said. “A very rare and very valuable sorceress.”

“You sure?”

“More logical than her working with men to sabotage the ship she was planning to board.”

“Sorcery, huh?” Leopold asked.

“Most who say they have this ability are charlatans. A few may have visions, but they are unintelligible. Then there are the exceptionally rare seers that See.”

“Can you magic up that spell?” Leopold asked.

Ndrek shook his head. “No wizard has ever created such a spell, or if they have, they have kept it secret. It is the purview of sorcerers. I am very surprised the sultan would have gifted such a talented slave.”

Leopold’s eyes narrowed. “The sultan ever figure out you can do this?”

Auburn shook her head.

“Who knows?” Leopold asked.

“I’ve only told Prince Eli. I didn’t want to, but I was trying to protect him from the assassins.”

“His ‘good’ information,” Leopold said.

Auburn nodded. “But I can’t control it. It comes as it wills, shows what it wishes. Sometimes I see nothing for long stretches.”

Leopold thumbed at Auburn. “You believe her?”

“I know the punishments for not doing as commanded,” Ndrek said. “It was wise of her to hide such a fickle talent.”

Leopold let out his breath. “So we’re stuck waiting and heading home with the flagship?”

“I believe that is the best course of action. At least for the moment.”

Leopold cursed. “I don’t know if I believe in this ‘seeing’ mumbo jumbo, but I didn’t believe in fireballs at first. Was damn glad I had fire resistance on my armor when I learned I was wrong.”

“Have you ‘seen’ anything else while the ship is docked?” Ndrek asked.

Auburn shook her head.

“We’ll stay on the flagship for a couple nights. Learn if there’s anything to these visions before I decide if we go back to Eli and the Qumarefi palace.”

“You are worried he will not let Auburn leave a second time.”

Leopold snorted. “You think he will?”

“Most likely not. Even though we are staying his flagship, I would still ask the crew on both ships to be extra vigilant,” Ndrek said. “We may be pawns in another attempt to kill Prince Eli.”

Leopold let loose a few more expletives as he stormed out of the cabin.

“The visions sound foolish and impossible,” Auburn said. “It took me years to come to terms with them. To learn to listen to them.”

“Oh, he believes,” Ndrek said. “Or he would not be warning the crew.”