The next few hours were filled with arduous labor as the hunters dragged their kills over to the boat. Rather than piling the dead fish on the decks, the armored beasts were tied to the side of boast, turned upside down so that their only weak point was kept out of the water, away from fish that meant be tempted to take a nibble.

When their catch was finally secured, the crew departed. During the hunt, a stiff wind had risen over the lake, and their sails billowed with gusts of wind, as the ship's prow sliced through the choppy waves. The vessel was tossed to and fro in the stormy weather, but Bā’er remained unconcerned.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” he reassured Jasper and Ihra. “Lady Hurbas̆u has blessed us tonight - her hand guides our vessel.”

Feeling more than a little green at the gills, it took some time before Jasper slipped to sleep. Fur and fangs filled his mind, his dreams of flying replaced for the night with visions of gliding beneath the frozen waters, soaring through the forest of kelp in search of prey.

When he awoke, the waves were crashing over the bow while a cold rain, somehow just above freezing, fell. While he had slept, Ihra had retreated below, seeking refuge from the freezing water, but Jasper stayed on the deck. The ship rocked back and forth in the waves, rushing up the crest and falling back down into the trenches, almost like an amusement park ride - if the ride came with a risk of drowning, that is. The sleet rained down in his head relentlessly, but the fires within chased away the worst of the colds. The hunters scurried to and fro across the deck, their actions swift but unconcerned, as they tied the freight securely and brought the sails down.

Fighting his way across the decks, the wind blowing at his back, he reached Bā’er, who stood at the steering wheel. Jasper raised his voice shouting into the wind. “Is this normal?”

Bā’er grinned back at him, the wind whipping his greasy long hair behind him in wild contortions. “Aye, it’s a bit chippier than normal, but nothing this ship can’t handle.” He patted the wheel fondly. “We’ve been through many a storm together, she and I.”

He pointed to something in the distance, and Jasper squinted fruitlessly, unable to discern anything through the icy drizzle and haze. “Not sure if you can see it, my lord, but the harbor of Kār-Kuppû lies a little bit past that peninsula up ahead. The storm is driving us in the right direction, so I reckon we’ll make it more quickly than not.”

Jasper stayed beside the captain, his clothes cycling between wet and dry as his fire fought the continual spray and drizzle. More than once, the waves swept across the middle of the boat, the water draining out through the railings as the hunters fought to regain their footing. One of the hunters was dragged overboard by a particularly large wave, but the men were tied to the ship's mast. Straining to drag him through the frothing waters, they managed to heave their comrade back on the deck, coughing and spluttering.

Eventually, the peninsula Bā’er had described came into view. A rocky promontory jutted out into the lake, jagged boulders peeking up through the rising and falling waves. They steered far to the right, keeping clear of the treacherous waters, before finally cutting back to the left. The waters begin to calm as they sailed into a protected cove, the waves no longer splashing over the sides.

As if to compensate, the rain picked up, driving against the deck with a steady staccato, and Jasper was finally forced to seek shelter below the deck, his fire completely unable to keep up with the icy downpour of the heavens.

The situation below was far wetter than he expected, a layer of freezing water sloshing across the floor, not enough to sink the boat, but more than enough to make things unpleasant. He reluctantly trudged through the waters, brightening as he saw Ihra. She was bundled up in a hammock that swung wildly to and fro as the boat crashed through the waves, her bag from Aphora tightly to her chest as she strove to keep its contents out of the water.

“Where the hell have you been?” She had to scream to be heard over the winds that still howled outside the vessel.

He gave her a lop-sided grin. “Where do you think? Was up on the deck. The storm is pretty awesome actually, assuming, of course, that we don’t sink.”

Ihra shook her head. “You and I have very different ideas of fun.” She pointed to the ceiling, and he followed her direction. “I tied the lyre to the ceiling so it wouldn’t get damaged.”

His grin faded. “Thanks - I should have thought of that myself; it kind of slipped my mind, “ he admitted.

“No problem - wouldn’t want Bā’er to start wondering if he and his men should have all the loot instead of just a share.”

He nodded, bracing himself against the wall, out of reach of the worst of the water. “Why don’t you get in a hammock,” she called.

“No way.” He pointed as she twisted and turned in the air, swinging freely as the boat jostled around. “I feel queasy enough as it is; nothing on earth could induce me to crawl into a hammock right now.”

She winked at him, making fake kisses in the air. “Nothing?”

He laughed. “Not a chance - dry land is my lady right now.”

She pretended to pout before dissolving into laughter.

Quieting down, she asked more seriously, “So what’s our plan once we get to the harbor?”

Jasper shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure.” He nodded his head over to the lyre. “We’ve got to decide what to do with that; if it really is what Sellâ thought it was, it might be worth it to actually take it to the Moon-kissed. I’d also like to find the crafter of my glaive and finally fulfill that quest, but I really don’t even know where to begin to search for him. And of course, there’s the mission from Kas̆dael, although she encouraged me to explore the province, so it can’t be too time-sensitive. I guess let’s wait and see what happens in the city.”

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Their conversation was interrupted by a tremendous thump against the hull. Alarmed, he leapt up, afraid they had crashed into rocks or ice. Another thump, gentler this time, vibrated through the wood, but no water came gushing through. The two climbed up the ladder, the freezing rain immediately drenching them as it poured from the heavens. Through the torrential downpour, he could see the faint outlines of buildings, as the hunters scampered around the deck, tying the boat to the dock.

He squinted, trying to make out the town. It was larger than he had expected, especially since the town hadn't been considered important enough to even be marked on the map Sellâ had given him. But the port was large, dozens of docks jutting out into a large, sheltered harbor, and the town clustered around seemed nearly as large as Hargish.

“My lord!” Jasper turned to see Bā’er bearing down on them, a stranger accompanying them. The new man was shrouded in a thick, oiled coat, the rain sliding off it easily without finding purchase. He approached them with quick, hurried steps, bowing lightly to each of them. “Greetings, lord, lady. I’m the assistant to the harbormaster. The captain said this ship was hired by you, with another close behind, and bears cargo for the market. Is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

The man’s face brightened. “Good, a larger crop of merchants than usual has shown up for the coming market and we feared we’d be short on wares.”

He leaned forward, talking quietly to Jasper. “I would strongly suggest, my lord, that you allow the harbor guard to watch your ship. If you leave the ship alone with these villagers, they might be tempted to help themselves to some of your merchandise.”

Jasper slowly, unsure what to think. His trust had been shaken, time and again, since arriving in Corsythia, so the clerk's words struck a nerve. Of course, for all he knew, the harbor guard might be corrupt itself.

The man continued. “If you are willing to brave the weather for a few hours longer, I’ll send for the auctioneers immediately. They can inventory your stock and that way you can be certain that my men will not steal from you.”

“Alright, that sounds fine.” He turned to Ihra. “Do you want to find somewhere to stay, while I wait with the boat?”

She hesitated. “Are you sure? It would be nice to get out of this weather, but I don’t want to leave you to do all the work.”

He shrugged. “I don’t like being wet, but the cold doesn’t really bother me like it does you. There’s no need for you to stay here being miserable.”

She nodded, more than eager to depart. “All right then, you’ll get no argument from me. When I find a place, I’ll send a messenger.”

The next few hours were long and miserable. The rain poured down relentlessly, without even the slightest sign of stopping, and he was relieved when he saw the second ship finally pull up to a nearby dock with the rest of the treasure. Part of him had feared that the hunters would take the opportunity to slip away with the loot, but it seemed that he either had unfairly misjudged them or their belief that he was connected to the Moon-kissed was sufficient to cow them into good behavior.

Still, Jasper didn't rest easy until the auctioneers had completed their inventory, and the harbor guard had been stationed on the dock. It cost more than a few gold coins for their services but, unless the auction was a complete disaster, he would make that money back at least a hundredfold.

It was late in the night when he finally reached the tavern Ihra had found. After quickly gulping down the waiting food, he made a beeline for the bed, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The room was empty when he woke up. Heading down the stairs, he was surprised to see Ihra deep in conversation with a woman at the bar. Although her face was lit with a smile, her laughter peeling through the room, he could tell from the tension in her shoulders that she was not entirely comfortable.

“Jasper!” She turned to him with a smile. “Come, have a seat.”

He sat down slowly, examining the woman. While few of the Djinn bore his ruddy skin, the woman in front of him was paler than most. Short, curly black horns peaked out of her auburn hair, and when she smiled, he was surprised to see two short fangs in her upper teeth.

She held her hand out to him, and he took it, unsure what was expected. Am I supposed to kiss it? Shake it? Her hand didn’t move, so he went with the first option. Her pale grey eyes widened and she yanked her hand back swiftly, confusion on her face. Damn it. Clearly, that was the wrong choice.

After a moment of indecision, she introduced herself. “I am Qarda Batinūr.” She gazed at him expectantly, her lips drooping a bit when she realized he didn’t recognize the name. “I’m sorry, I assumed you would have heard of me.” She searched his eyes, curious. “Which Moon-kissed lord do you work for?”

Jasper groaned internally as the pieces begin to fall into place - she must be a Moon-kissed herself. He debated for a moment whether to try to brazen the lie out, but decided to risk telling the truth. He had a bargaining chip, after all.

He leaned forward, a wry grin on his face. “The same lord as you, I hope. Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere…more private.” She scrutinized for a second, understanding dawning in her eyes, and nodded curtly. “Very well. I assume you have rooms upstairs?”

She entered the room cautiously, and while she tried to hide it, Jasper could tell that her fingers were contorted in an uncast spell. But she relaxed when she saw the room was empty.

“Have a seat,” he offered. She examined the tavern bed, brushing at it gingerly with the corners of her skirt before sitting down on the edge. He cocked his head, amused, and she stiffened, her words sharp. “Perhaps you have gotten used to slumming it with commoners, but some of us prefer not to sleep in beds graced by a hundred whores.”

Jasper winced, the mental image hard to erase. He had always hated hotels for the same reason, always wondering how many sweaty couples had made love on the same mattress he was trying to sleep on, but he forced himself to shrug, dismissing her words. “So tell me, how did you even hear about me?”

She snorted. “How could I not? The taverns by the ports were full of hunters bragging that they helped a lord from the Moon-kissed defeat an army of bandits and confiscate their hoard. More quietly, a few spoke of a sacred relic that was the true cause for your trip. I admit, I was curious. For the most part, my brethren prefer to remain in our corner of the province so I was interested to meet you. Now, though, I don’t know what to think.”

She cast a critical eye over him, her lips pursed in a scowl. “Judging by your skin, you’re either a lord or a prodigy, but I doubt you’re one of ours. Who do you really work for?”

Jasper sighed as he sat down on the bed beside her, ignoring her shocked expression as she pulled away. “You’re right," he admitted. "I’m not actually affiliated with the Moon-kissed, but the rumors you heard aren’t all lies. We really did find something interesting in the ruins.”

Immediately, she began to bombard him with questions - “What is it? A relic of whom?” - and he held up a hand for her to stop.

“I can't promise you it's a relic. The people we took it from called it the lyre of Damqa.”

Qarda leaned forward, her sense of propriety forgotten as she grabbed his hand. “Please, let me see it.”

He smiled, gently pushing her hand off of him. “I’m sure we reach sort of an agreement. Now, it’s time for you to answer some of my questions.”