And at dawn the lookout sighted four tiny specks on the horizon that were the hulls of longships, coming on from Khondor.
XVI. Voice of the Serpent
Carse stood on the afterdeck with Boghaz. It was mid-morning. The calm still held and now the longships were close enough to be seen from the deck.
Boghaz said, “At this rate they’ll overhaul us by nightfall.”
“Yes.” Carse was worried. Under-manned as she was the galley could not hope to outdistance the Khonds under oars alone. And the last thing Carse wanted was to be forced into the position of fighting Ironbeard’s men. He knew he couldn’t do it.
“They’ll break their hearts to catch us,” he said. “And these are only the van. The whole of the Sea Kings fleet will be coming on behind them.”
Boghaz looked at the following ships. “Do you think we’ll ever reach Sark?”
“Not unless we raise a fair wind,” Carse said grimly, “and even then not by much of a margin. Do you know any prayers?”
“I was instructed in my youth,” answered Boghaz piously.
“Then pray!”