Taking the offensive

Half a month later, in the Sea Cave hall at Torturer's Deep.

Rollo Uhoris rushed in, travel-worn and dusty.

Only Liu Qian and Jelena, who followed him like a shadow, were in the hall.

Liu Qian set down the Valyrian steel sword he had been wiping, his sharp gaze sweeping over Rollo's face, slick with sweat from the journey.

"Rollo, what took you so long?" Liu Qian asked curiously.

Rollo caught his breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "My lord, that trip to Spearhaft was well worth it. Besides the repair materials you wanted, I bought some heavy ballistae and catapults."

He paused and lowered his voice, looking rather pleased with himself. "And there was another big haul. The merchants in Spearhaft had brought in prime timber felled in the Seven Kingdoms, all good material for building large ships. The price looked right, so I took it upon myself to buy a batch. There were also a few skilled shipwrights over in Tyrosh being hounded over gambling debts. With a little sweet talk and a few threats, I brought some of them back too."

He took a swig from his waterskin and continued, "Once I had all the supplies and men, I did as you ordered and spread the news in the taverns and on the docks that Torturer's Deep had a new master. I made it sound convincing, said we'd only just taken over and were run ragged sorting through the junk Kago left behind."

A sly smile spread over Rollo's face. "Heh, turns out news travels faster than the sea breeze. I'd barely left Spearhaft with the fleet fully loaded when a few sneaky ships started tailing us, flying those ragged Cleftjaw Island flags. Those bastards never bother hiding their killing, burning, and looting, as if they're afraid people won't know they're Kago's mad dogs. It took me a hell of an effort to shake them. Had to thread my way through several stretches of hidden reefs."

Liu Qian tapped his fingers lightly on the rough armrest of his stone chair. "Did you get a clear look? You're certain they were from Cleftjaw Island?"

"I'd know them even if they were burned to ashes." Rollo nodded firmly. "The scar-faced man aboard the lead ship is one of Kago's men."

"Looks like Kago has his nose in everything. He's got his eye on the rich prize that is Torturer's Deep."

Liu Qian considered it. "The question is whether this mad shark will dare lunge in and take the bait."

"My lord, let me go." The gleam of a seasoned hunter shone in Rollo's eyes. "Razor Reef, east of Cleftjaw Island, has treacherous currents and reefs packed as tight as blades, but I know a few channels even a ghost couldn't find. I'll cruise around there, pretend to be on patrol or an easy target caught alone. If that brute Kago really can't resist, he'll almost certainly send ships after us. Once we lure them deep into the reefs... heh, that'll be our killing ground."

He gestured with his hands, miming an encirclement closing in.

But Liu Qian frowned slightly. "Is Kago... really that stupid?"

Crab Claw's trap at Torturer's Deep that night was still vivid in his memory. He dared not underestimate these pirate chiefs who had spent their lives steeped in blood.

After a moment's hesitation, however, Liu Qian decided to give it a try.

"Your plan is worth trying, but we'll have to wait until our ships are repaired." He turned to the silver-armored guard beside him. "Jelena, you'll stay at Torturer's Deep and guard our home."

Jelena nodded silently.

With the fine timber Rollo had brought back, skilled Tyroshi craftsmen, and ample supplies, repairs at Torturer's Deep's harbor progressed at remarkable speed.

The three captured large, double-banked warships-the Crab's Nest and her two slightly smaller sisters, the Reefbreaker and the Abyssal Noose-along with more than a dozen small and medium-sized oared ships, lay in the makeshift dockyard like wounded sea beasts.

The craftsmen directed the sailors as they replaced rotten and damaged ribs and planks with freshly felled oak and ironwood, smoothed away splinters with planes, cut mortise-and-tenon joints with woodworking chisels, then carefully filled and sealed the seams with piping-hot fish-bladder glue and tung oil.

Hammering, sawing, and the craftsmen's shouts continued day and night. The air was thick with the pungent smell of fresh wood shavings and tung oil.

For a full half month, Liu Qian lay in wait at Torturer's Deep like a lurking predator, fully prepared for a possible surprise attack from Kago.

Yet all remained quiet in the direction of Cleftjaw Island. They did not even send a proper scouting ship.

The pirates clearly were no fools.

Any assault on Torturer's Deep would have to pass through that narrow cleft channel and face the defenses atop the cliffs, enough to make any attacking force bleed rivers.

Besieging them and starving them out was even more of a pipe dream.

The warm bay within Torturer's Deep was a natural fishing ground, and their stockpiles of dried fish stood in mountainous heaps.

Rainwater also collected in clear pools at the foot of the cliffs, ensuring Torturer's Deep's supply of fresh water.

At last, after day upon day of repairs, Liu Qian's fleet was transformed.

The Crab's Nest's immense, double-decked hull stood proud once more, her masts towering high. Newly mounted heavy ballistae and catapults crouched like steel beasts at the bow and stern, radiating a deadly menace.

The other two main warships had also regained their former might.

Even the medium-sized oared ships had been patched up and armed with ballistae and catapults of various sizes. They looked shabby, but fierce nonetheless.

Liu Qian stepped onto the Crab's Nest's solid deck, with Rollo following behind. "My lord, this is the Crab's Nest, Kago's former flagship. She's yours now."

"Good." Liu Qian surveyed the fleet. "Rollo, now that the fleet is ready, proceed as planned."

"Yes, my lord." Rollo's eyes flashed. He immediately called his five hundred hardened pirates aboard several of the fastest, shallowest-draft medium-sized oared ships.

With their food and fresh water replenished, the ships shot out of Torturer's Deep like arrows loosed from a bow, heading straight for the waters around Razor Reef, east of Cleftjaw Island.

Meanwhile, Liu Qian led Jorah Mormont, a thousand pirate infantrymen, and five hundred silent Dragon Spirit Guardians aboard the main warships and the remaining oared ships, trailing far behind Rollo's flotilla.

"Ser Jorah," Liu Qian said to the still-gloomy knight from Bear Island beside him, "once Rollo lures the fish into the net, close in immediately. Don't let a single one escape."

Jorah merely gave a subdued grunt of assent, but his gaze strayed involuntarily toward Torturer's Deep, where a bond he could not sever held him.

The blazing sun hung overhead, its scorching rays baking the sea and raising suffocating vapor laden with the heavy reek of salt and fish.

Rollo's small ships cruised brazenly around the outskirts of Razor Reef, occasionally approaching Cleftjaw Island's patrol perimeter to provoke them.

Sure enough, within half a day, three patrol galleys flying Cleftjaw Island's flags closed in like sharks scenting blood.

They did not attack immediately. One turned and sped away, clearly going to report, while the other two shadowed Rollo's flotilla at a steady distance, neither drawing closer nor falling farther behind.

Time slipped by in that maddening pursuit, and dusk gradually stained the sea and sky.

Following his planned route, Rollo led the pursuers

slowly toward that stretch of jagged, interlocking reefs and churning undercurrents.

Yet the two ships behind him still only followed at a distance, showing no sign of attacking or calling for reinforcements.

A cool sea breeze swept across the flagship's deck. Unease spread swiftly through Liu Qian's heart like ink dropped into clear water.

Beside him, Jorah Mormont's brow was knotted tight. His rough fingers rubbed unconsciously against his sword hilt, and a warrior's instinct colored his low voice. "Something's wrong. They're stalling. Where are their reinforcements? Where's Kago's main fleet?"

A thought flashed through Liu Qian's mind, and a chill seized him.

"Damn it!"