Chapter Forty-Two: Sailing to Stand Still

Meliu and Ivin Choerkin, outpaces a fleet of Thonian, Brotna, and Hidreng warships to approach Inster, only to encounter a Five Nation blockade under Admiral Yolkon of Thon, signaling potential war or a broken Edan peace. Captain Mulopo, bribed by Meliu’s gems, is conscripted to join the blockade, frustrating their plans. Meliu, plotting to seize the ship, coordinates with Silone sailor Kemin Reden, identifying Segur, a fluent Hidreng-speaking sailor, to impersonate Mulopo in a mutiny. Ivin, armed only with a dagger, prepares to support Meliu’s divine powers, which Kemin underestimates. As tensions rise, Meliu proposes a risky personal plan, inviting Ivin to her bed to lose her virginity, fearing Thonian capture and ritual sacrifice. Despite his love for another, Ivin succumbs to Meliu’s urgency and desire, their intimacy driven by survival and mutual attraction amidst the looming threat of war and capture. The chapter blends strategic scheming, romantic tension, and the specter of a broader conflict, highlighting Meliu’s cunning and the precariousness of their situation aboard a commandeered vessel.

ToP Chapter 41 — Converted Sails
ToP Chapter 43 — A Guarded Life
Trail of Pyres - Main Chapter Listing