At the officer's signal, the stair guard closed into a shield wall below the weapons. Malvek joined the central crossbow, putting himself at the head of the men blocking the gate and the prison entrances beneath it.
Below the stairs, low arches opened into the fortress. A guard emerged from one, dragging two women toward a transport tied farther along the dock, the chains from their necks gathered on a ring in his hand.
Alexios saw them too.
"Myrasyn, with me?"
"Yes. Let's do this."
Morgana joined them with Raika and Orianna. Quinlan let the wind fall from the sails and drew a brief current against the hull, stopping the ship alongside the empty paving directly opposite the stairs.
Blossom dropped from the lookout basket and handed the ship's spyglass to a sailor before joining the others at the rail.
"[Gust]."
