“Bet you fifty farthings we will not even need to nock arrows,” another soldier responds. “They’re no match for our—”
His words are buried by a shuddering wail that shakes the world into deafening silence. We all turn as one toward the left Twin, collectively horrified by the sight of it hissing to a halt. The thunderous hose of water shuts off; the team of four stepsback as the wheel ceases its rotations. Their expressions no doubt mirror the one on my own face.
Unguarded doom.
The loss is incalculable. The consequences unthinkable. With the cannon down, our entire left flank is exposed. Longships start to slip through the gap unchecked, rowing with renewed haste. Though the still-functional right Twin attempts to cover the entire anchorage, it is impossible. There are too many ships, all moving with lethal precision toward the exposed vessels. Toward the innocent civilians in those lifeboats.
I watch Hylian soldiers stationed on the outermost ships unsheathing swords and raising crossbows as the enemy moves in. There is nothing more to keep them at bay.
We need that cannon back.
We need itnow.
I move on wind-propelled heels, eyes on the left tower as I shove my way down the length of the sea gate, then sprint up the short set of stone steps. There is not much room to move up here. The horizontal wheel-pump takes up most of the platform. Elevated on a cramped dais behind it, its metallic swivel base soldered straight into the stone, the cannon is steaming faintly but otherwise deathly still.
“Hey!” one of the burly wheelmen barks at me. “You’re not meant to be up here!”
“Leave off, Erdin,” another voice cuts in. “She’s authorized to be anywhere she likes.”
I turn to the sound of the voice and see a familiar face stationed by the steps. It’s Roq, a guardswoman I’ve met several times on my evening strolls—the one who so enthusiastically explained the city’s fortifications. She winks at me when our eyes meet; I nod in thanks.
“What’s going on here?” I ask, turning back to the wheelmen.They are an intimidating crew—barrel-chested with bulging muscles and thickly corded necks—but I do not cower. “Why did you stop firing?”
“Oh, thought we’d take a little break,” one of them drawls sarcastically. “Gods, woman, are you blind? It’s broken down.”
“What’s wrong with it?” I look from him to the gunner on the dais.
The smaller man leans close to the levers, his face contorted in frustration as he attempts to repair whatever is broken. “Swivel mechanism is jammed,” he mutters morosely. “Can’t aim.”
“So…”
“So, we’re fucked.” The biggest of the men, the one called Erdin, grunts, shaking his beefy arms to dissipate the strain in his muscles. “Unless you have a mystical wrench up your sleeve, you’re not needed here.”
I ignore him. My eyes are on the cannon. I do not question myself as I hop up onto the dais, where the gunner is hunched, and elbow him aside.
“Move.”
His head jerks up. “Excuse me?”
“Move,”I repeat, less kindly.
“Look, you can’t just—”
“The rest of you, get that pump going,” I call, cutting him off. “Now.”
When nothing happens, I glance over my shoulder at the four wheelmen. They’re staring up at me, looking mystified. Except for Erdin. He looks more like he wants to tear my head from my shoulders for daring to give him orders.
“Woman, I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but—”
“I am the Remnant of Air. You need aim?I will be your aim,” I hiss, infusing my voice with as much authority as I am able to summon. “Now, do you want to stand here debating with me ordo you want to destroy those longships before they reach the anchorage and slaughter a harbor full of innocents?”
There are several long heartbeats of absolute silence as my words hang in the air. It is broken only by a constant refrain of Frostlander chants—Pull! Pull! Pull!—which grows louder as they near. Finally, Erdin clears his throat and reaches for the sedentary wheel.
“You heard her!” he barks, spurring the others into motion. “Let’s blast the godsforsaken bastards out of the water!”
Later, when Ilooked back, I would have no real idea what came over me; wherever I got the confidence to even attempt it. And yet, in the moment, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind. As the pump engages, water begins to cascade from the cannon with such ferocity, it vibrates the entire tower, shaking me to my very bones.
Ignoring the full-body rattle, I turn my focus inward as I call the wind. Soren may have teased me about lemon levitation, but I am grateful for all those hours I spent lifting objects with tendrils, flinging them with stinging gusts. For though the water is a soul-rending force…