Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Oath, Part 4

The thought slipped away as the shadow-bird lifted from the wood of the deck and flew into the air, soaring away on magic toward the ship with royal purple sails. That wasn't possible. Shadows were always tethered to surfaces, even when being manipulated.

"You can't—" Cemal rounded on Binhadi. "You can't do that. Shadows can't be freed that way. It's not how they work."

Binhadi looked even more stunned than Cemal and Sule. "I know. I just… had a strange feeling. I didn't think it would work. I just wanted to see what would happen."

Mahzan looked ill and furious. "Your magic is evolving."

Binhadi whipped around to look at him. "That's—" He broke off as an arrow flew from the royal ship and passed harmlessly through the shadow bird. "I see we've been spotted."

"Soldiers must have been set to watch the ship, and send word if anyone showed up," Sule replied. "Most survivors would not take such a measure, so either the king has survived, or some prudent noble made it this far."