A few yards off the starboard side hung Ruha's spell, a glittering wedge of blue air that constantly whirled back on itself, yet steadily drove forth into the fierce night wind. As this wedge moved forward, its fan-shaped tail broadened and stretched back toward the Storm Sprite, until it engulfed the whole of the small cog. A fog of cold indigo vapor spread over the decks, causing the crew to give many shouts of alarm and promise offerings of trea- sure to Umberlee, and eddies of sapphire wind sprang to life atop the taffrail. Azure drafts raced along the wales and undulated through the ratlines, and pale glowing breezes twined their way up the mast to spread along the yardarms.

Then a magnificent flapping arose in the sail. The night wind spilled from its belly, pouring a cascade of swirling turquoise zephyrs down upon the crew, and the small cog slowed. The sailors wailed in fear, tossing many rings and earrings overboard to win the favor of their avaricious sea goddess.

"You wretched witch!" Fowler held the tiller at the length of his arm, and his gray eyes were staring in horror at the pale breeze spiraling along the lacquered sur- face. If it troubled the captain to have the scintillating currents swirling over his green skin also, he showed no sign of it. "What have you done to my ship?"

"I have done nothing to harm her." Beyond the star- board taffrail, Ruha's wind spell had stretched to twice the Storm Sprite's length. The glowing breezes had lost much of their sparkle and swirl, and they were beginning to look like a flight of spears aimed straight across the churning sea. "Perhaps you should change course, Cap- tain Fowler. The wind is about to shift."

Fowler glanced at the shining wind spell, then looked at the great water dune gathering off his ship's starboard side. "I hope you haven't capsized us!"