"Regrettably, we have been to the ports in this region before in the course of this foolish quest," he explains to Skellig. "Therefore, we are known as slaves, and they would happily sell us and everything on the ship to the highest bidder should we be so foolish as to land there without the protection of our former masters."

"The Ring Islands keep no slaves," Kreyu says, voice gentle.

The man laughs, bitter. "Indeed, they do not. But I know Ionika has sent spies, saboteurs and assassins to those Islands in the guise of those seeking refuge. Not to mention the refugees that have fled to those isles in the past century during Ionika's wars of expansion. It would take divine intervention to get them to accept our plea for refuge there."

Kreyu looks THOUGHTFUL at that last statement.