The report came at the second hour after midnight.
Not one report — three, arriving within the span of an hour from three separate watch stations along the northern coastal extension. Hector had chosen the stations himself when he implemented the expansion: positioned at intervals that would reveal whether sightings were isolated or connected. Three stations reporting simultaneously meant connected.
Fylon brought the first two to Lysander's quarters. He had the specific quality he sometimes had at night — the contained urgency of a man who had decided the information could not wait for dawn.
He said: *"Northern watch. Three stations."*
Lysander was already sitting up.
*"Tell me."*
*"First station — two hours' ride north. A large number of open boats sighted moving south along the coastline. The watcher counted more than thirty before the darkness made counting unreliable. Moving steadily. Not stopping."*
*"The second."*
