Meera sat in stunned silence, struggling to process what she had just heard.
She had suspected it, deep down, from the moment he had demanded she scout those isolated islands. But to hear Ulrich confirm it aloud was another matter entirely. He intended to build a fleet. An armada of warships capable of dominating the tides.
Ulrich already possessed a formidable military force, a highly disciplined army of footmen and cavalry designed solely to police and protect his vast terrestrial borders. To expand his military power to the open water meant he intended to extend his reach far beyond his own territory. It was clearly a personal ambition. And knowing him, this was no idle whim.
He definitely harbored a good reason for such a monumental undertaking, and her curiosity burned. Yet she knew better than to pry. He had already revealed an immense secret simply by speaking his intentions aloud.
