The news of Prince Jacaerys's death reached Dragonstone and hit like a thunderclap.
Queen Rhaenyra collapsed in grief, reportedly fainting on the spot.
Of the three sons she had shared with Laenor Velaryon, only young Joffrey remained. The loss was devastating.
The other senior Black lords were equally shattered. Lord Corlys, the Sea Snake, aged visibly in a single day—Jacaerys had carried the Velaryon name, after all.
Logar had stayed behind on the Stepstones, so he didn't witness the queen's breakdown. But he could imagine how heartbroken Baela would be, and he silently swore to himself: he would bring Prince Viserys home, no matter what it took.
The aftermath of the Battle of the Gullet delayed construction on the Stepstones for several days.
The World Devourers had fought alongside the dragonriders the entire time, helping clear enemy ships while still defending their own islands. The casualties were heavy.
"Captain Logar, after final counts… we lost eight ships and over two hundred and thirty men," Alyn reported inside the half-finished lord's hall on Bloodstone.
"Broken Spear Island and Bloodstone itself took hits from enemy vessels. Some of the new facilities were damaged. It's going to push back the construction schedule."
Logar rubbed his brow. "Can't be helped. Losses happen in war.
Repair what's broken, compensate the families, and make sure the death benefits for our fallen brothers are paid out immediately—no delays."
Femon shifted uncomfortably beside him, clearly wanting to speak but holding back.
In his opinion, their captain was far too generous. Regular pay on time, extra pensions for the dead—it was practically charity for a bunch of cutthroat mercenaries.
He almost said it out loud, but one look at Logar's steady gaze made the words die in his throat.
"My lord… with all this, our finances are going to be even tighter," Alyn asked carefully. "We still need to finish the islands, expand the company back to a thousand men, and we haven't even paid the final installments on the warships and supplies we ordered from Tidehead and Dragonstone."
Logar didn't bat an eye. Owing the Sea Snake a bit of coin was the least of his worries. He turned to Chaman, who had just returned from Essos.
"I sent you to the Iron Bank of Braavos. What's the result?"
Chaman, still dusty from the road, bowed deeply. He had missed the battle but had seen the drifting wreckage and floating corpses on his way in. The sight had left him even more in awe of the Sea Burner.
"As you wished, my lord, the Iron Bank has approved a line of credit—five thousand gold dragons."
"Five thousand?" Logar frowned. "They think I'm begging?"
He knew the Iron Bank of Braavos was the richest lender in all of Essos. They financed kingdoms across both continents.
Chaman wiped sweat from his brow and hurried to explain. "Five thousand is actually a large sum for them, my lord. I pushed hard for more, and they finally agreed… but only on one extra condition."
"Oh?" Logar raised an eyebrow. "What condition?"
Chaman spoke quickly. "The Lysene Archon, Bambarro Bazanne, owes the Iron Bank a massive debt he refuses to repay.
Braavos wants you to… remove him. As punishment for defaulting.
In return, they'll give you another five thousand gold dragons as a bonus."
"That's insane!" Femon and Alyn blurted out at the same time.
The Triarchy fleet had just been crushed in the Gullet. Lys was weakened, but assassinating their ruling Archon still sounded like pure madness.
Only Logar stayed calm, thinking it over.
He remembered the name from the original story. Bambarro Bazanne had racked up huge war debts and would later be killed during a mutiny by his own unpaid mercenaries. The Lysene archonship would eventually pass to the Rogare family.
In other words, he might not even need to lift a finger to collect the extra five thousand dragons.
"Fine. Tell them I accept," Logar decided instantly. "I was heading to Essos anyway to search for Prince Viserys. If Braavos wants to throw in another five thousand, I'm not refusing."
"My lord, you're going to Essos alone?" Alyn and Femon protested at once. "That's far too dangerous!"
Logar waved them off. "I'll be riding the Cannibal, and Nettles is coming with me on Sheepstealer.
With two dragons, no city in Essos can stand against our fire."
From prisoners taken in the Gullet, they had learned the truth: Prince Viserys was still alive. Sharako Lohar's men had sent him back to Lys as a valuable hostage before their fleet was destroyed.
The moment Logar heard that, his eyes lit up.
True or not, he was going to Lys.
"While I'm gone, keep pushing construction and recruiting. Bring the company back up to strength," he ordered. "I won't be away long. Queen Rhaenyra will summon us again soon enough. Just hold the islands until I return."
Alyn and Femon exchanged worried glances, but they knew better than to argue once their captain had made up his mind.
"Yes, my lord!"
Once his men had left, Logar stared out toward the Disputed Lands.
After the Gullet, he estimated the Triarchy had only about twenty surviving ships left.
From ninety ships to twenty—the Three Daughters had been gutted. Their fragile alliance was about to shatter under the weight of defeat.
The three so-called "Daughters of Valyria" had always schemed against one another; only shared profit had kept them together.
According to the original timeline, their civil war would erupt right after this very battle—each city blaming the others for the losses.
"The Triarchy is bleeding out. This trip to Lys won't just be about finding Prince Viserys," Logar murmured, a cold smile touching his lips.
"I'm going to make them pay—and collect a little interest on everything they owe me."