Sailing south from Braavos during this season meant going against the ocean currents, but with favorable winds, the journey was steady, if not particularly fast. It took nine full days before the ship finally reached Pentos.
Upon his return, Lynd had initially planned to set off for Qohor immediately, but an unexpected event caused him to change his mind and stay in Pentos for a few more days.
The reason? In just a few days, a rare batch of Wyvern eggs was set to be auctioned in Pentos.
Ever since reading about Wyverns in Malora's writings, Lynd had been intrigued by the idea of acquiring Wyvern eggs to hatch and tame. His ultimate goal was to create a Wyvern-mounted cavalry.
While Wyverns lacked a dragon's ability to breathe fire and were not as powerful in direct combat, they could fly and were strong enough to carry riders—more than sufficient for his purposes.
In his envisioned tactics, Wyvern riders would not engage in direct melee combat but would serve as aerial scouts for the army and as an elite assault force in sieges. They could, for example, carry large quantities of wildfire and drop it from above onto fortresses protected by high walls or positioned in natural strongholds.
Unfortunately, despite his efforts, he had never been able to acquire Wyvern eggs. Wyverns were extremely dangerous and native to Sothoryos. Records described them as highly territorial, living in groups and fiercely guarding their nests. To steal their eggs meant facing an entire Wyvern colony—an incredibly difficult feat.
According to the writings of the famed Septon Barth, some scholars believed that dragons themselves were the result of Valyrian blood sorcery, a hybrid creation derived from Wyverns. Even without the ability to breathe fire, Wyverns were still vastly superior in combat compared to ordinary beasts.
After failing to purchase any eggs, Lynd had even considered making a personal expedition to Sothoryos to obtain them himself.
But now that someone had already brought a batch of Wyvern eggs from Sothoryos, there was no need for him to waste the time and effort.
Since an auction required funds, money would naturally be necessary. Although Illyrio was wealthy in his own right, Lynd had no intention of having him foot the bill. Nor did he plan to attend the auction himself.
Instead, he made his way to the Miracle Merchant Guild's branch in Pentos, instructing its manager to represent the guild at the auction.
As he was about to leave, a thought occurred to him, and he turned to the branch manager. "Do we know who managed to acquire these Wyvern eggs? If they can secure more, we might be able to establish a long-term trade arrangement."
"I doubt they'd be interested in a long-term deal," the manager replied. "The one who brought these Wyvern eggs is Euron Greyjoy."
"Euron Greyjoy?" Lynd was momentarily taken aback. "After all these years in hiding, he finally resurfaces? Why would he suddenly come to Pentos to sell Wyvern eggs?"
"This actually involves us as well," the branch manager explained. "Euron attempted to slip through the Stepstones unnoticed but was discovered by the fleet of the Three Sea Kraken Alliance. A skirmish broke out—he sank two of our ships and killed dozens of our sailors. Later, Lady Asha intercepted his ship with the Black Wind and chased him all the way from the Stepstones to the waters off Pentos, sinking three of his ships in the process. Silence took heavy damage, and if they hadn't made it to shore in time, Asha might have finished him off completely.
"Right now, the keel of Silence has cracked beyond repair, and he needs a new ship. That's why he's putting these rare Wyvern eggs up for auction."
Hearing this, Lynd rubbed his forehead, momentarily wondering if he had trained Asha and the Three Sea Krakens too well—enough to overpower even Euron.
Though Asha and her fleet commanded some of the finest warships in Lynd's possession, their victories weren't due to superior ships alone. In naval warfare, factors like a captain's tactical prowess, the crew's combat skills, and the fleet's coordination were just as crucial as the strength of the vessels themselves.
The Three Sea Krakens had spent years participating in battles, honing their craft. At this point, they were among the world's elite in naval combat. The fact that Asha had managed to single-handedly hunt Euron across the seas was proof enough of how far they had come.
Lynd was also surprised by Euron's sudden reappearance. Since the Greyjoy Rebellion, Euron had vanished without a trace.
Back then, he had escaped imprisonment, stolen a ship from Lannisport, and disappeared into the open sea.
Rumors later circulated that he had exploited a gap in the Iron Throne's withdrawal from the Iron Islands, launching a raid of his own. He looted the Iron Islands, took a fleet and a large number of followers, and fled to parts unknown.
This treachery had enraged Balon Greyjoy beyond measure. Already bitter over his own defeat and capture by the Iron Throne, Balon redirected much of his resentment toward Euron, declaring an indefinite manhunt for his traitorous brother.
Later, reports surfaced that the Redwyne Fleet from the Arbor had encountered Euron in the Summer Sea near the Summer Isles, leading to a naval battle. The Redwynes lost a third of their ships, but Euron disappeared entirely after that engagement.
Since then, no one had heard anything about him—until now.
Because of past speculations about Euron Greyjoy, Lynd had always kept a close watch on him. Even when rumors spread that Euron had sunk to the bottom of the sea during the battle in the Summer Isles, Lynd still had the Miraculous Merchant Guild—whose influence extended across the world—continue gathering intelligence on his whereabouts.
Over the years, they had uncovered some unverified reports. Some claimed that a notorious pirate, bearing a striking resemblance to Euron, had been seen in the waters south of Slaver's Bay. Others reported sightings of Silence near the ruins of Valyria.
Lynd had sent people to investigate these leads, but each time, they came back empty-handed.
Now, it seemed likely that Euron had spent these missing years sailing the seas around Sothoryos. The fact that he had managed to obtain a large number of Wyvern eggs suggested that he had conducted significant exploration of the continent.
However, what puzzled Lynd was why Euron Greyjoy had forced his way through the Stepstones and engaged in a conflict with his own people.
Logically, after regaining his strength, Euron should have returned to the Iron Islands to challenge Balon Greyjoy. Instead, for reasons unknown, he had clashed with the Stepstones fleet, suffered a crushing defeat at Asha's hands, and even lost his prized ship beyond repair. What was he after?
Although Euron had always been known for his madness—both in Lynd's previous life and in this world—madness did not mean stupidity. He would only take such a reckless action if the potential gains outweighed the risks.
"Is Euron still in the city?" Lynd asked the branch supervisor.
The supervisor shook his head. "He disappeared the first day he came ashore. Right now, his second-in-command—a mute from the Summer Isles—is handling matters on his behalf."
"Hiding?" Lynd frowned. "Can we track him down?"
"It won't be easy," the supervisor explained. "Many people in the city are already looking for him. There are rumors that aside from Wyvern eggs, he brought other valuable items. But before Silence made landfall, he hid them away. Plenty of people are hoping to find him and claim those treasures, yet after days of searching, there's still no trace of him. Some suspect he may have already left Pentos."
"If we can't find him, then let it go," Lynd said after a moment of thought. "Send word to all branch offices and contact points—have them keep a close watch on Euron Greyjoy's movements."
"Yes, my lord," the supervisor responded.
...
For the next few days, Lynd remained in a house secretly purchased by the Miraculous Merchant Guild in Pentos. Each day, he received intelligence updates from the guild, and when necessary, he would disguise himself and wander the city, passing the time leisurely.
However, while Lynd's days were relaxed, the same could not be said for the Magisters of Pentos.
As ships returning from Braavos arrived at the docks, they brought news of recent events in the Free City. And upon hearing these reports, nearly every Magister in Pentos came to the same conclusion—Lynd was in their city.
The speculation stemmed entirely from the fact that the Miracle Merchant Guild, which had previously shown no interest in Wyvern eggs, had suddenly entered the auction with an unmistakable determination to acquire them. And in the entire world, there was only one person capable of influencing the decisions of the Miracle Merchant Guild—its elusive master, Lynd Tarran.
Unknowingly, Lynd's influence in the Free Cities had grown beyond imagination. He didn't even need to show himself—just a mere suspicion of his involvement was enough to make the high-ranking Magisters of Pentos uneasy.
At that very moment, Asha Greyjoy, the Sea Witch, was leading her fleet off the coast of Pentos, ostensibly to intercept Euron Greyjoy. Yet no one could say for sure what her true purpose was. Adding to the unease, reports had surfaced of Cannibal, Lynd's sea dragon, appearing in the waters offshore, further fueling speculation and fear.
...
Among the Magisters of Pentos, those who had originally been interested in bidding for the Wyvern eggs began withdrawing from the competition. To them, offending Lynd over something that was, at best, an exotic curiosity simply wasn't worth it—his influence and power were very real.
The auction proceeded as scheduled, without incident. In the end, the Miracle Merchant Guild secured the Wyvern eggs at a price barely above the starting bid. To counteract any negative perception caused by the subtle pressure they had exerted to secure the deal, the guild took a strategic step—they put five Elixirs of the Seven up for auction, while also announcing a long-term commitment to purchasing Wyvern eggs at the same price as the current auction.
This move was met with widespread approval. Beyond the prospect of future trade in Wyvern eggs, the immediate offering of the five Elixirs of the Seven alone was enough to erase any lingering resentment.
Time and again, the miraculous life-saving properties of the Elixir of the Seven had been proven. For the Magisters—figures who constantly lived under the shadow of potential assassination—such an item was priceless.
Unfortunately, the elixir was produced in extremely limited quantities. No more than ten vials were released into Pentos each year, making the sudden auction of five at once an irresistible opportunity. Even Magisters who hadn't originally planned on attending the auction hurried to the venue as soon as they heard the news.
In the end, the five Elixirs of the Seven were sold for prices far exceeding their usual market value. Although the Magisters who won them had paid dearly, none of them regretted it—they were more than satisfied.
...
After the auction concluded, many began paying close attention to where the Wyvern eggs would be sent. Some believed that tracking their movement might lead them to Lynd Tarran, who they suspected was secretly in the city.
But what they saw was the Miracle Merchant Guild transporting the eggs directly from the auction house to the docks, where they were handed over to Asha Greyjoy, who had been waiting there with her fleet. The eggs were then shipped back to Summerhall.
While the Wyvern eggs were being transferred to Asha, Lynd—disguised as a mercenary—had already blended into the ranks of an archaeological expedition from the Sphinx Academy and quietly left Pentos.
...
The Sphinx Academy's expedition was led by Maester Hugh, accompanied by his students, servants, and guards—numbering over fifty people in total.
Their destination was the ruins of Ghoyan Drohe. This ancient city had been built by the Rhoynar, only to be burned by the Dragonlords during their war with Valyria, forcing the Rhoynar to flee to Dorne. The city was abandoned thereafter.
However, Hugh's excavation was not focused on the ruins of the Rhoynar, but on an even older civilization. The Rhoynar had merely built Ghoyan Drohe atop the remains of a much more ancient settlement.
This site had been discovered long ago, and anything of value had long since been looted, leaving behind only crumbling walls and broken structures. Yet Hugh remained interested in it because his research suggested that a significant portion of the ruins remained buried underground, potentially untouched and intact. Believing this section to hold great academic value, he had petitioned the academy for excavation funding years ago.
His request had repeatedly been denied due to lack of funds—until now.
The sudden approval had nothing to do with academic merit. Instead, it was a political maneuver. Recently, Hugh had proposed relocating the academy, a suggestion that had gained traction among many scholars and Maesters, much to the chagrin of the Academy's Archmaester. Unable to openly punish Hugh for stirring unrest, the Archmaester instead found a way to send him away—buying time for the situation to settle before allowing him to return.
Hugh was well aware of this ploy. He also understood the Archmaester's deep attachment to Pentos and knew that, unless forced by absolute necessity, the man would never agree to move the Sphinx Academy.
So he didn't resist the Archmaester's attempt to push him out. Instead, he left the matter in the capable hands of Illyrio. Hugh was confident that by the time he returned from Ghoyan Drohe, Illyrio would have found a way to make the Archmaester reconsider.
...
Hugh had no idea that Lynd had joined his expedition.
Lynd had taken on the guise of a Braavosi mercenary, wearing the mask Jaqen had gifted him before he left Braavos.
Nor did Lynd plan to make contact with Maester Hugh. Once they reached Ghoyan Drohe, he intended to slip away on his own.