* * *
Manicured grasses rushed beneath. Issuing a triumphant grunt, the dragon thrust out its wings and somehow caught the wind. With a gut-wrenching upward lurch just before reaching the cliff, they plunged over the edge and toward the rocky shoreline below, lacking the speed most airplanes required for liftoff.
The drop in air temperature was noticeable almost immediately. Riette clutched Emmet to her and gritted her teeth while falling toward the docks. Ships lined the deep inlet, sheltered from storms and forming a prickly fence.
The tall man showed no emotion, and Tuck was almost composed. Emmet appeared to be enjoying himself. Riette screamed.
Well before colliding with any of the ships, the dragon spread its wings wider. Using their speed, the beast aimed for broad, white beaches, where the air grew warmer. Circling the updrafts moved them higher but far too slowly. No sooner had they cleared the cliffs than the first diesel planes raced past them. From an open side door, men in dark coats watched.
One pulled a portable air cannon from within his coat and aimed it at them. It fired with a thump, and a moment later, projectiles struck leather and scale. The dragon grunted but flew on, still climbing upward. The diesel plane gained altitude, turning in a wide sweep. A second plane took off, not showing any signs of Al'Zjhon. A third plane flew in from the south and dusted the airstrip before soaring out over the harbor. This plane was easily identified as a Zjhon aircraft, and it bristled with weaponry. How could they be there? Sparrowport should have been far beyond their range.
Turning in tight circles, the dragon gained what altitude she could before any planes returned. Defenseless against the enemy, their only chance was to hide. But still they spiraled higher.
"What are we doing?" Riette asked. The tall man ignored her. Tuck shrugged. "Does he ever talk?" she asked the boy.
"The cap'n used to talk a lot," Tuck said. "Not much no more. Don't need no words, though. He says what he means just fine. You'll see."
From the wood panel before her came a popping sound followed by fizzing and a dull glow. A sign showing two hands gripping handles was illuminated.
"The cap'n has turned on the 'hold on for dear life' sign," Tuck said. "You really should'a put the kid in the box. Hold on now. Here we go."
The dragon raced back toward the airstrips with alarming speed. Airplanes approached from two directions. They were doomed. Emmet grinned beside her as if none of this were real, as if they were in one of the stories he liked so much and nothing could actually harm them.
Airships now lumbered into the skies, and balloons drifted on the wind. While racing past the airfield, Riette saw Brick holding his head and boarding a balloon. At least he was alive. Too bad the world had gone mad. She would have liked more time with him.
"What's its name?" Riette asked, trying to calm her nerves.
'"Her name is Dashiq. And she's a battle dragon."
The captain turned his head and glared at Tuck for an instant. The boy went silent.
A female dragon. Riette never would have guessed. There was nothing feminine about their mount, just a terrifying reptilian predator, and this one near the end of her days.
Just then the Zjhon plane returned, falling in behind. Flitting from side to side, Dashiq did what she could to keep the plane off her tail. Air cannons sounded in rapid succession. Stone shot flew overhead, devastating historic buildings instead of their intended target.
Dipping lower, the dragon raced between buildings, wings trimmed, dodging the falling debris and executing a sharp turn before soaring down a back street. The Zjhon plane roared above, low and slow. Just before the plane passed overhead, the dragon flew straight up, pinning Riette and Emmet back in their seats. Pumping her wings and using claws to run up the side of a tall building, the dragon thrust herself skyward, colliding with the Zjhon plane in midflight. A single bite ruined the plane's tail section, severing structural supports and controls.
It was over in an instant, and they soared over the streets of Sparrowport, unmolested. Anyone who saw Riette and Emmet now would certainly never forget.
A second plane passed overhead. Dashiq broke free of town and raced upward again, this time tracing the contour of a ridgeline where the cold, unpredictable updrafts gave them extra lift. Clouds gathered not far offshore, but getting to them alive might prove impossible. Riette hadn't seen the Zjhon ship go down, and no explosions followed. They would come back.
Leaning out as far as she dared, she watched the balloon carrying Brick blot out the sky behind them. He stood like a man carved from stone, pointing at Dashiq. His lips moved and Riette couldn't imagine what words he spoke. Approaching engines spurred Brick on to motion. Watching and aiming, she could almost see him calculating before he threw what looked like a full picnic basket at the approaching Midlands Air plane, which appeared to be in the hands of the Al'Zjhon. Riette hoped all the innocents aboard the plane survived the day, as Brick's aim was true. Smoke poured from the engine and did not bode well.
"Did she fight in the war? Is that what happened to her?" Riette asked, trying not to think about it but unable to keep from asking. For the first time, the captain responded to one of her questions. He did not answer, but Riette saw a slight movement of his head, a reaction to her question.
Tuck mouthed "battle dragon" and made chomping motions with his hands in front of his face. The captain put a stop to it with a single fist to the leather saddle in which he rode.
Riette was left to wonder how the Zjhon had gotten planes into the air above Sparrowport. Always before, the Zjhon homeland had been far beyond the range of even the largest planes ever built. This changed everything for Midlanders since nowhere would be truly safe.
So far, Argus Kind, the self-made Zjhon king, was only looking for people who were different or unusual, those special or unique in some way. Riette's heart broke for these people, especially knowing her brother was among them. At least twice people had come through Sparrowport looking for outcasts and pariahs, and no one had mentioned Emmet. It was the reason she had stayed. He often made people uncomfortable, but they knew he was just a little boy with developmental issues. They forgave him. The thought brought a tear to Riette's eyes since she hadn't always been able to do the same.
Dashiq soared over a mature forest, where massive trees created an impermeable canopy despite being widely spaced. When a large opening appeared, lake waters reflected the sky, and the dragon dived toward the still, mirrorlike surface. Racing mere hand widths above the stillness created a surreal reflection. Beneath the canopy, gaps between trees did not appear large enough for a dragon to fly through, but Dashiq made it appear easy.
Deep enough within the woodlands so as not to be too close to the lake, the dragon reversed her wing flaps, slowing them before a rocky outcropping. When she landed, Riette saw a waterfall pouring from a cliff twice her height. Moss covered the ground and the lower parts of tree trunks and root systems. Light pierced the canopy, but they would not be easily spotted from above.
The captain was out of his seat, onto the ground, and going over Dashiq before anyone else was unstrapped. From under his seat, he pulled a wooden box filled with implements but went immediately for the fine-tipped pliers.
Three different times, the dragon grunted while the captain administered aid. Tuck guided them down. Riette felt bad stepping on the poor beast, but the young man assured her she would do no harm.
"She's just tired now, miss," he said. "Just needs some rest is all."
"Where are we going?" she asked, not certain she wanted to know the answer.
"Where do you want to go?" Tuck asked.
"Somewhere safe," Riette said without really meaning to. Emmet looked at her with something akin to hope in his eyes, and she snapped back to reality.
"Then that's where we're going," Tuck said.
The captain must have heard the entire conversation but maintained his silence.
"How did you end up here?" Riette asked.
&
nbsp; Tuck turned his head sideways and smiled at her. "He caught me picking his pocket. He taught me a lesson . . . and then another lesson. Never really stopped."
"And your parents?"
Shrugging, he looked away. "I vaguely remember having parents."
"My loss is more recent," Riette said.
The boy turned back to her. "Sorry."
She just nodded. Emmet walked to the captain's side and put his hands on Dashiq. Riette feared the man might scold her brother, but he pretended not to notice. It was the closest thing to approval she'd seen from the man.
"Does he treat you well?" Riette asked in a whisper.
"Better than anyone else ever has," Tuck said. "By a mile. We should get something to eat and drink while we've got the chance. When the cap'n wants to leave, we leave."
"How much," Riette asked, growing suspicious.
"How much what?"
"How much is all this going to cost me? What kind of airline doesn't know where it's going or how much it costs to get there?"
"Two coppers each."
"To anywhere?" Riette asked. "What if I wanted to go to the Godfist?"
The captain stopped what he was doing and made a fist. He didn't turn around or make any other gesture, but that was enough to convey his meaning.
"Passengers come first," Tuck said. "Ain't many places we won't go. Ain't much we won't do to ensure your satisfaction."
The captain gave a quick, slight nod before going back to running his hands over Dashiq's scaly armor, Tuck produced pickled eggs and cheese from their stores. Riette wrinkled her nose, but when Tuck went to take the pickled egg away, she grabbed it and bit into it before she changed her mind. It was tart and pungent but not so bad as what she had been expecting. Emmet joined them, seemingly drawn by the smell. He did not hesitate for an instant when Tuck handed him an egg and cheese.
When darkness passed over them a moment later, everyone fell silent. Above could be heard the creak of line and occasional roar.
"Balloons," Tuck whispered.
"That could be Brick," Riette said, but she, too, whispered, knowing it might not be. When a second balloon floated over, no one spoke.
The captain turned to Tuck and held out one hand, palm up, fingers spaced evenly and pointing up.
Tuck shook his head, and the captain shrugged.
What passed between them Riette could not say, and she didn't like it. The feeling they were hiding something from her persisted, and she kept her guard up.
"We've a long flight coming up," Tuck said. "A real long flight. The dragon would prefer any 'people business' you may have be handled while we're here on the ground. We won't be stopping much."
"You know all that from him holding up his hand?" Riette asked, an edge in her voice.
"I know the place he means. We've gone there before when Dashiq was hurt. It's a long ways away. A week on the wing and no less."
"A week?"
Tuck nodded. "Don't have no choice now. Dashiq needs healing. Dead dragons don't fly."
The captain reacted to the statement but made no other response. His palpable silence irritated Riette. How could anyone keep his mouth shut for so long? And at a time like this.
"Your only other choice is to stay here," Tuck said. "And I wouldn't if I was you." The continued sound of balloons in the area emphasized his words. "You said you wanted to be somewhere safe. This trip will get you part of the way there." The captain gave Tuck a disapproving look. "We leave at dark. You might want to stretch your legs."
Emmet took Tuck's suggestion and walked in a circle around the area. Riette sat nearby on a bed of moss, watching him and considering her options. Planes flew overhead, making her nervous, but she reminded herself that planes flew in and out of Sparrowport every day. It didn't mean they were all looking for them. But the Al'Zjhon were looking for Emmet. How they had gotten so far behind the front line was a mystery, but now she knew they could be anywhere. Flying out with Dragon Airways, who definitely had agendas of their own, put her and Emmet in far friendlier hands than those of Argus Kind. His was a twisted and jaded soul who'd seen far too much death. Now he saw little else.
Tuck spoke over his shoulder while sifting through supplies. "I hope you like pickled eggs."
He wasn't making her decision any easier. She saw through his act, though. Sensing a person's inner being was something she had strived to do since Emmet was born. In Tuck, she saw a wounded heart behind a wall of humor and sarcasm. A haunted look came to his eyes far too often. Riette knew that look. At wartime it was far too common. "Would you like a hand?"
The captain tensed. Tuck looked as if he would either laugh or cry. When Tuck laughed, the old man shook his head. After a brief hesitation and with his face flushed deep red, Tuck extended his right arm. The gloved fist appeared no different than the other, except it did not move. After another moment, Tuck removed the prosthetic arm, revealing an arm unlike anything Riette had ever seen. She hadn't been expecting to see any such thing, and she sucked in a deep breath. Tuck pulled away in apparent shame, and the captain turned toward her.
"I'm sorry," Riette said. "I wasn't expecting— I mean— I'm sorry."
"I thought you would understand," Tuck said. "This is how I was born."
"I do understand. Please forgive me. I've reacted horribly and I feel terrible about it. You've been so kind to Emmet." Riette considered what his life must have been like. "People have treated you poorly, haven't they?"
"Not all of 'em."
"Emmet has a habit of bringing it on himself, which I've never understood," Riette said. Her brother cast a quick glance but remained silent. "You did nothing to deserve such treatment."
The captain came dangerously close to laughing. Tuck flushed again.
A shadow raced along the forest floor. Emmet pointed up at the belly of an airship visible through breaks in the canopy. "Mean."
Riette knew better than to disregard his judgments. People weren't generally offended by his statements because they were false. Honesty was not always a welcome virtue.
The shadows grew long, and the light changed hue.
"Time to load up," Tuck said in a low voice. To Riette's surprise, Tuck had adjusted the straps on one side to better fit Emmet, which was a relief. "I didn't figure nobody was gonna ride in no box."
Riette had to laugh, even if his grammar made her twitch. Emmet grinned perhaps a little too broadly.
Before she reached her seat, though, a low, deep rumble approached. Both the captain and Tuck stopped and looked up. An airplane that dwarfed the others flew over, its color deep green and its roar distinctive.
"That's one of ours," Tuck said, while boosting Emmet up behind her. Air cannons sounded next followed by shouts. "The war has come to you."
The vision of buildings exploding in Sparrowport haunted Riette. And somehow her brother had something to do with it. The thought was unfathomable and equally terrifying. Whatever it was he had done, he wasn't going to tell her. She'd always loved him, but misunderstanding had become the understanding between them. When she looked at him, though, she saw her parents, each in his or her own way, a smile, the twinkle in his eye. What never changed was the need to protect him, and that need filled her thoughts. What was she doing? If she left now, what had been her entire life might be destroyed. It hurt to know that was the case no matter what she did. All those she cared about might lose everything as well. It was one thing to leave a life behind and another to abandon it to fate.
Within seconds, the captain and Tuck were aboard and strapped in. Dashiq gave Riette no more time for contemplation. There was no option that would keep her and Emmet safe. Their best chance, in her opinion, was to outrun the danger. She had to hope this dragon had some life left in her. Their departure proved it.
Running with her wings closed, Dashiq charged through the last bit of woods before emerging onto the rock-strewn shoreline. There she extended her wings and glided over still waters, which reflected the battle taking p
lace above. One balloon was on fire, the other completely dark. Using her tail, Dashiq thrashed the image into oblivion and generated forward thrust. With the far trees nearly invisible in the failing light, the dragon soared into the sky, silhouetted by deep purples and oranges. More shouts rang out at the sight of them, and Riette hoped Brick was already back on the ground and safe. The view from above the Midlands shoreline was captivating, and now that the trees were far below, there was much less threat of running into anything. Riette began breathing again.
"Fight," Emmet said, pointing offshore.
Air cannons fired on both sides as an allied plane descended on a fleeing airship. The plane had far greater maneuverability, but the airship carried heavy weaponry capable of destroying the plane with even a single hit. It was a perilous encounter for both sides. Those piloting the plane understood this risk and kept distance between them and the airship. Two-man bow teams nocked thick arrows with strings attached. Unlike any archery taught in the Midlands, these archers aimed far higher, creating an arcing flight.
"Hammer arrows," Tuck said.
The captain nodded.
Dashiq turned farther south, taking advantage of the cover the allied plane provided.
"What do you mean by hammer arrows?" Riette couldn't help but ask, watching the archers reel their shots back in and nock again.
"They got a big, fat, weighted arrowhead. When they shoot 'em up in the air like that, they fall down in a rain of pointy hammers."
The battle above dispersed in the fading light.
"Dragons have their advantages," Tuck said as they soared on the winds, their journey only just begun. "Most of a dragon is better than a whole aircraft any day."
The captain gave Tuck a disapproving look, but the young man never lost his grin.