“Why would you leave a home where you have everything?” Charlotte spat at Jack. “Who are you?”
Jack offered her a thin smile. “Everything isn’t all you’d imagine it to be.”
“Ugh.” Charlotte didn’t want to look at him. His perpetual arrogance and bravado made perfect sense to her now. Jack didn’t just pretend to think he was superior to the rest of them. He believed it—that was how citizens of the Floating City justified their rule.
“Charlotte.” Ash moved to stand beside Jack. “Stop judging him and listen.”
Charlotte tried and failed to rein in her emotions. Jack’s admission had gutted her in a way she couldn’t explain.
Making an effort to mask her discontent, she said, “I’m listening.”
“My father is an important man in the Empire,” Jack continued. “And I was groomed to follow in his footsteps by serving in the Air Force.”
Charlotte looked at the Dragonfly. “You piloted one of those?”
“I’m cleared to fly half a dozen Imperial aircraft.” Jack’s eyes shone in a way Charlotte had never seen. “But the Dragonfly has always been my favorite. My brother’s too.”
“Your brother?” Without meaning to, Charlotte took a step toward Jack, her anger tempered by fascination.
Jack nodded, smiling slightly. “Three years older. His name is Coe.”
Charlotte glanced at the Dragonfly. “He’s the one who sent the homingbird.”
Nodding again, Jack said, “Yes. He sent the homingbird to let us know when and where he’d ditch the Dragonfly in the Heap so we could retrieve it.”
Charlotte went quiet, impressed and a little frightened. No wonder Ash had been willing to bleed himself to draw the rats away from Jack. And yet . . . astounding as the feat was, Charlotte couldn’t fathom what possible use the Dragonfly would be. Unlike Pisces, which stayed hidden in the dark waters of the river, the Dragonfly’s bright metal plating would make it easy to spot in the sky. But Ash and Jack wouldn’t have taken the risk of bringing it to the Catacombs unless it had immense value to their cause.
Charlotte gasped. “You’re going back to New York?”
“We,” Jack replied, not taking his eyes off Ash. “We are going to New York.”
“Dammit, Jack,” Ash muttered, but didn’t offer further argument.
Charlotte gazed at her brother, cold clamping down on her chest. Ashley was going to the Floating City, the site of everything they strove to hide from.
Turning to Charlotte, Jack said, “We’ve gathered almost enough support within the military and aristocracy to act, but we want to secure an alliance with the Resistance. We’ll need them when the time comes.”
“Are you telling me that you’re planning to stage a coup?” Charlotte gaped at Jack.
“The body of the Empire is strong,” Jack told her. “But it’s ruled by a sick and twisted head. Corruption and decadence run rampant in the upper echelons of Imperial society. If we don’t act soon, the Empire will go the way of Rome. It will be bloody and ugly, and this continent will be ruined while its conquerors fight for scraps.”
“Won’t a coup be just as bloody and ugly?” Charlotte asked.
“Not if we execute it correctly,” Jack replied. “But that’s why enlisting the aid of the Resistance is so important. There will be fighting, but if we can both surprise and overwhelm the old guard of the Empire, we may be able to contain the violence and keep it from throwing the entire country into chaos.”
Ash spoke up. His voice carried a fervor of hope Charlotte hadn’t heard before. “A coup would mean a clean slate. No more punitive labor for descendants of the revolutionaries.”
Charlotte tried to catch some of Ash’s enthusiasm, but she was still thrown by the notion that anyone who benefited from the Empire would be willing to turn against it.
“What about those who are fighting now?” Charlotte queried.
“Full pardons,” Jack answered. “So long as they fight on our side when they’re called upon.”
“That’s why I have to go, Lottie. Jack has arranged for me to meet with Lazarus as an official envoy of the Resistance. I’ll see for myself if it’s worth joining our cause with theirs.”
“Lazarus?” Charlotte asked. “Who’s Lazarus?”
“That’s the code name for the leader of the rebellion that’s taking place within the Empire,” Jack told her. “His true identity is the movement’s most closely guarded secret, but it’s rumored that he’s one of the highest-ranking officers in the Imperial Armed Forces.”
Charlotte’s head was spinning from all the information being hurled at her. “But how can you trust this Lazarus if you don’t know who he really is? What if the rumors are lies?”
“They can’t be,” Jack answered, shaking his head. “He wouldn’t have been able to gather the following he now has if he weren’t a person of great influence within the Empire. People would be too afraid to follow a nobody.”
Charlotte flinched. He means nobodies like us, like the Resistance our parents have been fighting for all our lives, she thought. Charlotte found herself a bit resentful of Jack’s presumption that she’d be enthusiastic about these revelations.
“And you think we should join this rebellion?” Charlotte said to Ash. “Have you contacted Mother or Father?”
Ash shook his head too quickly for Charlotte’s liking. “It’s an opportunity like nothing the Resistance has been offered before, but it’s not worth distracting them from the war until I’ve made sure Lazarus would be a true ally and asset to the cause. If he’s all Jack claims, it could mean access to Imperial warships and artillery, which might convince the French to give us outright support when we move against the Empire.”
Hiding her uneasiness, Charlotte said, “If this meeting goes well, and you decide the Resistance should ally with this Lazarus, what happens then?”
Ash and Jack exchanged a look that made Charlotte’s hands balls into fists.
“Then I go to the front lines and rendezvous with the Resistance commanders,” Ash said quietly. “To negotiate an alliance.”
Charlotte bowed her head, trying to organize her jumbled thoughts. This was all happening too fast.
“It’s nearly time for me to join the battlefront anyway,” Ash continued. “You knew that was coming.”
“Fine,” Charlotte said. “But if you’re going to New York, then so am I.”
“Lottie.” Ashley began to laugh—until he saw the determination in Charlotte’s eyes. “No.”
“You need me,” Charlotte pressed. “I’m always at your side when we go into battle. I’ve saved you more than once.”
“I don’t deny that,” Ash said. “But this is different.”
“No,” Charlotte replied. “It’s a different sort of battle, but it’s still a battle, and I’m fighting this war as much as you are.”
Jack shifted his gun belt on his hips. “This isn’t a place you can fight, Charlotte. Women in the city aren’t like you.”
“I don’t care,” Charlotte said, ignoring how silly that pronouncement sounded. “I’ll find a way to help.”
“Yes, you will.” Meg’s voice startled all of them.
She’d entered the cave unnoticed while they’d been arguing.
Ashley went to meet her, reaching for her hands but then quickly pulling them away with a glance over his shoulder toward Jack and Charlotte. “What are you doing here?”
“Charlotte’s not the only one who knows how to sneak through the Catacombs,” Meg told him with a teasing smile. “You should know that better than anyone, Ashley.”
Though it was dim in the cavern, Charlotte thought she noticed a blush painting her brother’s cheek.
“I’ve been thinking about this.” Meg gave a meaningful look at the Dragonfly. “And about Grave.”
“What about Grave
?” Jack asked.
“He can’t stay here,” Meg replied. “I don’t know why, but I know it’s not safe. If I can take him to the city, there are people I believe can help me to understand why the boy troubles me so.”
Disappointment fell heavy on Charlotte’s shoulders. She’d assumed Meg had taken her side when it came to Grave. “But you’ve been so kind to him.”
“And I’ll continue to be,” Meg said. “But I can’t ignore my instincts about him. Until I understand who . . . or what he is, I won’t risk this place and the people I love.”
Ash raked his fingers through his hair, giving Meg an uneasy look. “I don’t disagree that Grave presents an unusual problem. We don’t know who he is, but Meg—you know that this mission is important. We can’t take the extra risk of bringing him along.”
“I’m telling you that you must.” The steel in Meg’s voice made Charlotte straighten up in surprise. She’d never heard Meg talk to Ash, or anyone, that way.
Jack and Ash looked as startled as Charlotte felt. Jack recovered first. With an apologetic but uncomfortable clearing of his throat, he said, “I don’t think there’s a way for us to conduct our business and keep an eye on Grave.”
Ash quickly nodded in agreement.
“You won’t have to,” Meg said, calm but unyielding. “Charlotte and I will deal with Grave while you see to your secret meetings.”
Charlotte’s eyes widened, and she clapped her hand over her mouth to cover her smile when Meg spared her a tiny, conspiratorial smile. Charlotte couldn’t help but marvel at Meg’s brilliance. Of the Catacombs’ inhabitants, Meg was the one person Ashley couldn’t say no to.
Tugging at his collar, Ash went mute and threw a pleading glance at Jack.
Jack’s shoulders hunched up as he faced Meg. “I don’t think you have a realistic grasp of this situation. How do you propose we should take you and Charlotte into the city?”
“Leave that to me,” Meg told Jack. “Though I will need you to acquire some papers for me. I assume you’ll have no trouble doing that, given that you must be forging your own.”
Jack replied with a grudging nod. “What kind of papers do you want for Charlotte?”
Ignoring Jack’s glower, Meg answered, “As I’m sure you know, the social season is about to begin in New York.”
Charlotte’s brow furrowed. “What’s that?”
“It’s when the young women from the Empire’s best families are presented to society,” Meg said. “You’re the right age to make your debut. It will give us the perfect cover under which to move freely through the Floating City.”
“Why would they have to be presented?” Charlotte asked.
“It’s a formality,” Jack said. “More silly trappings of an overindulgent system that fattens its rich while starving its poor.”
Ash grunted, making a sour face at Meg.
“Don’t be so somber, Ash,” Meg quipped. “Charlotte, the girls are presented so everyone knows they’re looking for husbands. It’s basically the starting line for a great race of matchmaking.”
“Oh.” Charlotte frowned, then she blushed. “Oh.” She looked at her brother in alarm.
“I’m not going to let Meg marry you off,” Ash sighed. “This is a ruse, Lottie. A good one, I’ll admit, but I don’t like it. Not at all.” He finally directed his frustration toward Meg. “My sister is not some society peacock. I don’t want her anywhere near this.”
“It doesn’t matter what you want,” Meg replied. “She is the best person for this role, and she can handle herself if things go badly.” Lowering her voice, Meg continued, “Ashley, I would never ask this if it weren’t important.”
Ash held her gaze and then nodded.
A sound crawled out of Jack’s throat that was something of a sigh mixed with a groan. “I guess I have some homingbirds to send.”
Meg turned to give him a beatific smile. “Yes, my dear, you do.”
“Escorting a debutante will make moving through the city much easier,” Jack said to Ash, with a sour face. “As much as I hate to admit it.”
Finding herself flushed with excitement, Charlotte wrapped her arms around her waist. “When are we going?”
“Ash and I were planning to leave in a few days. We have the aircraft, and if I can get the papers to establish your lineage for partaking in the season, I don’t see why we shouldn’t stay on that schedule.” Jack pointed at the Dragonfly. “She’ll get us transport to the dirigible traveling to the Floating City.” He swiveled around so that his finger pointed at Charlotte. “You give us access to the city itself.”
“I truly can give you access to the city?” Charlotte lifted her brows.
“Well, not you, you.” Jack tugged at his shirt collar. “But the fine lady Meg has proposed we make you out to be will enjoy all the privileges of New York society.”
Despite her suddenly dry throat, Charlotte managed a tart response. “Are you suggesting I’m not a lady?”
Ash laughed, and Charlotte glared at him.
“Trust me,” Jack told her. “You should thank Athene you’re not the type of lady I’m talking about. Once Meg starts teaching you all the rules and etiquette, I think you’ll be cursing the moment she came up with this cockamamie scheme. I’d say your best bet would be to adopt a shy and docile persona. Then again, I realize that’s probably asking too much.”
Before Charlotte had a chance to return Jack’s insult, Meg interjected, “Don’t worry, Charlotte, you’ll never be alone. Ash will be there too.”
Charlotte threw an impish smile at her brother. “As a fine gentleman?”
“Not quite,” Meg told her. “He’ll be posing as your manservant.”
“I beg your pardon?” Ash exclaimed, sending Charlotte into a fit of giggles.
When Meg nodded, Jack put his hands up. “I’m afraid she’s right, old chap. A fine lady needs to be attended. You fit the bill.”
“But you don’t?” Ash retorted.
“Can you pilot the Dragonfly?” Jack shrugged. “If you can and for some reason haven’t told me yet, she’s all yours. I’ll be happy to wait on Charlotte hand and foot while you play the military officer and escort Charlotte around town. Oh, wait. You don’t have connections in the city who’ve created a paper trail that explains your absence and will also accommodate your return.”
“Don’t push me, Jack.”
Jack smiled without sympathy. “Sorry, mate.”
Ash spewed out more curses than Charlotte ever imagined her brother knew. Meg gave him a disapproving look but kept silent.
“Shameful, Ashley.” Jack snickered. “A gentleman would never use that sort of language.”
Ash picked out a few more choice words with which he addressed Jack.
Charlotte slipped her arm through Ash’s. “Don’t worry, dear brother. I shall be a kind and generous mistress.”
“You’d better be,” Ash growled. “Keep in mind that our visit to the city is temporary, and when we get back here, I’m still your elder brother.”
“How could I ever forget?” She batted her eyelashes at him.
With a sharp laugh, Ash squeezed her arm. “Let’s get back to the others. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, we can move forward with the plan.”
“We don’t have any time to waste,” Jack said, already heading toward the opening to the Catacombs. “Coe is waiting for me to return the homingbird, which signals that we’re on our way. And he’ll help facilitate Charlotte’s entry into the city.”
Still holding Ashley’s arm, Charlotte walked with her brother toward the corridor. She glanced back at the Dragonfly. Even in the moonlight, its surface gleamed. In the sunlight, it would be dazzling. And she would fly in it.
She doubted she’d get a wink of sleep until they were on their way to the Floating City.
11.
; I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’LL walk the platforms of the Floating City.” Pip sat cross-legged on Charlotte’s bed. “You should take one of Birch’s Wing-O-Matics and jump off the edge! Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“Birch hasn’t tested the Wing-O-Matics, and besides, I’m supposed to be blending in. I think people would notice if I jumped off a platform with wings strapped on my back.”
Pip scrunched up her nose in disappointment. “You could do it at night . . .”
Ignoring that remark, Charlotte said, “What I can’t believe is that this is what Imperial ladies wear every day.” She turned quickly, and the light silk of her gown floated along her calves as if it were made of air. “Aren’t society women supposed to be modest?”
The leather corset Charlotte was accustomed to wearing cinched her shirt and skirt to her waist, and doubled as light armor. For as long as she’d lived in the Catacombs, Charlotte had begun each day by layering her clothing and weapon belts strategically. Her skirts, though cumbersome, had pockets to stash mice and tools in. She always kept a dagger strapped to her boot.
In this new dress, which Jack had produced without explanation, along with a trunk full of the latest metropolitan fashions, Charlotte felt almost naked. The light blue bodice clung to her breasts, and the gown’s high waist only served to further accentuate how well the dress fit Charlotte’s curves. The skirt, while made of flowing material, skimmed close to her hips and legs. Silk slippers had replaced her sturdy boots.
“You look lovely,” Meg assured Charlotte, seeing the distress on the younger girl’s face.
Charlotte frowned at Meg and spun in a circle for inspection. “Are you sure you can’t see through the silks?”
“Women of Imperial society try to emulate the goddess Athene,” Meg said quickly. “Their dresses follow the style of the ancient Greeks.”
Noting with some distress that Meg hadn’t actually answered her question, Charlotte resigned herself to feeling exposed.
“I know it’s quite warm still.” Meg rummaged through the trunk. “But you’ll want something for travel. Here we are.”