The Glimmer Steel Saga, Boxed Set, Books 1 - 4

by Spencer Pierson

  Aiden noticed two pairs of strange half-globes inset into the decks of the wings that he could not guess the purpose for. In the middle of the hull, a multi-tiered ship’s bridge arched upwards, serving to provide a regal view over the front deck itself. The colors of the ship were mostly white, with wooden decks and large shark fin banners flaring up from the stern showing the Duke’s heraldry; a large yellow Potent Cross on a red field.

  As the friends trooped out onto the wooden docks and approached the skimmer, they saw a dark haired man wave at them who was dressed in finely made but rugged clothing. He was grinning through his thick bristly beard at Gavin, waving him over even as his ice blue eyes held an easy confidence and warmth. Glowby circled his head a few times, seeming to pronounce his approval before drifting back towards Aiden. Gavin bounded across the boarding ramp before hugging the man who returned it with warm enthusiasm.

  “That is the duke himself,” whispered Chari into his ear, “You’ll like him. If he gives you the chance, just refer to him as your grace unless he says otherwise. He dislikes formality.” She straightened before being pulled into her own hug. The large man was friendly, smiling brightly at Chari before turning to Aiden, whereupon his eyes squinted and he frowned in mock suspicion.

  “Well, Gavin, another friend though one I’ve never met before. Dressed in the School of Breen finery, so I suspect another student?” He cocked an eye at his son who stepped up, patting Aiden on the shoulder.

  “No Father. He’s one of the school’s orphans though he’s become a friend. His name is Aiden Finn.”

  Surprisingly, Aiden noticed that the duke reacted to his name as if he’d heard it before, reappraising him even as he stood there. “Aiden Finn? Well met, and a name I suspect I’ll be hearing of again, perhaps? I understand you saved one of my barons from an unpleasant end? You have my thanks. Also, know that there is nothing wrong with being an orphan here, boy. The city of Terek is made of all types of people with value, not just a few, and your recent bravery just proves it.”

  Patting Aiden’s shoulder, his strong hands causing Aiden to wince somewhat before turning back to Gavin. “We’re just about to cast off so why don’t you take your friends up to the bridge and let them watch from up there? I always find it interesting and I’ve seen it many times. Tell Captain Rohansen that I said it was okay but be sure not to let anyone sit on any controls. It’s a nasty business when you turn upside down in the middle of the air. Makes half the people throw up their lunch for some reason.” He laughed, smirking affably. “He will never let me live that down!”

  Moving off before Aiden could say a word to him, he began circulating amongst some of the other well-dressed nobles that were attending him on his outing. Aiden watched him go with wide eyes. The man was impressive and moved like a force through the people around him.

  “He always tells that story,” Gavin grinned. “It was funny when I was eight, but after hearing it fifty million times, it just gets old.”

  Aiden frowned. “You mean he wasn’t kidding?” He wondered how a ship like this could turn upside down, fairly certain he didn’t want to see it.

  “Oh no, not at all. I thought it was great fun but most of Father’s guests were not overly amused. Captain Rohansen couldn’t really yell at him, but his eyes were large red saucers for a few weeks. Father avoided him. He’s good at not antagonizing his people if he can help it.”

  “How did… I mean how does that happen and everyone just doesn’t fall off?” Aiden was confused.

  Gavin shrugged, slowly opening the door to the bridge and herding them in. “The magic of the Ancients? Elves? I don’t know, but it works. Did you notice when we stepped onto the ship there was no more wind? The same happens for standing on the deck. No matter what the ship does, it always feels like your standing in a room at rest, even if we go upside down. Now, your eyes see what we really did, so it’s a rare person who can stand it, but personally I think it is fun.”

  Aiden had to stop and think about it, but it was true. The ship didn’t rock like a sailing ship and didn’t move with the wind at all. There weren’t even any lines tying the ship to the docks. It had made walking onto the ship far easier, and he hadn’t even been worried until Gavin had pointed it out. “I feel like I’m standing on solid ground,” Aiden said, bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet.

  “This skimmer is full of things like that, and so many of them we can’t figure out how they are done. Like those,” Gavin said, indicating some strange flat panels that floated in front of some of the stations on the bridge, “If you look closely, you’ll see that those show pictures from around the ship. Some close, some far. I wish we could figure how to recreate some of this, instead of just using it.”

  As he stepped closer to inspect what Gavin had pointed out, he saw the old captain dressed in a long coat and hat in the Duke’s colors eyeing him. Glowby just tried to hide, but Aiden quickly put his hands behind his back. After a moment’s intense study, the captain nodded and turned his attention back to the crewman he’d been talking to earlier.

  Aiden gasped. On the screen in front of him was the front deck and even as he watched he could see people moving about like little strangely shaped dolls. He peeked behind the screen, and there was nothing there except empty space. Aiden quickly went over and peeked out of the door, looking down the stairs they’d come up. Just as he thought, there were all of the people in the same rough place as he’d seen on that screen. Aiden turned and went back in, wide-eyed. He had never imagined anything like this.

  Just as he stepped back in, the Captain was settling himself in a large, central chair and spoke in a raspy, well-used voice. “Helm, take us out of port. Report when the ship is clear.”

  Sitting in front of the captain a young man in crew’s uniform nodded, replying to the captain with alacrity. “Aye, sir.” His left hand held onto a strangely shaped grip though it did not move, but his right was dragging its fingers gently over a square, flat plate. Aiden didn’t feel anything until he looked out the window, and the Skywitch was slowly moving backward and away from the docks. He hadn’t felt it begin at all.

  Gavin and Chari were both grinning at him while Markam stood at attention near a hand-hold on one of the walls. His hand gripping it as if his life depended on it. “Isn’t it amazing, Aiden?” Chari said, clutching his arm in excitement. “I can only imagine what my father’s shipping fleet would be like if we had more of these. Do you think the ancients had larger versions? Can you imagine seeing something the size of one of the huge galleon’s sailing about in the air? I suppose we’ll never know, but wouldn’t it be grand?”

  Aiden for his part was finding it difficult to focus on anything other than the fact his arms were being pushed up against Chari’s very interesting warmth. He just nodded, feeling his face flush and momentarily distracted from the amazing skimmer. Despite this, when the helmsmen had indicated they were far enough away from the docks and the captain gave his approval to head out on their course, he ran out with the rest of his friends, sans Markam, to the rails. Leaning way out, they all whooped excitedly as the Skywitch swept forward over the city and then out over the ocean below.

  Something strange but subtle began to happen when Aiden laid his hands on the rails of the skimmer. He should have expected it, but it was so gradual at first and the thrill of flying so new it took him several seconds to feel the tingling. Without realizing it, Aiden had begun to concentrate, pushing his mind towards the strange feeling and odd images began to intrude on his mind.

  Jerking his hand away, he stumbled back in surprise at the suddenly overwhelming rush of images and feelings. Chari leaned in close, whispering to him. “What’s wrong Aiden?” Her bright, silver-steel like eyes watched him with concern. He froze as his mind scrambled, automatically trying to think of a lie before realizing he didn’t have to. They already knew some of what was happening to him.

  “I…I felt something when I touched the ship,” Aiden whispering back to her. �
��Something I’ve felt before. I had something similar happen to me after I got back to the infirmary.” Aiden hesitated, watching Chari’s eyes narrow.

  “In the infirmary? How did anything happen in the infirmary?” Chari asked.

  Aiden took a deep breath. The reality was, his friends already knew enough about him to get him killed, and they hadn’t. He had to trust someone. “When I went into the burning house, I wouldn’t…shouldn’t have made it out. The roof was collapsing. That’s when… it happened.”

  Sharing a glance, Gavin and Chari pressed closer. “What do you mean, it?” Gavin said, whispering softly and looking around to make sure no one was listening. Aiden was just about to answer when one of the crewmen came out of the bridge and walked right by, quieting everyone. They all watched the man trot briskly down the steps and Aiden was just about to continue when Gavin held his hand up.

  “Does this have anything to do with the other thing? Listen, we can’t talk about it out here. It’s too busy. Follow me.” Quickly, Gavin trotted down the steps, followed by Aiden and Chari as he led them into the bowels of the skimmer.

  Chapter 12

  Gavin led them to the main deck and then further below before moving forward to what looked like an isolated room at the front of the skimmer. Within was only a large, comfortable chair with a strangely-decorated piece inset into the floor in front of it. The long, rounded rectangle was too far from the chair to be a footrest and served no other discernable purpose that he could see. There was a partial tube pushing out of the front of the rectangle, but otherwise, the whole thing just seemed odd.

  “This is what I like to call the thinking room. No one knows what it’s for since there’s only this chair here. My father thinks it’s a place for the captain to come relax or something, but-” Gavin shrugged, “it’s not very interesting or very close to the bridge. It is very private, though, and no one ever comes up this far.”

  Aiden noticed the small, embarrassed glance that Chari gave to Gavin before turning away. It made his stomach knot for a second as he thought about it. It wasn’t any of his business. I’m just an orphan, he thought. Why would she even be interested in me? Of course, she’d be interested in the duke’s son. He shook his head, pushing that brief feeling of jealousy down ruthlessly, intent on listening to Gavin.

  “Okay, Aiden. Tell us again about what happened at the fire? Are you saying you did something more with glimmer steel?”

  Aiden nodded, trying to collect his thoughts before continuing. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. I know that sounds odd, but it’s true. When I was in the burning mansion, we were almost at the front door when the ceiling started to collapse. There was no way I could have escaped it. So I… well I don’t exactly know how it occurred, but I stuck my hand up in the air and felt the same thing that happened when I’d made the plate. When I looked up, the whole roof was being held up by glimmer steel. It saved us.”

  “I bet that’s what happened when the skimmer was trying to pull parts of the building down and the whole roof came down instead,” Gavin said. “I heard some of the town watch talking about something strange with the debris.”

  “I saw it,” Chari said softly. “It was hard to tell what it was, but when I pulled one of the Chivnel free from the wreckage, I put my hand on a part of it. It was definitely glimmer steel but smooth like melted glass. We were wondering if you had something to do with it, Aiden. But…how did you get a glimmer stone out of the Hall? Did someone sneak one out to you or something?”

  “I didn’t have a stone,” Aiden sighed softly, knowing how insane he sounded.” I did it all without a stone or a form. I mean, obviously. It’s not like I planned to charge into a burning house, much less get a stone that anyone would kill me for having, right?”

  The friends all thought in silence for a while, contemplated the situation. Finally, Gavin cleared his throat. “Okay, well I say we just accept it. We saw how fast Aiden made the plate and he was the last one into that burning house. There’s nothing else to explain it but what Aiden is saying, and frankly I think… I need to believe him.” Gavin’s brow was furrowed and his mouth set but no one was going to argue.

  “Okay, we’re taking your word for it,” Chari confirmed. “But what happened to it? We haven’t heard anything about it since the fire. After a few days, I would think they would have dug it out and people would be talking about it, but no one has.”

  Aiden cleared his throat, shrugging. “Well, that’s what I was going to mention about… when I touched the ship. The night of the fire, at least I think it was that night, I had a dream but it didn’t feel like a normal dream. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t, actually, but It’s another mystery I’m trying to figure out.”

  He paused, considering what he should say. He thought about mentioning Glowby but he could tell his friend wasn’t too happy about it so he left him out. “I found myself wandering around the city to where the fire had been. The glimmer steel was there in the wreckage, all twisted up with parts of the house in the middle of the street, and it occurred to me I should try to get rid of it. So I touched it and when I did, I could feel things about it that just weren’t normal. For whatever else it did, it helped me figure out how to remove it from our world. At least, I think that’s what happened and it sounds like it’s not there anymore if what your saying is true, Gavin. That wasn’t the first time I had a dream like that, either.”

  “Another dream?” Chari asked. “When was that, Aiden?”

  Aiden shuffled uncomfortably. “Um, the same night I made the plate.”

  “By the circle Aiden, why didn’t you say something earlier?” Chari threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. “How are we supposed to protect you if you run around in some dreamland all the time? Who knows what else is in there with you?”

  “Now, wait a minute!” Aiden said, exasperated. “This is not my fault! I didn’t ask to go stomping around in my dreams, or make a plate or…or any of it. I didn’t have time to tell you, either. If you remember I kind of got beaten up by Oya Dihya for some strange reason.”

  Gavin held his hands between the two, trying to calm them down. “Okay, okay, you two, calm down. Really, this isn’t helping.” He looked at Aiden, holding his shoulders. “Aiden, this is my fault. I know that. Honestly… I should have done this a long time ago, but I apologize. I’ve treated you less than I should have. It doesn’t matter who you are, I shouldn’t just…forget you are a person which I did. I should never have made a bet with someone’s life like that, and it’s my fault you’re in this whole mess.” Gavin turned to Chari, “Come on Chari, I know you’re not really mad at him. Don’t yell.”

  Chari frowned but nodded, her midnight-black hair having fallen in front of one of her eyes. “I’m sorry, Aiden. I just… worry about you. This whole thing is just so strange.”

  Aiden agreed, “I know. I really would have told you earlier if I’d had the chance.” He grinned, and suddenly he and Chari were fast friends again, their irritation vanishing into the quiet of the room.

  “Okay, good,” Gavin said, “The last thing we need is to yell at each other. So you had another dream? Just after you made the plate?”

  “Yes. But I didn’t do anything with the plate that time. I think I went down under the Hall of Stones to where they keep most of the glimmer stones. They were all dead. I think I did something to turn them back on or at least the big one in the center. I thought it was just a dream but I overheard Professor Onyxine talking to another one of the engineers about it just before the fire. They said the breeder stone had come back, and that they never do that if completely drained.”

  Gavin nodded slowly. “So that was you? In this strange dream place you’re talking about? I heard my father talking about it with some of the engineers. They were all baffled that it had come back. I’ve been down to the stone room once. Can you describe it, Aiden?”

  Aiden proceeded to describe what he’d seen when he had gone down to that room. When he was finished Gavin wa
s nodding along to everything he was describing. “Yes. That is the stone room. So…that’s something. It’s almost impossible to get anywhere near that room but what you described is most definitely the place.”

  “We’ve got to confirm the glimmer steel that came down with the fire is gone, though,” Chari said. “But how do we do it without raising suspicion?”

  “I’ll deal with that,” Gavin said. “I bet I can ask some questions without getting in trouble. If anything, we can say we just saw it in the wreckage while helping people out from under it. Which is true.”

  “Okay,” Aiden said, “But be careful.”

  Gavin smiled softly. “Me, be careful? Well, you never cease to amaze me, Aiden. What you do naturally, I have to learn.” He sighed softly, turning away for a moment and shaking his head. “And to think I let you just be beaten in the arena by Oya Dihya, thinking it was nothing.”

  Chari watched him and her features softened somewhat. “You’re starting to notice, Gavin. Don’t be so hard on yourself but do keep working at it. Not that you don’t care but sometimes you take the easy way that’s not always good for others.”