by Henry Vogel
We dodged and dashed down the winding alley, but there were no branches, no side alleys, and no way out to the street. Rounding a bend, we found ourselves at a dead end. Walls rose up to the sides and ahead of us. But a set of stairs also rose up on the outside wall of one of the buildings.
“Take the stairs!” I called. "Climb to the roof!”
Raoul pulled Callan up the stairs behind him. I came up more slowly, ready to turn and fight if necessary. Behind us, Bane’s crew charged around the bend and into the dead end. The narrow stairs slowed them down, as the men pushed and shoved, trying to be first up the stairs. We reached the roof a couple of flights ahead of our pursuers, but there my slim, final hope was dashed. There was no way down to the street. The building across the street was too far away for us to jump to it. The adjacent buildings were taller than our building, with no windows in the side walls. We were trapped!
“I’ll hold them here,” I said, taking position at the stairs. "Maybe there’s a drain pipe on the front of the building that you can use to climb down.”
“Wait, look up there!” Raoul said, pointing.
A huge cargo airship moved slowly over us, a single line dangling to within a few meters of the roof. Sweeping Callan up in my arms, I lifted her toward the rope.
“Grab the rope and climb, Highness!” I said.
As she did, I cupped my hands, “You next, Prince Raoul!”
Raoul stepped into my hands and I lifted him. He caught the rope easily, but the airship was moving very slowly. With nothing to stop them, Bane’s men might be able to catch onto the rope and recapture the princess and prince.
“Come on, David,” Callan said. “Jump!”
I called, "I have to stay and slow down Bane and his men. Drop down to the next roof and go to the docks. Find the airship Pauline in slip fifty-seven. They’re friends and will get you home safely!”
Bane’s men rushed onto the roof, spreading out before me. I drew my sword, roared in challenge, and charged across the roof to meet them!
Chapter 39
I expected some kind of answering challenge from Bane’s men. Instead of advancing to meet my attack, they hung back, casting nervous looks between themselves. Maybe they were remembering my single-handed defense of the trap door against the trogs and didn’t want to face me in a fight. If so, good. A few seconds of hesitation was all I wanted. In those few seconds, the prince and princess would be carried clear of the roof and make good on their escape.
One man plucked up the courage to come to meet me. Steel rang as our blades crossed, then Bane’s voice rang out. “Stand down and stand aside!”
Relieved, the crewman lowered his sword and stepped back. Bane stepped onto the roof. To my surprise, he cradled Rob’s body in his arms. Rob’s blood was staining his rich clothes, but the raider captain didn’t seem to care.
“You dropped this,” he said, gently laying Rob’s body down at my feet. His eyes met mine, “I want you to know that I had true respect for him.”
“As did I,” I said, wondering what game Bane was playing now.
Bane saw my wariness and said, “You’ve nothing more to fear from me and my men. I’ve done what I was contracted to do. In truth, because of you I’ve ended up doing far more than that.”
“Contracted? You mean someone hired you to kidnap Princess Callan?” I asked.
“You have no idea how hard it is to get raider airships to work together. Without guaranteed payment, it’s almost impossible,” he said. "Of course, if I’d known you were going to fall from the sky, wreck my airship, and nearly wreck my plan, I’d have charged double! You have been one big thorn in my side from the moment you first appeared!”
“Who hired you? They’ve got to have deep pockets if they could afford to hire so many raiders at one time.”
“Oh no, there’s no chance I’ll tell you that, Rice,” Bane said. "Clients expect secrecy and pay well to get it. If you want to know who hired me, figure it out for yourself.”
Glancing past me, Bane asked, “Didn’t your plan involve the prince and princess dropping onto a nearby roof?”
I spun about and saw the airship was fifty meters away. Its line was now hanging twenty meters above the tallest rooftops. The unknown airship was climbing to cruising altitude and the princess and prince were being carried away with it!
Chapter 40
The airship continued to climb as it passed over the city wall. It looked as if the princess and prince were shouting, trying to draw the attention of the airship’s crew, but their cries were drowned out by the roar of the airship’s big steam engines.
“Shouldn’t you be running off to save them?” Bane asked.
“I will, but I want to make one thing clear. If anything happens to Rob’s body...” I said.
“I told you, I’m finished with this passion play,” Bane replied. "Go rescue your princess. Again. I’ll see that Rob’s body is properly prepared for a funeral.”
Seeing the indecision written on my face, Bane added, “Scout’s honor.”
I looked into Bane’s eyes and believed him. Looking over the edge of the roof, I spotted a drain pipe descending to street level. I climbed down the pipe and set off toward the docks at a run. As I entered the docks, I met Tristan leaving it, leading a band of armed men. His face creased in concern when he saw me.
“I gathered the men you requested as quickly as possible. Am I too late?” he asked.
“We’ve got to take off now!” I said, slowing down but not stopping. "I’ll explain in the air.”
Tristan fell in behind me, lumbering through the crowds you can always find at a busy dock. His age and bulk took a toll. By the time we reached the Pauline he was red-faced and wheezing. I began casting off docking lines as Tristan stumbled aboard the airship.
“Nist, bring up the steam!” I cried. "We’ve got an airship to catch!”
Nist looked at Tristan, bent over at the waist and gasping to catch his breath. Tristan nodded and Nist began feeding the fire for the boiler.
Nist took us straight up while the pressure built. The little ship rose through the dockyard’s traffic lanes and into the late afternoon sky. It had only been a few hours since we docked, but it seemed as if a lifetime had passed. A lifetime had passed for Rob.
The airship cleared the low altitude traffic and Nist set off in the direction I pointed. With the course set and Tristan’s breathing returning to normal, I told them what had happened. They listened quietly, asking no questions. At the end, Tristan was briefly silent.
“I’m sorry, my boy. Rob struck me as a good man,” he said. "For now, though, we have to concentrate on the living.”
We said no more as the Pauline sped south in the wake of the cargo airship. The sun hung low on the horizon when we drew close enough to see the big airship clearly. The line still dangled from the ship, but the prince and princess were nowhere to be seen!
Chapter 41
Nist maneuvered the Pauline close to the other airship and I hailed it. The reply sounded like the same language spoken by the slavers who had pulled me out of the airship wreckage a few days ago. I didn’t understand a word of it, but Tristan did. He took over the discussion. After several minutes of calling back and forth between Tristan and the ship’s captain, Tristan signaled Nist to fly away.
“What did he say?” I asked.
“He says neither he nor his crew saw anyone hanging on the line,” Tristan said. "He claims the ship’s envelope developed a large leak about an hour ago. That’s not uncommon in an airship this size. The airship dropped close enough to the ground for the line to drag on it before the crew finished patching the leak. He suggests the prince and princess dropped off then.”
“Do you believe him?” I asked.
Tristan said, “No... An airship that size shouldn’t have lost so much altitude from a simple leak. Besides, the captain had all his answers ready to hand. He didn’t ask his crew any questions but was quite certain about what the crew did not see.
I’d say he’s hiding something.”
“Yes, and it’s probably the prince and princess,” I said. "Nist, turn the ship as if we’re searching back along the airship’s flight path. I want to give the captain the idea that we believed him. Once it’s dark, we’ll head back to that ship.”
Two hours later, Nist guided the Pauline into position above the cargo airship’s envelope. He held us steady, out of sight from the other airship’s crew. The larger ship’s engines drowned out our own smaller engine.
I looped a rope over my shoulder, testing to make sure it would remain secure without getting in my way. I tied another rope to the bow rail.
“When this line goes slack, I’ll be safely on the envelope. Drop away and below the cargo airship’s stern. When I’ve got the prince and princess, I’ll flash a signal to you with a lantern. I’ll lower them to you, starting with the princess" I said.
I slid down to the envelope, finding plenty of handholds within the lines criss-crossing it. I took my time climbing to the deck below, descending into shadows along the starboard rail. I hugged the rail, staying away from the ship’s lanterns and avoiding the small night crew.
A few minutes later, I found my way below deck. I had taken but a few steps when a door opened and a crewman backed into the passageway. He was balancing a heavily laden food tray and backed right into me.
Keeping his eyes on the tray, the crewman muttered something at me. I grunted in return and stepped away from him. The crewman kept his concentration on the tray and headed aft. Only one person on the ship would receive such careful attention—the captain. I slipped after the crewman. At the end of the passageway, the crewman knocked on a door then opened it. The cabin beyond the door was brightly lit. Within, the captain laughed, pouring wine for another man.
The other man was Prince Raoul!
Chapter 42
I ducked into a doorway and out of the light spilling from the cabin. Peering around the door frame, I watched as the crewman placed most of the food on the captain’s table. The crewman lifted the tray again, speaking to the captain. I understood the words "princess" and "food.” My implant had begun to translate the language. There was no doubt the remaining food was for Callan!
When the crewman left the captain’s cabin, I followed. He went halfway up the same passage before unlocking a door and stepping inside. I trailed behind him and looked into the room. He placed the tray on the foot of a cot. Princess Callan lay upon the cot, her eyes looking everywhere except at the crewman. Callan’s eyes went wide when I entered, a tight smile forming on her lips. Then she kicked the crewman in the stomach. The crewman stumbled back, gasping for breath. I clouted him on the back of the neck with the pommel of my sword, laying him out.
Callan rose from the cot and flowed into my arms. Her embrace was unlike the impetuous, passionate kiss a few days ago. It was simply one person seeking comfort from another.
Callan laid her head on my shoulder and whispered, “I knew you’d find me, David!”
I held her briefly, stroking her hair, then said, “Highness, we—”
“Callan,” she said. "In private, the captain of my personal guard calls me Callan.”
“As you wish, Callan,” I said. "But I don’t know how much time we have before this crewman is missed. It can’t take very long to deliver a couple of meals. We’ve got to get you out of here now!”
“What about Raoul?” she asked. “I haven’t seen him since a crewman took him away a few hours ago!”
What about Raoul, indeed, I thought, but said, “I can’t risk having them capture you again. Once you’re safe, I’ll come back and look for Raoul.”
And I’ll have a few questions for you when I find you, Raoul.
It’s more difficult for two people to move unnoticed than it is for one. It took several minutes longer to slip to the stern of the airship than I had hoped. Hiding Callan in a particularly deep shadow, I took a lantern which was hanging nearby. Shuttering all but a sliver of the glass, I flashed a signal to the Pauline, flying almost invisible below us. I waited but a few seconds before I saw the flashing reply. I motioned for Callan to join me. She blanched when she saw me tying my rope to the ship’s railing.
“I can’t climb down a rope, David!” she whispered. "My hands still ache from gripping the rope this afternoon!”
I would never have risked having Callan simply slide down the rope and was already tying the rope into a sling, “Don’t worry, all you’ll have to do is sit in the sling while I lower you.”
She was nodding when we were blinded as lanterns snapped open around us.
Drawing his sword, the captain said, "Our prize is trying to escape, boys!”
Chapter 43
With a start, I realized the captain had spoken in the princess’s language! His accent was thick and his tone was flat, almost as if he had memorized the words. Did he speak the princess’s language? There had been no indication of that when we had hailed him during the afternoon. I thought I had a way to find out if he did.
“Highness, I hope I can get out of this without a fight" I whispered. “If I’m wrong, I’ll guard this rope while you slide down to the airship below. They are friends. Trust them.”
Eyes wide, Callan nodded.
I turned to face the captain, my sword sheathed and my hands up. I smiled and said, “You filthy pack of airdogs, I’ll kill you all.”
The captain smiled back, then spoke to his crew. My implant picked out "princess" again, but I couldn’t get anything else.
Shaking my head as if in dejection, I said, “Are you ready to die?”
It took the captain a moment to realize I had asked a question. The captain studied me for a moment and then nodded. That settled the question of language. The captain was trying to read my body language and had no idea what I was saying.
Prince Raoul burst from the shadows and charged at the captain. The crew just watched as Raoul dashed past them and wrestled the captain’s sword from him. The captain raised his hands as Raoul put the sword against the captain’s throat.
Raoul spoke in the captain’s language, one arm sweeping across the watching crewmen. My implant translated "princess" and "guard" this time around. How I wished I knew what Raoul was saying! When Raoul finished speaking, everyone but the captain turned and scurried to the bow of the airship.
Raoul took a quick glance at me, “Do you have a plan for getting Her Highness off of this airship?”
Thrusting aside nagging doubts about Raoul, I said, “I’ve got an airship trailing just off the stern. They’re waiting for me to lower the princess to them.”
“Then go ahead and lower Her Highness to safety,” Raoul said. “I’ll keep this rabble at bay!”
Whatever was going on, ensuring Callan’s safety was paramount. I put her into the sling and lowered Callan to the Pauline. Below, Nist and Tristan pulled her onto the deck and I breathed a little easier.
Drawing my sword, I said, “You next, prince.”
“What?” Raoul said. "No, you must go. The princess is still a long way from home and will need your protection during the journey!”
“Princess Callan is safely aboard a fast airship and with people I trust,” I said. "As a prince of a neighboring realm and Her Highness’s future brother-in-law, your safety comes next.”
Raoul was not pleased with my statement. He watched me for several seconds—seconds during which the captain just stood there—then, eyes flashing anger, Raoul dropped the captain’s sword and stalked to the rope. A moment later a shout from below told me he was safely down.
I heard the twang of a bow string and a quarrel buried itself in the railing next to me. The crew had crossbows! While I was distracted by the near miss, the captain scooped up his sword and attacked. I dodged before realizing I was not the target of the captain’s swing. His sword sliced right through my rope and it fell into the darkness.
I was trapped on the airship!
Chapter 44
Dropping into a du
eling stance, the captain grinned in triumph. A crossbow bolt plucked at my sleeve, the second near miss. Unless I could find some kind of cover, it was only a matter of time before the crew skewered me. There was nothing on the deck for me to hide behind, so I rushed for the only cover available—the captain! If I engaged the captain, his crew would have to hold their fire or risk hitting him. He stepped forward to meet me. I blocked his swing and my sword vibrated from the force of his blow. The captain was far stronger than he looked!
Could Raoul possibly have taken the sword from that iron grip without the captain’s cooperation?
Seeing the effect of his blow, the captain pressed the attack and drove me backward across the deck. In the bow of the airship, half a dozen men held cocked and loaded crossbows. They were ready to fire if I strayed too far from the captain. The rest of the crew had grabbed boat hooks and belaying pins and, careful not to block the crossbowmen’s aim, were walking toward the stern. It looked like everyone wanted in on the kill!
I had precious few heartbeats left before the crew reached us. If I didn’t get away before then, I never would. Blocking another of the captain’s mighty blows, I fell back against the starboard rail. The captain roared in triumph, believing my end was near. He was right. I was about to die and had nothing left to lose.
Boost!
Adrenaline surged through my veins and it was as if time slowed to a crawl. The captain attacked again, but this time I dodged the attack with ease. I flicked my sword past his guard and into his wrist. Blood flowed and the sword flew from his hand. Surprise and fear flashed in the captain’s eyes. Spinning past him, I smacked the captain’s head with the flat of my blade. The captain fell and the waiting crossbowmen could fire without fear of hitting the captain.
The crossbow quarrels flew at me in a ragged line. My sword flashed as I blocked the first five shots. Feeling like showing off, I snatched the last bolt from the air by hand. The crew stared, mouths agape, as I flipped the quarrel over the railing.
