“Do you usually sell more than this?” Nico asked.
“Yes.” As she gathered the unsold bread into the baskets, she said, “But it's not a bad thing. I can give the rest to the homeless. They need it more than anyone.”
“You give food... to the homeless?” Nico breathed a heavy sigh. With each passing second, Ella seemed more and more perfect. “You just... give it away? At no cost whatsoever?”
“Yes,” she answered again, this time with a giggle. “Is that really so unusual? It's a nice thing to do.”
“It is nice!” Nico grabbed one of the baskets and followed her away from the stall. “It's almost too nice. You're like a saint, Ella. You're an angel. You're too good to be true.”
“And you give me far too much credit, Nico! Though I appreciate the compliment.”
Ella knew exactly where to find people in need. Under Bordeaux's longest bridge, she found a man named Smelly Harry. When she gave him two of her muffins, he thanked her at least a dozen times.
“I try not to call him Smelly Harry to his face,” Ella whispered as they headed away from the bridge. “Because that would be rude. But he really does live up to his name.”
“Indeed,” agreed Nico, who walked away pinching his nose. “He definitely does.”
In Bordeaux's abandoned skyport, there were five children—ranging in age from fourteen to five—living in cardboard boxes. Ella gave a muffin to all of them, and the smaller ones hugged her legs.
“Thank you, Miss Clark!” squeaked a tiny blonde girl with a filthy face. “Thank you thank you thank you!”
“You're very welcome, Katie! I only wish I had more to give you!” To Nico, Ella whispered, “I really do wish there was more I could do. It breaks my heart to see them like this.”
“It breaks mine too,” he agreed. “When I get back to the palace, I'll see what I can do to help them.”
After delivering the excess food to those who needed it most, Ella was ready to return home. As they headed in the direction of her house, she told Nico, “I'll need a few minutes to pack some clothes. You don't mind waiting, do you?”
“Not at all. Take all the time you need.”
“I shouldn't take too long. You've already been delayed because of me.”
“Don't worry about it,” Nico said with a wave of his hand. “We'll get to the capital eventually. Time isn't a major problem.”
Unbeknownst to him, time was the least of his problems.
When they returned to Ella's house, Mae was standing outside with her wrists tied together. Kieran McCray stood behind her, and he had a shotgun pointed directly at them.
“Hello there!” Kieran's greeting was strangely jovial. “It's nice to see you again. The weather in Bordeaux is especially mild today, isn't it? Now if you don't mind... I'm going to need my damn keys.”
Twenty One
Kieran was leaning against the motocarriage with a grin on his lips. He had a hand in his pocket, and his shotgun was propped against his hip, as if he couldn't be bothered to aim properly.
“The keys,” Kieran repeated. He held out a hand and flicked his fingers. “Just drop them in my palm and I'll be on my way. No one needs to get hurt.”
“But... sir...” Nico began. When he took a step forward, Kieran raised the shotgun. “You don't understand. I need to get to the capital and it's extremely important.”
“And I need to drive back home, have some drinks, take a shit, and get some sleep. Who's to say your business is more important than mine, boy?” Kieran turned the shotgun on Mae. “Now if you don't want your pretty little friend to die today, I suggest you forfeit my keys.”
“They're in my pocket,” Nico said. “I don't want you to think I'm reaching for a weapon or anything.”
“I don't think you'd be dumb enough to reach for a weapon. It'd be a death sentence.” Kieran briefly turned his attention to Ella, who was cowering behind Nico. “Oh... hello back there. Sorry we're meeting under such strange circumstances, sweetheart. I know it might not look like it right now, but I'm the good guy here. These two stole from me.” Kieran thrust a thumb at the motocarriage. “They stole this.”
Nico extracted Kieran's keys from his pocket and tossed them at his feet. “There. Your keys. But if you would just listen, I'm--”
Kieran interrupted. “Aren't you impressed that I managed to track you down? It seems I've gotten pretty good at gathering information. I met a man named Ivan today. He was very eager to tell me all about you. And he was scum, by the way. If you scuffled with him yesterday, you probably should have put him down.” Kieran's shotgun was pointed directly at Mae's back as he crouched to collect the keys.
“I'm sorry we stole your vehicle,” Nico croaked an apology. “I really am. I'm sorry. But it was the only way we could get away. Look... I know you're angry, but you don't have to hurt anyone. Please, if you'll just let us go...”
Behind him, Ella was glaring at Nico's head. “So you did steal it?” she shrieked. “I invited thieves into my home?”
“No! There's more to the story, Ella. I was captured. Taken against my will. A man cut off my finger.” Nico raised his hand and showed her the stump. “Mae and I needed the motocarriage to escape! We're not thieves!”
“But you did steal it,” Ella sighed. “I was going to ride to the capital in a stolen vehicle? I wish you'd told me.”
Kieran's grin widened, likely because he was enjoying their argument. Cradling his shotgun in one arm, he climbed into the motocarriage's front seat. “Well, if you don't mind, I really must be going,” he said. “It's been fun. Really. Tracking you down was quite the adventure. And I forgive you... sort of.”
When she heard him turn on the engine, Mae gasped and turned around. “Wait!” she shrieked. “Nico's a prince! He needs to get to the capital, alright? It's urgent. He can pay you!”
“A prince, huh?” Kieran stroked his bearded chin as he considered her claim. His foot hovered over the pedal. One small push was all he needed, and he could leave them all behind. “I seem to encounter royalty all the time. What are the odds?”
“You sound skeptical, but it's true!” Mae exclaimed. Nico was surprised to see her standing up for him, since she had always been a skeptic herself. “If you got him to the capital, I'm sure he could reward you handsomely.”
When she looked back at Nico, he nodded. “I would. I'd give you any reward you wanted, Mr. McCray. Despite what you think, my business in the capital is extremely urgent. The royal family might be in danger right now, and I'm the only one who knows it.”
“Well... good luck with that.” Kieran dismissively replied. When he pushed the pedal, and the motocarriage zoomed forward, all three of them shrieked.
“Wait!” Ella leapt in front of the motocarriage, which probably wasn't the wisest thing to do. Kieran had to mash the brake, or he would have run her over.
“Bloody hell, love! Are you in that much of a hurry to die?”
“Please... just listen for a moment!” Ella begged him. “I need to get to the capital as well, and this vehicle was my best and only chance to get there. If I don't get what I need, my little brother might die.”
“Damn. You people are throwing out every sob story in the book! I don't know if I'm impressed or angry.” Kieran pulled out his pistol, which he had reclaimed from Mae, and used it to scratch his chin. “So... you were saying something about a sick brother, then?”
Ella's eyes widened. She couldn't believe he was actually willing to listen. She expected him to turn the car and speed away in the opposite direction. Or worse: plow her over. “I have a little brother named Ben. He's been sick for ages, and the only thing that might help him is medicine from the capital. It's not a guarantee, but it's the only chance I have! If I don't help him, he might not live another year.”
“Well, that's sad and all, but the capital's a long way away,” Kieran said. “Isn't there another way to get there? An airship would be faster.”
“True, but there's no skyport in Bord
eaux. And even if there was, it would be way too expensive,” Ella tried to explain.
“If an airship's out of your price range, I'm out of your price range too.” Kieran revved the engine, giving her a warning. Of course, he wasn't going to hit her, he just needed her to move. “Sorry, love.”
“No, please!” Ella was determined to stand her ground. She grabbed Kieran's wrist and pulled him down from the motocarriage's front seat. He allowed himself to be dragged, but not before grabbing the key from the ignition. He wasn't stupid enough to lose his precious vehicle a second time. “If you met my brother, maybe you'd change your mind.”
“So you're going to guilt me into helping you? Wonderful.” Kieran holstered his pistol, shouldered his shotgun, and submitted to Ella's persistence. Nico trailed behind them, if only to keep an eye on Ella. He didn't know or trust Kieran well enough to leave her alone with him. After all, the man was heavily armed and scowling.
As usual, Ben was sitting in bed with a book on his lap. As soon as he laid eyes on Kieran, excitement flickered onto his face. “Wow... you have guns!” the boy exclaimed.
Kieran nervously gripped his shotgun. He wasn't particularly good at talking to children, but he decided to give it a shot. “Indeed I do.”
“I've never seen a gun before. Not a real gun anyway.” Ben leaned forward, trying to get a better look at Kieran's shotgun. “Are they loaded?”
“Aye.”
“So they're dangerous?”
“In the right hands... yes.” With a shrug, Kieran added, “Or rather the wrong hands.”
“Do you use them a lot?” Ben's eyes were wide and eager.
“More often than I'd like, yes.”
“Have you killed people?”
Though she was curious to know the answer herself, Ella was shaking her head. “Ben... this man is our guest. You shouldn't be asking such inappropriate questions.”
Ben didn't listen to his sister's advice. Instead, he asked, “Can I hold it?”
“I'm afraid not, kid.”
When he heard Kieran's answer, the boy's shoulders noticeably fell. “Damn.”
Ben's foul language made his sister gasp. “Hey! Ben! You're not supposed to use words like that!”
“Sorry...” Ben's apology was followed by a short coughing fit, which had Kieran shaking his head. The girl was betting on the fact that he wouldn't be able to refuse if he saw the boy's sickness first-hand—and she was probably right. Still, Kieran had to make it look like he wasn't easily manipulated. He had to resist as long as possible.
“So... why do you have guns? Are you a soldier or something?” Ben asked. “Or a mercenary?”
“I used to be both. First, I was a soldier, then a mercenary.” With a grin, Kieran added, “The second job paid better.”
“Why aren't you a mercenary any more? Did someone fire you?”
“I was injured a few months ago. I can't fight for shit.” When he heard Ella's grunt of disapproval, Kieran promptly amended his language. “I mean... I can't fight well. Not as well as I'd like to, anyway.”
“I bet you're better than you think,” Ben tried to encourage him. “You look tough.”
“Thanks, mate. You know, you look pretty tough to me too.”
Ben exchanged glances with his sister, who gave him a tiny nod. “Not really.” The boy's eyes sheepishly lowered. “I'm actually pretty weak. I haven't even been out of bed in awhile.”
“I'm sorry to hear that.” Kieran dipped a hand into the pocket of his coat. As his fingers curled around his keys, he sighed. He was already bracing himself for the inevitable trip to the ICC: The Imperial Capital of Columbigo.
“Well, Ben, if you don't mind, I need to have a chat with...” Ella's voice trailed off as she studied the man at her side. If she ever learned his name, she couldn't remember.
“Kieran McCray.”
“Indeed. Mr. Cray and I need to have a private chat.”
“McCray,” he gently corrected her. “Not that it matters, really. The McCray name doesn't carry the same weight that it used to... especially in Columbigo.”
Ella pulled him over to Mae and Nico, who awaited his reaction with bated breath.
“So... will you help us?” Ella asked. “Will you help my brother? Please?”
“It's a two day ride to the capital. You know that, right?” When all three of them nodded, Kieran's eye twitched. “And you have no reservations about riding across the country with a strange man at your side?” He pointed at the shotgun. “A man with guns, no less? You have no idea who I am. I might be insane.”
“I highly doubt it,” Ella countered his statement with a firm shake of her head. “I'm a good judge of character.”
“No, you're a bad judge of character. I'm actually barking.”
“Barking?” Ella's nose crinkled. “Like a dog?”
“No. Barking. As in barking mad. Crazy.” Kieran's eyes rolled at the young woman's confusion. “Apparently, I'm crazy enough to take three desperate people on a road trip across the country.” He thrust a thumb in the direction of the door. “Pack a bag, love. We should leave as soon as possible.”
Twenty Two
“Lettie... oh Leeeettieee!” Julian didn't bother to knock before entering. When the door flew open, he skipped and sashayed into the room.
Lettie, who was reading a book, grumbled when she saw him enter. “You look very jolly today, Captain Featherstone,” she apathetically observed. “Much jollier than Jolly, at any rate.”
“I am jolly. We're almost in Sharlitte. There are a lot of beautiful women in Sharlitte, you know.” Julian closed the door with a kick and swaggered toward her bed. “Of course, I don't need any of them when I've got the most beautiful woman right here.”
“Me?” Lettie snorted as she turned a page in her book. “Don't make me laugh. I'm not that pretty.”
“Oh, but you are!”
“No...” Lettie indolently tugged at the ends of her chin-length brown hair. “I'm not.”
“You are!” Julian slipped a rose between his teeth and crawled into Lettie's bed. His teeth were clenched around the rose's stem, so his next words were muffled. “Thish ish for you, my shhweet.”
“Nope.” With both hands, she roughly shoved him out of her bed. “For the last time, Julian... it's not going to happen. I have absolutely no attraction to you whatsoever, not to mention, I think you're arrogant, pompous, ridiculous...”
“Owww!” Julian whined as he staggered away from her bed.
His pain sounded genuine, and so did her concern. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”
“No.” Julian removed the rose from his teeth and pointed at the corner of his mouth, where a bead of blood was forming. “I got poked by a thorn.”
Lettie rolled her eyes. “Good lord...”
“And... wait...” Julian dipped a finger into his mouth and raked his tongue. “I think I've got one in my mouth.”
“A thorn?”
“Yes, a thorn!” Pouting and whimpering, Julian flicked the thorn from his tongue. As he wiped the blood from his lip, he said, “Look! I'm so desperate to woo you, Lettie, I would even injure myself in the process!”
“You're a walking disaster,” Lettie said with a sigh. “I don't think I've ever seen anyone get injured by a rose before.”
“It happens. That's where the word prick comes from. Roses are jerks.”
When he tried to hand her the rose, Lettie sullenly shook her head. “Yeah... uh huh... I'm pretty sure you're wrong about that, Julian.” He kept trying to shove the flower under her nose, but she was determined to keep her eyes on the book. “Now, can you please go away? I just want to read right now.”
“So let me get this straight... you wouldn't be interested in going out with me sometime?” Julian asked.
“Not really.”
“Letitia Jordan absolutely won't be going out on any dates with Julian Featherstone in the near future... or even the distant future?”
“I have a fiance,” Let
tie reminded him for the dozenth time.
“That's alright. A fiance doesn't bother me. I've been embroiled in love triangles before, you know. It's actually rather exciting.”
“Julian!” Lettie said his name very firmly. “I have no desire to date you. None. At all. Zero.” Lettie wondered if she sounded a bit too harsh, but he needed to get it through his head. She wasn't going to suddenly and miraculously change her mind about him.
“Very well.” Exaggerating slumped shoulders, Julian shuffled to the door. As he pitched the rose to the floor, he added, “You'll regret this later. Someday, George Whats-His-Name will bore you, and you'll wish you'd taken a chance on Julian. Julian is fun.”
“You know what... I bet you're right!” When Lettie glanced up from her book, her eyes were narrowed playfully. “I better stock up on tissues for all of those inevitable nights of sorrow and regret. When I realize the error of my ways, I'll be crying myself to sleep for all eternity!” As soon as Julian was gone, she muttered to herself, “He has to be the worst airship captain in the entire world, I swear...”
Julian didn't let her rejection break him. If she wasn't interested in him, he would simply move on to someone else. Lettie was frustratingly resistant to him, and while he was intrigued by the challenge she posed, he needed something more. As soon as he left the airship, Julian wandered into the nearest pub, only to discover the odds were in his favor. The women outnumbered the men two-to-one.
For the first few minutes, Julian sat by himself. His eyes perused the pub, scouting for the most beautiful women. He ordered a glass of port wine, which he carried with him to his intended target. The black-haired beauty was sitting by herself in the corner of the pub, which made her the perfect prey.
“Hello, lovely,” Julian greeted her with his most disarming smile. “Do you mind if I sit with you for a bit?”
“Of course not.” The woman not only accepted his company, she pushed out a chair for him.
The Lady Captain Page 15
