by Jeff Kish
“There’s no way those oafs could avoid my detection,” Fire insists. “If they’re giving chase, they’re miserably lost.”
Di takes her eyes off Era to shoot Jem a nasty look. “He better not have gone on this date for no reason.”
“Oh, so now you’d be upset if we were in the clear?” Jem scoffs. “Just let it rest, Di. Era isn’t even a great catch.”
“How is he not great?”
Jem starts counting fingers. “He’s bumbling, slow…”
“…stubborn, idiotic…” Fire chimes in.
“…he sleeps in, he’s lethargic…”
“…naïve, presumptuous…”
“…and he’s totally useless!” Jem finishes.
Di glances at each one, a smile curling at her lips. Turning back toward Era, she gasps as loudly as she can. “Whoa! They’re kissing!”
“WHAT!?” the two girls cry out in unison, stumbling to get to their knees so they can peek over the log. Once positioned, however, all they see is Era continuing to wait by the edge of the clearing, and they look to Di in annoyance as they return to their seats.
Di giggles at her mischief as her eye catches motion. “Hey, that’s weird. Era just ran into the clearing.”
“What’s that moron doing?” Fire grumbles as she hurries off, disappearing from view as she can be heard making tracks toward the clearing.
Di giggles as Fire leaves. “Did you see how red her face was? I could tell even in the dark!”
Jem hadn’t even noticed Fire’s reaction to Di’s ruse, but the notion seems ludicrous. She sternly scolds, “Di, you acted like a child. Grow up.”
“Think what you want,” Di says, waving Jem off. Staring after Era, she wonders aloud, “Just where did he go, anyway?”
* * *
Era darts from tent to tent as dusk settles, taking care to avoid any chance of being seen. Making his way toward the sky boat, he ducks behind a set of crates and waits to make one last charge. The craft hardly looks sturdy. If not for the tubing all over, it would just be a giant box sitting there in the grass. It has no wheels, no windows, and he can’t even find the door. He again gulps at the thought of flying in the thing, getting more nervous with each passing moment.
Sensing an opportunity, he dashes up to the converted carriage. He pulls himself onto the top of the sky boat and lays prone next to the pilot’s seat. The workers’ voices fade as they enter their tents, each turning in for the night. Darkness falls over the camp with just a hint of lantern light escaping the tents. Era sees a tent flap open as Pearl emerges and makes her way to the sky boat. She uses the built-in steps to hoist herself to the top, and she’s pleased to find Era waiting for her.
She straps herself in and whispers, “Good job. Just hang tight for a few minutes.” She loops the straps around Era’s legs, securing him to her seat. After tightening the ribbon in her hair, she asks, “Ready?”
He offers a nervous thumbs-up, and Pearl engages the affixed runes on the console, prompting them to expel wind at incredible velocities and even more incredible noise. Some of the workers withdraw from their tents in alarm, but when they find Pearl at the helm, they disappear once more.
Her pre-flight checks complete, she crouches low and whispers, “Hold on tight!”
An even louder blast erupts from the console, and Era resists the urge to release his hold and cover his ears. His shaggy brown hair whips around his eyes from the wind, and he grips the straps tightly as he feels upward acceleration. He watches Pearl masterfully tap the console, her fingers moving as if it were a musical instrument.
Slowly and steadily, the speed of the ascension increases. He looks out over the roof of the sky boat just in time to see the tops of the trees disappear behind the edge of the craft. Era starts to feel queasy, but Pearl shows no sign of slowing down.
After what feels like an eternity, Pearl shouts, “High enough?” Clinging tightly to the harness, Era fervently nods as Pearl reduces the output of the wind. The craft loses its upward momentum and comes to a standing hover. In its current state, the sound of the sky boat isn’t completely overwhelming. The boat rocks back and forth, and Era stares at the roof in an effort to keep his dinner inside.
Pearl motions around. “Well, come on! Take a look around!”
Era reluctantly obeys, peering into the darkness of the night, and his eyes widen at the vast expanse before him. The stars are crystal clear in the cloudless night, and the nearly-full moon looks all the larger as it dominates one side of the sky. Era’s jaw drops as he can no longer tell where the ground meets the sky, and small lights from the many tiny villages in the region dot the expanse. He had no idea there were so many towns in this part of the country.
“Over there is the Lidoran Sea!” Pearl shouts as she points out in a particular direction, though it’s impossible to make anything out. “Sorry, it’s pretty dark, but we could probably see the shoreline if it was light out!” She then points in the opposite direction and says, “And over there is the Impal mountain range! Or… well, it’s too dark to see.” She shrugs sheepishly, realizing there is a lot less to take in after dusk.
Even without the sights of a daytime excursion, the stars are simply brilliant, and Era can get a sense from the village lights just how high up they are. “This is amazing!”
Pearl nods. “I never get tired of this view. It makes me want to break my own limitations. I want to fly faster, I want to fly higher!” She stretches her hand skyward and says, “Maybe one day I’ll have the power to touch the stars.”
While he’s able to understand Pearl’s sentiment, Era experiences a different emotion. Since first meeting Di, it has felt like the world is shrinking on them as they have been pursued. Seeing the countryside like this allows him to breathe, and an anxiety he hadn’t noticed begins to fade.
Pearl leans back and admires the view for herself. “When flying a load, I only go about half this altitude because the winds up here can be rocky. But it isn’t hard to fly this high if I’m not going anywhere.”
Era crawls to the edge and glances down briefly before retreating inward. “Can we see Canterin from here?”
Pearl looks north. “Not at this height. The country is far bigger than you’d expect.”
As Era finds the courage to sit upright, Pearl’s face swings into his field of view, making him jump in surprise.
“Hey,” she says as softly as she can while still being heard. Her tied hair whips around her neck as she sits beside him, apparently trusting the controls to keep the craft steady. She slides close and says, “I’m glad you came up here with me.” Her silver hair sparkles in the moonlight, and she meets him with large, vulnerable eyes. “Maybe you can hold me? So I feel safe?”
‘Is that a joke!?’ Era wonders, watching as Pearl sits fearlessly near the edge of the sky boat while he clutches the harness. Still, he does his best to play the role, and he reluctantly releases the strap from one hand and swings his arm around her slender shoulders. He watches out over the dark horizon, and his mind begins to wander.
Pearl leans into him. “What are you thinking about?”
Era grimaces. “Life isn’t turning out quite how I expected.”
“Oh? You didn’t expect to sit hundreds of feet above the ground with such a fair maiden?”
He can’t help but chuckle. “Well, that’s certainly true.”
“What else, then?”
It’s difficult for him to sort through his thoughts, but he finally says, “Since I was young, I had always committed myself to a… particular path in life, and I’ve never once doubted it. My time with my partner has been fun, but we have different goals, so I know I’ll need to part ways with her. For some reason, that makes me sad.”
“Why wouldn’t it?” Pearl asks. “We grow fond of those around us.”
He shrugs. “A thief’s life requires isolation from others, right? My dad left his family to pursue his dream. I’ve always known this, and yet… it’s hard.”
“What if a thief’s life could be had without isolation?” she asks. “Do you think that’s a scenario worth exploring?”
He reflects on his time with Jem, and then his travels with Di. Even Fire has a certain appeal he can’t quite explain. The journey has been eventful, and these friendships have changed the way he envisions his future. “Of course it is, Pearl, but it isn’t so simple,” he finally answers. “Jem and I want very different things. Eventually we’ll split ways. We have to.”
“Then let it happen,” she says. “Your heart will tell you when you’re ready to leave. Until then, enjoy the time you have with your friends. Nothing lasts forever.”
“And if my heart never tells me it’s time?” he asks.
“Then maybe you were never meant to follow your father’s path.”
Pearl’s words sting his soul, yet they also bring Era a strange comfort, one he didn’t even realize he was seeking. “Pearl, if anyone will one day touch the stars, it will be you,” he says, and their eyes meet in the moonlight. Her soft expression invites him in, and Era again feels his heart race as he gazes upon his date. Her bangs whip playfully around her eyes, and her face glows with a bold sense of adventure. His breath trembles as she leans in, and their lips connect. For a perfect moment, all is clear and quiet high in the sky as the inexperienced youths maintain their tight-lipped kiss.
However, the sky boat makes a sudden jolt, and Pearl dashes to the console to balance the craft. “We should head back down,” she shouts, disappointment on her face. Era gives an appreciative nod as the craft begins descending. He clings to the harnesses, his heart still racing as a slight curl forms on his lips.
* * *
The boat comes to a rest on the ground, bouncing Era as the landing is anything but soft. Pearl crouches and presses her hand against Era’s back as she waves to someone nearby. She then unstraps her harness and lowers her voice. “There’s always one night watchman, but these guys must be pretty poor at it since I can sneak past them. Just do what you’re good at and you’ll be fine getting away.” As she continues to act like she’s straightening the harnesses, she continues, “I’ll unlock the hold below. The four of you need to be inside by daybreak. I’ll fly you to the outskirts of Kemplen.” Era nods his understanding.
Pearl pauses, once again saddened the night is at its end. “Thanks for the date, Era. I had a great time.” With one last touch on his shoulder, she climbs over the edge and dismounts the sky boat. After quietly unlocking the latch on the door below, she retreats to her tent to turn in for the night.
Era watches her from his vantage point, waiting until she’s safely in her tent to glance around the area. The designated guard is sitting on a set of crates, a lantern at his side as his head bobs with drowsiness. Era sighs, his excitement for a challenge diminished. Rolling quietly to the back of the craft, he slips down and stealthily retreats into the woods, ensuring the sleepy watchman never has a chance of noticing him.
As he enters the tree line, he looks back at the tent into which Pearl disappeared and smiles to himself. “I had a good time tonight too, Pearl,” he whispers. He retreats further into the darkness of the woods, his heart finally slowing from the exhilaration of the flight.
Just as he starts wondering where he should be meeting up with the others, Fire jumps out of a nearby bush. Era nearly jumps out of his skin at the abrupt arrival.
“You sure took your time with that,” Fire says with arms folded.
“Y-Yeah, I, ummm…”
“Save it. I don’t care.” She looks past Era and says, “Here come the ice queen and princess.”
Era turns to his other two companions emerging from the brush. “What’s the big idea, Era?” Jem barks. “You could have gotten caught!”
“It was Pearl’s idea!” he argues, throwing his hands in the air. “She insisted we do it or the deal was off.”
For once, Jem fails to pick up on his exaggeration. “Okay, fine. So it went well?”
He nods. “The plan is on. We need to be in the hold by sunrise. We could probably sneak in now if we wanted.”
“No, we wait until as close to daybreak as we can,” Fire asserts. “If we go too early, we’ll be sitting ducks if the military decides to show up, because a bootleg sky boat operation is going to catch their eye pretty quickly.”
Era is surprised by her comment. “Bootleg…? Wait, you heard what Pearl said about smuggling?”
“I heard the entire date,” Fire says with a piercing glare. “I saw everything.” Era’s heart races as she withdraws a timepiece from her pocket and checks it. “I’ll scout the surrounding area and come back if there’s danger. Otherwise we’ll load up a half-hour before sunrise. You three should sleep while you can.”
“We’ll sleep in shifts,” Jem snidely remarks, eyeing the crafty assassin.
After giving Era one last glance, Fire disappears into the woods. Era recounts her words as he tries to convince himself she couldn’t possibly see anything from so far away. Unless she has a spyglass? But no, it’s too dark, right? And even then, he had stripped her of everything when they first met. Or did he miss it somehow!?
“Everything okay?” Jem asks, oblivious to the nature of his panic.
Era swallows hard and opts to change the subject. “S-So things went well on your end? No sign of trouble?”
Jem waves her hand in the air. “Everything went fine, though Di’s constant whining was draining. I’m ready for sleep. You want first or second shift?”
His adrenaline still surging, Era says, “I’ll take the first shift. Go sleep.” Appreciative of the offer, Jem heads off to set up camp, but Di hangs back, still pouting. Era asks, “Nervous about flying tomorrow, or are you still upset about the date?”
“Maybe both,” she answers before quietly adding, “Didn’t realize I had so much competition.”
“Pearl?” he asks. “The date was fun, but there probably won’t be a second one.”
She eyes him for a moment before giving him a hug. Surprised, Era awkwardly returns the gesture, but she quickly releases her hold and hurries after Jem. He gives a wave as she takes off, then turns and sets out to do a round of scouting.
* * *
Fire pulls herself onto a branch in the darkness of night. She keeps replaying the moment in the woods when Di had tricked her into an overreaction. It’s been so long since she’s shown any level of emotion like that, but the real frustration is why she reacted. She shakes off the thought, attributing it to a severe lack of sleep.
She further scales the tree, pulling herself up branch by branch until she approaches the peak. Inching her way as high as she can, the skillful tree climber looks out over the moonlit treetops. She strains her eyes and ears for anything suspicious. As she scans the horizon, she notices a plume of smoke rising a short distance away.
Fire grimaces, wondering if trouble has found them as she descends from her perch and begins seeking it out. When she comes upon the source of the rising smoke, she can hardly believe her eyes. Jaras is sitting on a log, stoking the fire. Her breath trembles as rage courses through her entire body at the sight of the bounty hunter. Gripping her dagger, she boldly leaps into the open from behind the hunter. As he spins around, she kicks him hard in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. It’s all he can do to avoid falling into the flames.
Fire points her dagger at her helpless victim as he slides away from the heat, her muscles twitching at the thought of slicing him to pieces. “You’ve got a lot of guts to follow me around, Jaras!”
His usual demeanor is strangely absent as Jaras stands and confidently brushes himself off, and Fire wonders if she just fell into a trap.
Sure enough, a figure emerges from the forest behind Jaras, and Fire’s jaw nearly drops. Commander Galen marches in, his hands in the air. “Don’t worry, Fire. I just want to talk.”
Chapter 14
Fire lowers her blade, aware a retreat will make her appear all the more guilty. She sheathes her dagger and cro
sses her arms. “Well? Out with it, already. I’m in the middle of a hunt, as you know.”
Galen relaxes, but Jaras points at Fire in accusation. “You’re working with the targets, and now everyone knows it. You’re finished, Fire! You might as well-”
“Lieutenant Commander Bowen, please remove this brigand,” Galen calls out to his subordinate behind him.
“W-Wait just a minute!” the bounty hunter protests as Bowen moves closer. “I thought-”
“You arranged the meeting, and you will be paid for your efforts as agreed upon,” Galen interrupts. “Your presence is no longer required.” Jaras huffs his annoyance as Bowen prods him away, leaving the two in private next to the small flame.
Galen turns back to his desired audience. “His report is disturbing, so I asked him to set up this meeting for us. He strongly believed you would come out if he made himself visible.”
Fire again curses her inability to kill Jaras earlier. “How much did he charge you for being my secretary?”
Galen pauses before answering. “Fifty thousand.”
She smirks. “You wasted your money. That slob is a pathetic excuse for a bounty hunter. He can’t even make a fire, let alone hunt such highly valued targets. When he failed to capture them himself, he apparently made up a little story and sold it to you gullible idiots.”
The commander doesn’t seem fazed by her words. “So you deny his claims?”
“There is nothing to deny. His words aren’t worth a venni, let alone fifty thousand of them.”
Galen picks up a stick to stoke the flames. “So how is your own hunt coming? Have you found the targets yet?”
“Once. I lost them, but I’m already back on their trail.”
“Please fill me in on the details. Where did you last see them?”
Pausing, Fire realizes she may well have backed herself into a corner. “Outside Ugorzi. Jaras and Shem interfered with my attempt to capture them, and they got away.”
“So they are in the region,” he says, mostly to himself. “Look, Fire, I’d be a fool to think you allied with the targets, because you know as well as I do that they have no future. Working with them would be suicide.”
