“I…uh…wow.” Krista stepped back to appraise Jade. “I’m impressed.”
“Thanks.” Jade hefted her bag and nodded goodbye to the shopkeeper, then raised a hand against the glare of sunlight. She followed Krista onto the bustling street, her mind in turmoil as her feet moved without conscious thought to direction.
Jade had once harbored the idea that there may be more to Zak’s devout protection of her, but once the injuries he’d received on her behalf were healed, nothing else was mentioned. Not one thing changed at all, really, except the dynamic between them in their normal interaction had something…more to it. One day she’d look up from replacing a pipe or tubing, and Zak would be nearby, watching with a smolder in his eyes that caused her heart to flutter and her cheeks to heat. Other days, he’d barely look at her when passing a plate at the meal table.
Then the ball had happened.
Jade laughed aloud as Zak spun her away then tugged her back into his arms, his grip on her firm, yet still so very gentle. His eyes shone with merriment as he smiled down at her, and she beamed up at him as she swayed to the music, her aquamarine gown swishing around her ankles.
“I’m pretty sure this is the most I’ve seen you smile at a ball,” Zak commented, his tone conversational. A lock of dark hair fell across Zak’s forehead, and she lifted her gloved hand from his shoulder to brush it back. His eyes crinkled in thanks.
Heat suffused her cheeks, but Jade held his gaze and settled her hand back on the shoulder of his formal black jacket. “Probably because this is the most fun I’ve ever had at a ball.”
“Oh really? Any idea as to why?” His voice was low, just loud enough to be heard over the music, yet she could hear the teasing lilt in his words.
She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to hide her smile as she shook her head. “No clue. Maybe some things just get better with time?”
Amusement lit Zak’s eyes, and she looked away, trusting him to lead her in the next few steps of the dance. Surely he could feel her heartbeat through their joined hands. What if he kissed her tonight? The whole evening had been magical enough, and he hadn’t left her side since they arrived in the Perennian palace.
She caught her father’s eyes and beamed at him as Zak twirled her again. Maybe things were starting to look up for her.
Jade clenched her fist as she willed away the memory. She didn’t know if it was something she’d done or said. Maybe he’d decided he wasn’t interested in getting close to the captain’s daughter. She was only a mechanic—and she’d mentioned that night how much she loved being one, how she never wanted to leave her position. He’d fallen silent at that. Maybe that was it? He was a Guardian. He far outranked her in importance. A mere mechanic shouldn’t be worth his time. Her heart twisted.
Who would consider someone of her station as worth pursuing?
“You mentioned Ben, too,” Jade prompted, finally.
Krista shot her a glance, and a slow grin spread. “Why? Are you thinking of moving on from Zak to Ben?”
Jade lifted her face to the sun and shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s nice. Attractive. Talks to me more than Zak does.”
“True.” Krista pursed her full lips with a glint in her eye. “You know, you could always try kissing Ben to see what Zak would do. It’d give a good impression of how they both feel about you.”
“No!”
Krista cackled, and Jade turned her friend away from a pair of military police that stopped to watch them. She offered a quick nod to the men as she steered Krista from their watchful gaze.
“I don’t know what you want to do more,” Jade hissed at Krista, “embarrass me to the point of death, or attract unwanted attention.”
Krista sobered and patted Jade’s back. “Sorry. You make it too easy. But you’re right. I don’t think we usually go this way, do we?”
Jade shook her head and increased her speed through the narrow alley, suddenly more aware of their surroundings. They had wandered into an older part of High Doldra, where the buildings sagged and the air felt musty. Men without elegant hats wore rough clothing and had steely eyes that wandered. Women who lacked the customary flowing dresses and parasols lingered in doorways, wearing swooping necklines and skirts hitched high enough to show their knee-high laced boots and a touch of flesh above the leather.
Jade suppressed a shiver and tried to surreptitiously glance behind her. This was one of the times she’d welcome Zak’s company—mother-hen syndrome and all. She touched the pommel of the dagger hiding in the folds of her loose mechanic pants and swallowed as a burly man slowed in the street to openly appraise them. They had to get out of this neighborhood.
“Is that Geist?” Krista pointed, and Jade shaded her eyes to squint.
Jade raised her brows as she watched the umber-toned crewman duck out of a signless doorway. He shoved his hands in his pockets, scowl visible even from across the street. She watched his shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath. His eyes snapped open, and he looked up at them, his lips twisting in a frown.
Relief trickled down Jade’s spine as Geist walked over. Even though he wasn’t what Jade would call a friend, he was more trustworthy than any of the people in the street around her. He nodded to her as he drew close, but his eyes stayed on Krista.
“What are you two doing here? And without the other two?” Geist’s gruff tone rankled, though Jade couldn’t fault it. They really should have paid attention to the direction they were going.
“We got turned around,” Krista replied easily. “And the guys are buying Ben some new clothes.”
Geist leaned back as he nodded and crossed his arms. “He needs them.” He glanced back at the building he’d come from, and the skin around his eyes tightened. “And you two need to get out of here. I’ll escort you back to the City Circle.”
“We’d appreciate that, thank you.” Jade couldn’t hold back her curiosity. “What were you doing out here?”
Geist’s dark eyes flicked to her. A muscle in his cheek twitched, and he pointed behind her. “We’re going that way.” His hand grasped her elbow as he bulled forward. “And it’s none of your business.”
Chapter Thirteen
Ben
“You’ve stalled long enough.” Ben picked up a pair of rose-lensed goggles and held them up to his eyes before hanging them back on the peg with a minute shudder. He picked up another pair and tilted them to better see the reflective film. “Krista made a comment yesterday —something about Zak and Aerugo? And today that MP mentioned to Jade about standing with the Monomi. And that Nevin prick from last night? What was that about?”
Briar turned away from the leather knife holster he had been looking at and snorted at the goggles Ben held in his hands. “Those are for mechanics.” He tapped a finger against the gears that held smaller monocles on the side of the lenses. “You don’t need these unless you’re planning to join Krista and Jade. Which I recommend against.”
Ben sighed and set that pair aside before grabbing another to inspect.
“Early last summer we were making a delivery in Lucrum—that’s Aerugo’s capital—and we stopped by the palace for Jade and family to visit her uncle. The prince there disagreed with Zak in regards to Jade.” Briar leaned against the counter and grimaced, twirling a dagger in his hands. “Zak hit him and got punished for striking a royal.” He sighed, slid the blade back in its sheath, and set it aside. “It was nasty.”
“Oh.” Ben paused. “So he’s Jade’s protector? Why is he not here?”
“Sort of?” Briar hedged. He picked up a brown pair of goggles with deep red tinting. “Try these.”
Ben slipped them on, and Briar nodded in approval. He then led Ben to a shelf of leather and scaled pouches.
“Zak and Jade have been friends together on the Sapphire for years,” Briar continued as Ben looked over his options. “But their friendship has hit a…rocky…patch.”
Ben bobbed his head slowly, trying to match Briar’s description to what he’d wit
nessed of the brooding, black-haired swordsman. He’d definitely noticed the rocky patch, if that’s what they called last night. “There’s something about her. Something familiar.”
Briar turned and raised a single eyebrow, clearly sizing Ben up. “You serious?”
Ben nodded. She was one of the few on the crew who didn’t hold him back at arm’s length. And something about her reminded him of someone. Maybe the woman he’d had that brief memory of? He couldn’t think of who she was—if it was a lover, a family member, a friend—but he wanted to get to know Jade. Maybe she could help unlock his memory somehow.
He fingered the metal tags around his neck. Maybe he could ask this store clerk if they’d seen anything like his necklace. Any clue would be helpful, and clerks saw a lot of people. He could probably help.
Briar led him to a long display of larger pouches, where a dark green, soft leather hip bag caught Ben’s eye. He hefted it and examined the tiny stitching along the side and the swirled design across the front. He tossed it on his growing pile of items to buy.
“As for why Zak is banished from here, that’s a longer story. And one that he would tell better—if you can get him to talk about it.” Briar rifled his hand through their bag of clothes and necessary accessories for Ben. “We need to get you a skyfarer hat, too.”
Ben followed Briar through the racks of goggles and top hats. Briar stopped in front of a shelf of folded leather hats of various colors and stepped aside to let Ben sift through the selection.
Ben tugged on a brown cap. “I’m not sure if Zak would want to open up to me.” The leather squeezed his skull, and he yanked it off with a muttered, “Nope.”
Briar tossed him a dark green leather cap.
Ben eyed it critically and pulled it on, adjusting the straps to fit snugly. He worked his jaw and nodded, pleased.
Briar nodded to the hat that Ben wore. “Put on the goggles. Make sure they fit comfortably together.” He leaned against a shelf and crossed one leg over the other casually. “Zak tends to be suspicious of newcomers. Give him time. Show him you’re trustworthy.” Briar crossed his arms and made a show of looking Ben up and down. “You are trustworthy, right?”
Ben snorted. “As far as I know, yes.” He pulled the goggles on and shifted them until satisfied. The shop looked both darker and rosier with the goggles, but they felt good, and they’d be excellent protection against the wind when onboard the Sapphire.
“Zak’s had a rough life,” Briar said finally. “More than we know, I’m sure.” Briar shot Ben a look. “He has his secrets, just like you have yours.”
“There’s a difference between secrets and not remembering, you know.”
“True enough, I suppose.” Briar hitched a thumb in his belt loop. “Do you remember anything at all?”
Ben shook his head and pulled out the chain with the two metal strips around his neck. “This is all I have, aside from what I was wearing, and I don’t even know what these mean.” He closed his eyes, shutting out Briar’s concerned expression and the various racks of merchandise that surrounded them. “All I can remember is my name, a boom, and pain. That’s it, really.”
Ben slid his feet farther apart to anchor himself while he breathed deeply, eyes still closed. Something niggled at him, an anxiety or urgency that he was forgetting something—or someone—important. A flash of gold and the warm glow of happiness was all he had to go by. Nothing concrete or even remotely helpful.
Pressure on his shoulder made Ben’s eyes snap open, and he let Briar shepherd him to the bearded shopkeeper.
“I wonder what it’ll take to get you to remember everything,” Briar said.
Ben shrugged as he helped pile his purchases on the counter. “Knowing my luck here thus far, it’ll be something unpleasant.”
“Good day, gentlemen. Did you find everything you hoped for?” The clerk pulled out a paper pad and started jotting down a list of their items.
“Yes, thank you,” Briar replied. He nodded to the man behind the counter. “Lance has been working here for…” He turned back to the shopkeeper. “How many years has it been?”
“More years than you’ve been on that airship of yours.” Lance softened his words with a humored smile as he started to add numbers next to the listed items.
Ben tugged out his metal necklace. “Then you probably see a range of things come through from all areas, right?”
“Of course. The total is seventy-two lut, by the way. Did you have something in mind that you’re looking for, or something—” Lance looked up from his notepad, and his gaze fell on the necklace dangling in Ben’s hand. His brow furrowed, and his eyes slowly widened. Lance hesitantly lifted the flat rectangle that hung on the chain and angled it toward him. Color drained from the shopkeeper’s face, leaving his skin looking like bleached sand. He stumbled back and hit the cubby-holed wall behind him. A bolt of cloth tumbled to the ground. He lifted a shaking finger. “Put that away. Now.”
Ben and Briar exchanged puzzled looks.
“Lance?” Briar’s hands froze on his money bag. “Are you—”
“Put it away!” Lance exclaimed.
Ben fumbled in his haste to slip the metal under his shirt. Lance pressed both hands against the counter, and he leaned forward, his pupils so dilated that Ben could see his own reflection in them.
“Do not bring those out in public again. No good will come of it. You hear me?” Lance’s cheeks hollowed, giving him the appearance of one who’d just tasted something sour. He closed his eyes and whispered, “Another one, here.” He let out a shuddering breath. “You need to leave. Now.”
“Uh, payment.” Briar set three dark blue lut on the counter. He retracted his hand as if he expected Lance to jump out at him.
Lance fumbled for the money, and he handed Briar two crimson lut without a word. He didn’t look at either of them, his eyes trained on the counter as they moved their items into the large bag that Briar had insisted Ben bring from the Sapphire.
Irritation ebbed from Ben and was replaced with a pang of fear when Lance finally looked up at him. His eyes held Ben captive while Lance gestured at Ben’s necklace. “If you value your life, and the lives of those around you, destroy those and never think of them again.”
Chapter Fourteen
Slate
It had been a full month since Slate last saw Samantha, and thirty-five days’ time was far too long to go without his wife. He sighed as he checked his compass and corrected the course of the Sapphire accordingly. They’d had to loop down south through Florence to make a quick delivery, and if his calculations were accurate, Sam and the Phoenix would be flying through Perennia right now, too. Hopefully they’d both land in Lucrum on the same day, so they could make the most of their land-docked time.
Oh, the joys and difficulties of a marriage between two airship captains.
Getting Sam’s thoughts on the new guy would be interesting. She was as protective of Jade as Slate was, and he wanted Sam’s insight on Ben’s mysterious background and lack of general knowledge. Slate liked the young man thus far, but he wanted a different judge of character than himself.
He knew better than to trust his own judgment on anyone.
And maybe Sam would have a lead for his crew to follow, or new rumors of Loore’s Landing and their so-called ghosts. If nothing else, she would encourage him with her ever-flowing optimism. Too many years of no solid clues wore on a man.
How could they repair the keystone?
Was there really an artifact that could do that?
Where would it be?
Where would Zane’s murderer hide?
Slate’s grip on the wheel tightened as shame flooded his heart and memories poured into his head.
It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.
He brushed blood-stained fingers down Sapphire’s face, closing her eyelids. A sob choked him, unable to free itself of his chest. This whole endeavor was to protect her and her family—not get her and the rest of the royal fa
mily killed. This was his fault. He’d trusted the wrong person.
A blue jay squawked, pulling Slate from the memory. It glared at Slate with one beady eye, then the other, before ruffling its feathers and flying off the banister. He swiped at the moisture threatening to leak from his goggles. The sun glanced off the lenses, glinting crimson.
The barrier rippled, flaring orange and red, illuminating Zane’s drawn face. His eyes blazed even as his blood ran out. “If this is your fault, you need to redeem yourself. Live with what you’ve done.”
“How?”
“If the princess is alive, protect her.”
She didn’t want to be protected.
“Lie if you must.”
My entire life has become a lie, Zane.
Slate groaned and rubbed at his forehead, willing the memories away. He couldn’t let anyone else die for him. And he couldn’t lose any more family. He had to focus on the here and now. Samantha.
Where was she? Was she safe? How had her travels gone while they were separated?
He gazed over the helm and railing, and tried to admire the clear blue sky and rolling green landscape while he turned the questions over in his mind. The sun’s warmth loosened the tense muscles in his back, and the cool bite of the air on his face kept him wide awake.
Motion caught his eye, and he turned to see Garnet’s customary emerald-dyed hat bobbing over the railing. His sister popped into view, switching over her safety lines and coming alongside him, leaning into the stiff breeze. Her loose-fitting jacket smacked him in the leg, and she grabbed the wool edges and buttoned it down.
“Sorry.” She flashed him a quick smile and leaned against the rail. “So. What are your thoughts on Ben?”
Clawing out of the depression that pulled at Slate prevented him from replying to her peppy tone.
She caught his eye, and her shoulders sagged. Her fingers slid over his. “We’ll find them.”
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