A Tale of Two Airships (Take to the Skies Book 2) (21 page)

“I couldn’t be more pleased,” Isabella responded smooth as silk, not needing to feign her relief—we all couldn’t wait to get out of this pace. She stood, brushing down her skirts before she dipped into an elegant curtsy. “I’ll eagerly await your correspondence,” she murmured, lashes lowered like she’d lived amongst these folks her entire life.

“Until next time,” Lady Bellerose agreed, though neither she nor Alban made any attempt to bid us adieu.

“I’ll see our guests to the door.” Sabine’s too-sweet smile turned my stomach. What was her gambit? A drop of sweat coursed its way down my spine, trailing the whole way as we exited the room. We were heading to the way out, but as long as Sabine remained with us, she could cry uncle and send us to the gallows, which meant we weren’t in the clear yet. 

The guards stepped to a quick beat as they escorted us through the house again, and as we walked down the corridor, Mordecai’s gaze slid to me. I chanced a slow nod in acknowledgement while Isabella engaged Sabine with idle chatter about their shared origins. What entertained me the most was knowing the woman beneath all this politeness—while Isabella could play the game, she hated it.

Our footsteps echoed throughout the cavernous hallway, and the clacks resounded as we made our way down the steps. In a place as expansive and cold as this, any noise could travel far, which is why for once I watched my mouth. I stowed away all of my loud curses for the bar later when I had a pint safe in hand. Though she’d said no word to the guards, I kept a careful eye on Sabine. Her hands were soft as expected from her class, and the proud way she carried herself didn’t measure up to a guarded fighter’s stance of anyone with experience.  If we made it past the manor and at least to the gates, even if she turned us over, we could make a break for it.

The sun beamed on me the second we stepped outside the manor, and I began to feel a little more human. Though I wouldn’t feel safe until my boots were planted on the Desire and we were back in the skies.

“Oh, I do appear to have dropped my earring.” Sabine whirled around, scanning the ground behind her. Though her course appeared aimless, she caught my eye as she meandered towards me. I glanced down—she’d ditched her earring for me to find while I wasn’t watching.

“I’ve found it.” I lifted the sparkling rose quartz drop from the ground and thrust it towards her. Lost jewelry wasn’t what she wanted though. Her fingers whispered across my palm to retrieve it as she leaned in towards me, her voice barely audible.

“I know you’ve stolen from us.”

With my gaze trained forward, I tried to appear as unruffled by her accusations as possible. “Prove it,” I murmured.

“One word to the guards and they’ll stop you. Search the both of you. Need I remind you whose employ they’re in?” We continued to walk, appearing to make casual chatter. All the while, I clenched my jaw—of course we wouldn’t get out of this scot free.

“What do you want?” I asked. Any demand from her couldn’t spell good news for us. 

“Take me with you.” Her words were simple and blunt, but it took me a full moment before they sunk into my brain.

“We’re strangers,” I whispered. “Dangerous strangers who you don’t want to mix with.”

“And now we’re drawing attention. You have until the gates to make your choice.” Sabine cast her haughty glance my way and sashayed her way up to Isabella.

My stomach plummeted. The girl was an idiot—some sheltered rich brat who wanted to escape dear old Mom and Dad’s strict upbringing. Her story had been told a thousand times past, but the life of a smuggler on board my ship wasn’t for the soft of heart. We’d be heading straight into peril the second we departed these shores. I pursed my lips. Yet taking her past the gates offered us a safe, free pass out of here, and we could ditch her after.

Those inquisitive eyes glanced to me, catching my gaze. I held hers and with my nod, signed our fates. We’d chance it for now, if only to talk her out of it later and drop her off at the next harbor.

The gates loomed in sight and beyond them lay our freedom. We’d have our quarry, and Viola and Edward could cash their share in whatever seedy place the black market traded. My heart marched to a violent beat inside my chest. I should be relieved, but in lifting the Bellerose family of their precious burden, we’d mark ourselves in their books. Another enemy to add to our overflowing list.

The second the guards opened the gates, I caught Sabine’s gaze.

“Ready?” I asked. She nodded, no hesitation.

“Run.”

Chapter Twenty Two

Before the guards registered our movements, my crew and I moved in unison past the breadth of the gates, Sabine hurtling along with us. Their shouts trailed in our footsteps while we left them behind, pounding against the dirt roads, as fast and far away from the Bellerose manor as possible. The wind flew through my hair as I sprinted, and a whoop escaped from my throat. Despite the more than peculiar situation surrounding our escape, I couldn’t help the glee bubbling inside me at leaving the prison of a manor behind.

We raced along the road until the shouts grew distant and the unsoiled walls of various estates disappeared in lieu of the fringes of the town cropping up. Everyone in my crew kept pace with the exception of Sabine—yet even though she trailed behind, her dark brows knitted together in determination as if to spite her reddened cheeks. No complaints from her…yet. As the daughter of a wealthy Lord and Lady she must’ve been babied growing up. The Desire wasn’t the sort of place for her—hell, the Desire hadn’t been a safe place for anyone apart from crazies with a death wish.

The moment we stepped onto the tan cobbled streets of the town, I slowed to a halt. We could afford a couple spare seconds before heading to the Desire, and a group strolling through had less of a chance to draw attention.

“Why don’t we stop by a tavern for a bite?” I announced to the group. Even though I didn’t know the town, I knew the telltale signs of my kind of people. Mordecai, Isabella, Edward, and Viola were all giving me the ‘what the everloving hell is she doing here’ look; however, all four of them were professional enough to wait until safety to question. I stared right on back. “We’ll discuss the situation there.” We made our way down the street towards the faded canopies of shopfronts where squatters camped on the steps, and folks kept their hands on their holsters.

Skinner’s Tavern had enough dents in the sign to welcome my sort of riffraff, even if we were dressed up like tarts. The clothes didn’t matter if you had the swagger to intimidate. And hell, I sauntered into everything like I owned the place, so no one would be mistaking us for easy targets any time soon.

Dim lights barely lit the joint, but the three failing overheads provided the sort of shadows we needed right now and plenty of empty tables away from the entrance. Most folks who ducked into these sorts of taverns didn’t take too kindly to being remembered. I took initiative, strolling to an open table in the corner and seating myself. The rest of our motley group followed suit. The coolness of the place settled over me, calming my accelerated heartbeat, and my tight muscles quit their death grip on my joints.

“Captain, I’ll address it now,” Isabella spoke first as expected. “What the hell is she doing here?”

I gave Sabine a flat glare. “Our little rich girl decided to exchange her freedom for our safe passage from the estate. However, I’ll tell you straight, sweetheart, this isn’t the crew for you.”

A hand slammed onto the table, drawing my attention to said little rich girl. “Who the hell are you to judge me?”

I lifted my brows and tilted my chin up, brimming with indignation. No one tried that disregard around me. “I’m the goddamn Captain, that’s who. Do you understand what that means? No lip. When I say run, you run. When I say fight, you fight. Because if you don’t follow orders, you won’t stay alive, and your survival’s not guaranteed. We’ve got more enemies than I can count on both hands, and we’re so poor we’ll take almost any job. Is this the glamorous life you imagined when you asked me for escape?”

The girl’s dark eyes flashed with rage, but to her credit, she stopped and simmered right as the ponytailed waitress rolled over. The woman pursed her lips, keeping at least a couple feet away from us, since the ability to read hostile body language meant the difference between life and death in a place like this.

“What can I do for ya?” she asked, glancing to the muddied surface of the bar and refusing to make eye contact.

“Round of ale,” I responded, letting her off the hook easy. The woman all but darted off.

“It might be dangerous, but at least you feel alive.” Sabine’s words were curt, and her lip jutted out with a similar stubbornness to Isabella’s. “A living doll trapped in a hellhole of a manor isn’t the way I want to spend the rest of my life. I had to take the chance, however slim.”

While the whole rich lifestyle seemed stagnant as a scummy pond, I didn’t have much use for her. “That’s pretty music and all, but why not get knocked up with some bastard’s baby or swap places with a barmaid--the usual stuff. Why the hell do you think we’d have a place for you?”

The girl recoiled as if I’d slapped her, but a stubborn grimace remained on her face. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Right, so you’re going to leave me here. What the hell have you gotten involved in that’s so drastic?”

“A group of gypsies have two of our crew, and we’re going to launch an assault to get our men back. This isn’t some caper or heist. This is war, and we’ll be lucky if any of us make it out alive.” My voice skated at a low growl as I tried to throw as much menace into my words as possible.

“Darling, this isn’t the best crew to join for the first timer,” Isabella chose a softer tone for her dissuasion. From the opposite seat, Edward’s hazel eyes fixed on me with a surprising intensity. The mention of war mired him in old memories—soldiers bore their scars for a lifetime.

The waitress raced by to plunk our pints onto the table and then hightailed it out of there. I stared into the amber ale before me and took a long draught, letting the refreshing brew glide down my throat.

“Why are you going to war with the gypsies?” she asked, the anger retreating to be replaced with a sparrow’s curiosity.

“Because they hurt my crew, and aboard my ship, we protect ours.” The innate ferocity filled my chest with heat the same way it did every time I thought about the man who taught me that lesson.

Sabine sat in contemplation and took a sip from her ale. Our table hushed, nearly everyone waiting for a response from her. Mordecai stayed out of it for the most part, his gaze steady at the doors while he readied at a moment’s notice to bolt. Viola on the other hand had begun to straighten her curls, the avoidance stating this was not her business.

“I want to join.” Sabine’s voice cut through the silence, clear and resolute. I heaved a sigh, ready to lobby another argument when Edward interjected.

“You’ve got a willing soldier in the middle of a war. Who cares if she’s green? I’d take a new recruit full of spitfire over a jaded soldier any day of the week.” His words held weight—he’d seen his fair share of battles as a redcoat and as a bounty hunter. I pressed my tongue against the back of my teeth. She had no reason for wanting to join up with us except for her mode of escape.

But wasn’t escape why we’d all joined this crew in the first place? Mordecai had been the only one already trained. Morris had made it his life’s work to round up one hell of a varied crew, everyone with a past they were trying to leave behind. Just because her cage had gold trim didn’t mean it confined any less.

Defeated by my own principles. “Sabine Bellerose, you really want this?”

She nodded, dark gaze unwavering.

“Then you’ve got a place on board. Hope you’re a quick study, because we’ve got one hell of a fight looming on our horizon.”

***

Several hours later, we walked Edward and Viola to the sub-bus, because unlike our newest acquisition, they hadn’t signed up for an all out attack on the gypsies. The jewelry box wandered its way into my hands, but Viola had enough class to not flash her score in front of Sabine. This side of town, the perfume from the occasional rich broad who sashayed by polluted the air.

We all came to a halt in front of the translucent exterior shielding the sub-bus line. Edward and Viola cast a glance at each other, and Viola’s gaze met mine. The time had come for our parting of ways. A sadness I hadn’t expected washed over me.

Working with Viola and Edward had been effortless, despite my first impressions. They’d been competent, but skill didn’t make for good companions. Viola’s sharp wit and Edward’s passion, those were what resonated with me and reminded me so much of my own crew. Deeper though, we were all misfits with bad pasts, ones which we were all running from and dealing with in our own ways. Mordecai made an excellent choice going to them for help, and I hoped despite the trouble we brought on them, they’d felt a similar camaraderie.

Edward clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Now darling, if you ever need a bed to stay in,” he started until Viola’s elbow slammed into his side. A smirk rose to my face. Coughing slightly, he recovered fast. “You run a more honorable crew than most military vessels. Girlie, I have to say—I spent the past couple years cursing the Desire, but you’ve proved me wrong. If I ever meet your old employer though, he’ll have a nightmare to reckon with.”

I punched his shoulder, flashing a grin. “And you’re not bad for an ex-redcoat.”

He shrugged. “What can I say? I got better.”

“Next time you’re in town and think of stomping on over to my bar—don’t,” Viola said, perfectly serious. My stomach dropped, but she had the right. We were a walking, talking bushel of trouble. “You and your crew are clearly ruffians, but,” her voice dropped to a gentler tone, “you know where I live. You’re always welcome to stop by in Shantytown.” A smile curled her lips, as artful as the curls she’d pinned.

“For a stuffy broad, I have to say, you’re carving one hell of a future for yourself,” I started, a teasing edge to my voice. Screw the formality. I threw my arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. “Thank you. Both of you,” I mumbled into her shoulder as her tart rose perfume wafted my way, so similar to Isabella’s.

Mordecai clasped hands with Edward. “I’d say take care of her, but the woman can run circles around you. Until we meet again.”

The sub-bus rolled into the stop with a screech.

“That’s our cue,” Viola pulled away. Mordecai leaned in to peck her cheek.

“Stay safe,” he called as Viola and Edward made their way through the geo-synth barrier and up to the sub-bus. We watched them board in silence, and as fast, the bus set off again, picking up momentum. I stared at the empty space for a heartbeat—I hated goodbyes of any kind. They were a reminder to me of how brief this life was and how quick the folks you loved got snatched away. The grief of Spade’s passing still hung heavy in my chest, and Morris’s death had left a permanent mark.

I’d chosen this life though. The freedom came at the steep price of danger, but even the dullest of lives dealt with change and the passage of time. Like the winds whipping around my girl when we sailed, we held on like hell and continued charging forward.

“Time to return to harbor, folks.” I rallied the others, drawing their attention away from the sub-bus station.

We carved through the town with relative ease, and dusk hadn’t even fallen by the time we made it to the weathered boards of the dock. Amber clouds in the sky whispered promises of a beautiful sunset I wished I could watch. At least a dozen or so ships docked in the harbor right now, but one stood out more than the rest. Not due to size—she wasn’t some sort of monstrosity—but her curves were sleek, and dark wood stained with shadows struck one beautiful figure against the rosy sky.

The moment we stepped in front of her, Nathaniel stood by the rail, lowering a rope. My heart twisted—so often it had been Spade doing the honors, since he had remained always on the alert and always on board. The rope ladder slapped against the side of the ship as it tumbled in front of us.

Sabine stared at the Desire, her dark eyes huge and her mouth agape. I clapped a hand on her shoulder.

“Darlin’, welcome home.” I flashed a grin before grabbing the first handhold on the rope ladder and beginning the climb. The smell of the sea swirled around me, a salty tang I loved. It soaked the Desire’s boards, and we carried it with us wherever we roamed in the skies. I made my way on board, and as my boots hit the deck, a resounding thud sent shudders of relief through me, same way it always did. Our journey didn’t matter, because we sailed along on the only home I’d ever known.

Isabella sauntered on board, followed by Mordecai’s smooth vault, and finally Sabine, though struggling with her many skirts, tumbled her way over the railing. I watched, arms crossed and more than a little entertained. The girl had a tough, bruised road ahead of her. Footsteps sounded behind me, but I didn’t need to turn around to guess. Only one man had that long loping stride.

“Doll, nowhere in our heist plans did we mention taking a noble girl, right?” His warm voice held an amused note as his chest pressed against my back. Those arms wrapped around me, and my insides heated. Geoff filled me with the same solid comfort as the Desire’s planks underfoot.

“Well, you know me and a bargain. Couldn’t resist the two for one,” I said dryly. “Saucy thing bartered our easy escape with her freedom. She’s going to be a pain in my ass.”

He snorted. “Sounds familiar. I remember all the nights Morris lamented the constant ‘challenge’ you provided.”

I mock gasped. “
Never
. I was pleasant as a peach.” Turning around, I planted a kiss on his lips before he offered some sassy response. The lift of his brow told me he knew what I did, but he deepened the kiss regardless. Even as he kissed me, a tenderness lingered there belying his state, his grip a little fiercer as if I might vanish. Didn’t need a shrink to explain that one—any time one of our own passed, it left the crew feeling a little more breakable.