A Tale of Two Airships (Take to the Skies Book 2) (7 page)

“Letting the past lie for a moment, my concern is more with the present—why have you approached us?” The woman managed cool and collected with little effort, the exact opposite of my fire and brimstone approach.

“We’ve got some gypsy problems,” Mordecai interjected to my relief. Since she was his contact and I’d managed to infuriate her partner, maybe he could patch this sinking ship.

Her mouth quirked up. “Funny coming from you. Happen to piss off another sect?”

“I wish. This involves our girl Isabella’s ex-clan. We…happen to have misplaced our ship.” Mordecai attempted a delicate phrase, causing me to snort.

“He means those gypsy bastards stole our ship.” I took over again, planting the soles of my boots firm to the floor. “So I’ve got a proposition for you. There’s a bounty on the crew of the airship Fireswamp. We’ll hand over the ruffians for you to deliver to claim the bounty and while you’re distracting the local taskforce, we’ll snag their ship. With our forces combined, it should be easy money.”

“Now, what’s to stop us from handling the bounty ourselves and leaving the baggage behind?” Viola raised a delicate brow. Ouch. She had a fair point, since the two seemed competent.

“Because we’ll owe you a favor,” a voice came from behind me. To my surprise, Jack stepped to the plate.

Viola pressed her fingers to her lips fast to try and hide her smile. When she’d contained it, she continued with the same cool tone. “And why would we want a favor from you?”

A smile rose to my lips. Jack had been giving me a chance to deliver. “Because as our dear redcoat friend can attest, we’re a stubborn lot and will risk everything to uphold our promises. Because we were trained by an ex-military man who knew the definition of honor.” I tapped a percussive beat on the top of the chair backing as I leaned over it. “Plus, I can promise you’re in for an interesting time.”

Mordecai rolled his eyes. “And I thought my recruitment speech was special.”

Viola leaned against the wall and stared at the polished hardwood floor as she sank into thought. Edward on the other hand had taken a seat and some deep breaths which had done wonders to improve his temperament.

“You never caught up with your ex-employer and dealt with him?” Edward asked, leaning into the chaise lounge.

“Bastard’s been under the radar ever since. The day we catch up with him, we’ll be sure to deliver what he deserves.” My words edged with steel since I meant them in my marrow. While my main job revolved around keeping my girl in the air and my crew safe, my grudge still chafed raw.

Edward nodded real slow and cast a glance to Viola. They held silent for a beat as they exchanged the wordless sort of communication couples and close friends did. After a few seconds, he spoke again. “One foul breeze from the lot of you, and we’re out. However, I like the idea of easy, and I’m not one to blame the messenger. Seems your crew as well as my squad got the scapegoat treatment from some bigger game going on behind the scenes. All I ask is you keep me in the loop from here on out, because I know a couple men who’d like to take a crack at your ex-employer as well.”

For the first time since the sun broke over the horizon this morning, I breathed a sigh of relief. Our problems were far from solved, but when you wandered through a storm, you only focused on one step at a time. Otherwise you’d get swept away.

“Well then, no time like tomorrow.” I squeezed the chair tight and let loose a grin. “Huddle around folks, because I’ve got a plan.”

Chapter Seven

While the rest of my crew snored through the night, I caught a couple blinks before I sat by the window, watching the sun creep through the blinds. Isabella and Jack had squeezed onto the couch, each taking one corner at first, though as the night wore on, Isabella’s long legs dangled further and further off the couch until her boots hit the floor. Spade leaned against the loveseat, his head drooping forward in slumber. Mordecai laid down on the cushy blankets Viola had spared for us, and though he’d stayed up with me for awhile, after a time he’d drifted off.

When I skated high on adrenaline in the middle of a fight or running for my life, I’d been able to stave off the worries—just stay in the present. However, in the solitude of the night, those jitters had coursed through my veins and kept sleep at bay. This fear didn’t spring from the bounty we were to embark upon once folks roused themselves, no—the unknown shifted the shadows in my mind. And the searing brand in my heart left when Geoff and the rest of the crew were stolen away. Aboard my girl, I was undefeatable, but take her away from me, and I became as human as anyone else.

I scratched at my arms, but it didn’t do anything to strike away my fear. A creak from the stairwell drew my attention as Viola made her way down the steps. Even first thing in the morning, the woman managed to pull off poised and composed. She’d already pinned her hair back, and her face had a freshly washed glow. Though a cream blouse and twill skirt was on the simpler side, her pressed and clean attire still struck an elegant note. All of which made me more aware of my state of unwashed and unkempt. My aviator cap did a fair job at hiding the worst of the frizz, but my tangled curls threatened to overtake my cheeks at a moment’s notice.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked upon approach.

I leaned against the wall before crossing my arms. “Captains don’t sleep. We survive on the tears of our crew and excessive worries.” Though it came out as a joke, the statement dried bitter in my mouth. After all, since I’d become Captain, that had been what laid out for me—I’d risen in tragedy, and we’d been a buck short ever since. The first tendrils of dawn’s cool light filtered in as the heat hadn’t reminded the earth of day yet.

“Well, you don’t join up with the best bounty hunters in this county and get shoddy work. If you’re worried the bounty will go sour, it must be from deficiencies on your end.” Viola’s knowing tone set my blood ablaze.

“My crew will pull their weight, don’t you worry,” I started, louder than intended. A small smile rose to her face with the ensuing realization I’d been played like a fiddle. This woman could dance circles around hotheads for days.

“Dear, you’re too honest for your own good.” She shook her head, amusement written all over her features. With a couple short strides, she entered her kitchen and began to put a kettle on for tea.

“When you dabble with folks of questionable morals, you cling to yours more fiercely.” I joined her in the kitchen, not wanting our chatter to wake the crew. “We’ve handled so many traitors and turnabouts that I understand more than most the value of an honest man.”

“An honest thief?” she questioned, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“This world of ours is far from perfect.” I shrugged, jamming my hands into my pockets. “When most folks have to pilfer and steal to get by, you start having less and less sympathy for those high and mighty guys hoarding all the gold for themselves.” I eyed her apartment, all the elegant flourishes like the hanging lamps in the center of the kitchen with their black wrought metalwork or the black lacquer countertops with roses carved into the edging. “Makes me question why you’d ever want to be like one of them.” I didn’t bother hiding the criticism behind my statement. After all, from what I’d seen so far, she had some sense to her behind all the frippery and feigned manners.

“Because, why should you have to be born into it to enjoy the finer things in life?” she lifted a brow, delivering a cool turnaround. I pursed my lips and nodded. She had a fair point—I wouldn’t say no to a pair of clothes free from holes and stains, and I couldn’t imagine the relief we’d have if we could choose what jobs we wanted rather than get pushed into more and more dangerous ones.

“And you’re sure they’re touched down in port the town over?” I asked, switching the conversation back to priority number one, how the hell we were going to pull ourselves out of this mess.

“My sources wouldn’t dare lie to me.” The feline smile curving her lips reminded me how any friend of Mordecai Blacksmith must have a certain level of danger to them. And I had the feeling many a man met his end by underestimating this dainty belle.

“Well then we’ll be shining our pistols and preparing—what is it you fight with?” I squinted as I asked her.

She lifted her skirt to mid-thigh where a garter strapped there contained dozens of small vials filled with blue and green liquids. “A lady wouldn’t wield anything as crass as firearms.”

I snorted. “Thank the gods I’m no lady.”

A yawn split the air, followed by a groan. Moments later, Isabella slunk over, to her credit with her skirts in order and her long, dark waves less tangled than mine. The steps creaked again as Edward stomped his way down with none of the grace and poise Viola maintained. Due to the loud sound, Mordecai shot up from where he slept, and even Jack roused. Spade’s eyes had opened, but when the man had woken up was beyond me.

“Looks like it’s a real party now,” I commented, shooting Viola an amused glance. Her lips curled into a half smile. Perhaps snooty Miss Embrees wasn’t so bad. After all, I appreciated a girl with mettle and enough spine to know herself. And enough poison in one garter to slaughter an army.

“So, who’s ready to steal an airship?” Jack rubbed his eyes as he joined the party. A goofy smile overtook his face—the exact sort of reaction to danger I dreamed of with one of mine. Mordecai clapped him on the back.

“Did anyone bother to find out what sort of model the Fireswamp is?” Spade jumped in.

I snorted. “Come on now Spade, you can fly anything, right?” The twitch of his lips as irritation stole his face was worth it. I waited until fully entertained before continuing. “She’s a smaller model—won’t be blasting anyone out of the skies any time soon, but for overtaking our girl, she’ll suffice. As for the steering, it’s on the simpler scale. You’ll find it an utter bore.”

Viola’s kettle whistled, and with prompt efficiency, she pulled multiple cups from her cupboard, shooting a glance to the crowd now gathering in her main room. “How many for tea?” she asked.

“I haven’t had a good cup in an age,” I sighed. “Edwin ruined our last canister when he infused it with the neon goo he ‘claimed’ was absinthe flavoring.”

Mordecai hid a smile. “I may have been holding out on the lot of you—I’ve got a secret stash of earl grey in my bunk.”

“You too?” Isabella asked, taking a seat at Viola’s small kitchen table. “I prefer rose tea myself, but I’ve hidden mine forever.” She passed me a withering glance. “The amount of sugar you dump in yours, darling, ruins any good cup.”

I sniffed the air and marched to where Viola stood, shaking her head and smiling as she pulled more porcelain cups from her cabinet and set the kettle with more water to boil. “I’ll help you distribute. My traitorous crew seems to think I can’t handle my tea black.”

Isabella rolled her eyes at my mock indignance and joined us in the kitchen. “So with a crew of eight for this tiny ship, how many of us will you need as decoy while you’re making your way on board?”

“Ha, Spade and Mordecai will be pulling that weight. I’m joining you and Jack as a decoy. After all, decoy’s the tougher job, and I wouldn’t want my crew to think I can’t handle danger anymore.” I dropped a teabag into my cup and inhaled the fumes as bergamot wafted my way.

“With the way you attract it, I doubt anyone believes that, considering you’re still standing,” Mordecai muttered, reaching past me to steal a cup.  Within a matter of seconds, the tea water whistled again, hissing from one of those wind up kettles that tick, tick, ticked until the superheated plate beneath boiled the water. More cups birthed amber liquid the second the bags dropped, and everyone had one in hand by the time Viola finished.

“And you two have a plan on how to deliver all eight to collect?” I asked. Though I entertained the idea of stuffing the lot of pirates into a cage, I had the feeling Edward and Viola had something more convenient in mind.

“Not elegantly, but it can be done. There’s a bounty on each of their heads, yes?” She asked.

“Yeah, you’ll get more for the whole lot of them.” I took a sip but retracted—the water was more than a little scalding.

“Looks like we’ll be parading the lot through town or taking Old Jarvis’s ferry service to the drop off.” Edward dropped a couple sugar cubes into his cup and dripped cream until it clouded.

Viola’s nose wrinkled. “I’d prefer the drop off—let’s lean towards discreet.”

“Meanwhile, crew, we’ll be as flashy as possible. Especially us decoys. Let’s spit on their shoes and call their mothers horrible names.”

Mordecai squeezed Jack’s shoulder. “See, the illustrious work of a recon man. These are the predecessors you have to live up to.”

“At least I’ll never be bored.” He flashed him a grin before sipping at his tea again.

I made a point of taking a deep, lusty swig of mine. The dry taste of unsweetened Earl Grey hit my tongue, but I wouldn’t give Isabella the satisfaction of being right. Instead, I lifted my cup to her, eyed the pile of sugar cubes, and raised my brows.

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, you didn’t use any sugar. Good girl, want a treat?”

A snort flew from my lips before I could help myself. Downing the rest of the warm tea in one gulp, I slammed the dainty cup on the table even though the sound made Viola wince. Most of the crew had finished their cups. Though Edward and Viola nursed theirs, even as they leaned against her countertops, the two had a readiness to their stance begging for action.

Well, action was one thing I could deliver.

***

I’d grown all too familiar with the docks of Shantytown after yesterday, and my heart ached upon approach as I tried to quash the hope the Desire might be there waiting for us. That we could scrap this entire ridiculous endeavor and sail away with the rest of our crew. Though we all reached the docks together as we approached the beginning of the plank, I prepared for the departure.

Viola and Edward gave us a nod before they split directions, her to the far left while he took position against the wall. Either direction the pirates ran, one of them would be ready and waiting. Meanwhile, Mordecai and Spade lingered in the back of our depleted group. After all, Isabella, Jack, and I would be the ones bringing the flash, bang, boom, and it had to be big enough so those two could sneak unnoticed to the Fireswamp and handle whoever lingered on board.

My heart thudded in my chest, not from fear at our current undertaking but a mixture of excitement for the chance to hit the skies again. Though we’d been strapped to land for a day so far, a keen difference resided in the knowledge that while we had the Desire, at any point we could indulge a whim or escape away to where we were free. Down here with no ship, we were thrust into a viper’s den where Morlocks had it out for us as well as any bounty hunter who’d been alerted. I prayed Viola and Edward didn’t catch wind and decide our bounty was a lot easier to collect than the crew of the Fireswamp’s. With the Fireswamp bounty tied up in a neat bow though, they wouldn’t bother with the likes of us, and if they happened to change their minds, we’d already be sailing the skies far away.

I gripped Matilda for reassurance as we began our march down the walkway. While I’d like to profess deep strategy and thought into this plan, in essence going the simple route left a lot less room for error. Our luck of late wrenched the easiest task in the worst way possible, so I figured complex spun out of our wheelhouse for the time being. Not like I minded—I’d always been a straight-shooter.

Based on the descriptions of the ships, I marked out the Fireswamp at once. She was a small thing, not even half the size of the Desire, and more of a reconnaissance ship than anything. How their crew racked up the bounty never slipped into the details, and though a little bit of guilt filtered through me at attacking my own kind, we needed up in the air, fast. This wasn’t a peaches and cream world where you could consider everyone in the process.

Unlike the Desire’s overhead balloon, this open model laid out like the hot air balloons which once floated through the skies. Her body was sturdy though and made from a tan wood soaked in the sunshine. Propellers on either side helped give the girl more lift, and a rail surrounded the entire ship. All in all, she was in good repair and would get us where we needed to go.

On her deck, I spotted a couple folks scurrying around. With any luck, the lot of them would be cloistered away on the Fireswamp not half spent rushing through town. I scanned over the vessel—they had the height advantage, but we simply had to distract while Spade commandeered. Even still, boarding their ship gave us the chance for nonlethal attacks. A shiver ran through my veins—while we’d been called pirates before, this time I felt like one.

“Isabella and Jack, follow me. Mordecai and Spade, I need you to sneak to the other side and board that way. We’ll head up first and cause a ruckus—you follow and take control.” Mordecai and Spade both passed me grim and serious looks as they nodded. I couldn’t have picked two better men to seize the ship as they were practiced in the art of competency and restraint.