by Erin Johnson
I turned and rubbed his back. “Come on. You look like you need a nap.” We walked arm in arm back toward his room. “Or if you’re going to stay up, at least some shoes.”
“No.” He yawned. “A nap sounds good.” He nudged me gently with his shoulder. “Care to join?”
I slid my hand into his and intertwined our fingers. “I accept your invitation.” I sighed. “Especially since we have another ball tonight.”
Hank groaned.
“Hey.” I squeezed his hand. “Don’t ditch me tonight, okay? If you want to ditch the party, I will ditch with you.”
Hank stopped and tugged me to a stop with him. He spun me to face him. We’d nearly reached his room down the long, airy hallway. “To clarify, I would never, in a thousand tides, ditch you. I was afraid of losing my temper in front of you and had to get away from my family to calm down. I found a rooftop somewhere, got some fresh air alone, and as soon as I cleared my head, felt sick for leaving you like that. I went back to the ball, but you’d left already, and—” He shook his head and raised his brows. “I was an idiot. I should have found your room and apologized right then. But I felt certain you wouldn’t want to see me after I’d made a scene like that and stormed off. At least, that’s what I told myself.” His brows pinched together. “I think really I was just putting off seeing you.”
I frowned. That wasn’t good.
“I was afraid to see you look at me with disappointment—or worse, fear.”
Aw. My mouth slid into a grin. “Well, I am disappointed that you’d think I wouldn’t want to see you.” I played with the hem of his T-shirt. “And I am afraid that you’re stuck with me.” I grinned at him.
His eyes twinkled as he took my hand. “How tired are you?”
I tipped my head from side to side. “Medium.”
He led me down the hall toward his room. “How upset would you be if our nap didn’t involve much sleeping?”
I smiled even as a flush crept up my throat. “I think I could cope.”
11
Working the Party
Later that night, I stood arm in arm with Hank at the second night of spring celebrations. We stood in a little circle with his family and some royal acquaintances, including the always delightful Louella Davenport. Tonight we ate and danced in another ballroom of the Air palace. Why would they need more than one ballroom? How big was this place?
All such boring, practical matters were cast aside in favor of elegance and decadence. Chandeliers the size of cars dangled overhead, formed of magically suspended dew drops. Enchanted clouds floated among them, their shapes changing rapidly. Hank and I had fun pointing out the shapes we saw in them.
Twin staircases spiraled down from the second-story foyer and between them a glass pillar rose from the floor to the tall ceiling stories above. Inside floated a diorama of the Air Kingdom, complete with tiny airships zipping about, working waterfalls, and its own weather system. I glanced over. Currently, it was a partly cloudy night, but with a 40 percent chance of showers. I grinned to myself. Even though part of me wanted to laugh off some of the over-the-top fanciness, I couldn’t help but be charmed by the creativity and magic.
We’d just finished a delicious dinner of herb-crusted halibut, caught fresh from the sky island’s lake, followed by a dessert of light and fluffy sponge cake topped with whipped cream, mint leaves, and strawberries. This had been made, of course, by my friends and me. I beamed with pride and made a mental note to pass along all the compliments I’d overheard from the guests—it had been a hit.
I took a sip of my dry champagne and frowned. Had we saved any extra of that cake in the bakery? My sweet tooth needed a bit more to be satisfied. Maybe Hank and I could bounce early from the party and sneak some back to his room. My cheeks heated and I bit my lip as I replayed our afternoon’s activities in my mind. I looked to Hank at my side. He stood tall and broad shouldered, and looked like a prince straight out of a fairy tale in his white uniform with the gold and blue sash across his chest.
Forget the cake. I needed a bit more Hank to be satisfied. I opened my mouth to suggest we sneak out, when Urs Volker approached our group. Henrick Finkle, the round guy from the prison board, trailed behind. I closed my mouth, glanced over at Emmaline on my right, and gave her a little nod. She shot me a nervous look.
“Goot evenink.” Urs bowed, his hands linked behind his back.
I nodded, and Hank’s parents, brothers and their wives, and the other party guests murmured their greetings.
“Mind if we join you?” Henrick didn’t wait for a reply. “Lovely night, isn’t it?” He winked at Queen Edith. “And lovely company.”
She smiled back, then glanced up at her husband and his severe expression, and grew serious. I narrowed my eyes at the king—just the life of the party, that one.
Henrick elbowed the stony-faced Urs, and lifted his brows at the rest of us.
Urs squared his clean-shaven jaw and cleared his throat. “Lofely night, eesn’t eet?” he practically barked.
I bit my lip to keep from grinning. It sounded like an interrogation coming from him.
“I just said that,” Henrick muttered through a plastered-on smile. “Why don’t you tell these prestigious partygoers about all the good work our prison is doing for the kingdoms?”
Urs’s throat bobbed and he blinked his wide eyes. I tried again to hold back a grin. I found it pretty amusing that a guy who could face down the world’s most dangerous criminals was intimidated by making chitchat at a ball. I lightly elbowed Emmaline and jerked my head towards Urs.
She licked her lips. “So, uh, yes, please tell us about the prison. I’m-I’m really fascinated by it.” She flashed her megawatt smile and cupped her chin in her palm.
I looked to Urs. Come on. Even a tough-as-nails prison warden had to be charmed by that smile.
His cheek twitched. I nodded to myself. Okay, that was a start toward a smile. Or maybe he just had a twitch.
Cas, standing next to his wife, chuckled. “Since when are you interested in Carclaustra?”
Emmaline waved a gloved hand. “Oh, psh, for a while now.” She batted her lashes at Urs. “You were saying?”
Louella turned to the woman next to her, an older woman in her sixties I’d guess, who dripped in diamonds. She muttered behind her hand, but loud enough for us all to hear, even above the jazz band. “Quite an unseemly interest, wouldn’t you say?”
The older woman arched a thin brow but didn’t reply.
Emmaline turned to me and grimaced. “That’s the Duchess of Audrey.”
I nodded slowly. “Right. Okay.”
Emmaline’s purple brows flattened. “The head of the ladies’ salon committee?” She pouted and hissed, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
I nodded. “Absolutely.” I jerked my head toward Urs, who’d started to speak.
“Vell, vee haf many dangerous criminals. And vee keep zem locket up.” He gave a sharp nod of his head.
Henrick rolled a hand. “And….”
Urs frowned. “And vee keep zem away from all of you.”
Louella sneered. “Fascinating.”
Henrick stepped in. “It is, actually. Quite a state-of-the-magical-art facility.” He glanced down. “Or so I hear.”
I lifted a finger. “That’s right. You mentioned the other night that even you haven’t been inside, right?” I glanced around the circle and aimed to look impressed. “Quite the exclusive place.”
Hank grinned at me. “Since when are you into Carclaustra?”
My face fell as I thought of Horace ambushing us in the bakery back home. “Just recently.”
“Ja.” Urs squared his shoulders. “Only mine officers and za prisoners efer enter za prison.”
“Efer?” Emmaline raised her brows.
“Efer.”
She turned to me and pulled her lips to the side. “He said efer.”
“Remember what I said about funding,” I whispered. Henrick had seemed to think Urs
schmoozing was important because the prison needed funding. I turned back to Urs and Henrick. “Oh wow. I’m surprised a government-funded facility would be allowed such freedom. The Air Kingdom must really trust you.” I nodded at Emmaline’s mother and father, the king and queen of the Air Kingdom, who stood nearby.
Henrick beamed. I’d given him the perfect opening. “Actually, we’re not government funded. Because our prison serves all the kingdoms, we operate outside government oversight and rely on the generous support of ordinary, everyday rich people like yourselves.” He swept his upraised palms in a circle that encompassed all of us.
I elbowed Emmaline and she jumped.
“Oh!” She smiled. “Oh, I mean, well, Cas and I would love to support your extremely important work.” She smiled at her husband. “Wouldn’t we?”
He shook his head slightly and opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Emmaline beamed at Henrick and Urs. “He’s so excited and just as passionate about locking up bad guys as I am.”
Louella snickered behind her hand.
Emmaline’s face fell. She licked her lips and tried again. “But I’m not entirely convinced about donating, yet. I really think if I could get just, like, a little tour of the place”—she pinched her gloved forefinger and thumb together—“it would really convince me.”
Urs glared, but Henrick lit up.
Emmaline tapped her finger against her deep plum lips. “But what would be even more amazing is if all my wealthy, powerful lady friends could come, too. I’m supposed to organize a meeting of the ladies’ salon and it would be such an impactful outing to get a tour of Carclaustra. I’m sure once all these women saw the many, many violent, heinous criminals you big strong men are keeping away from us, they’d just throw open their pocketbooks and shower you with donations.” She shook her head. “Too bad you don’t do tours though.” She sighed and hung her head. “Too bad.”
“This is what she plans to do for her salon day? Ha!” Louella practically cackled with malice-filled delight. I couldn’t read the impassive duchess beside her, though.
Henrick ate it up. He grabbed Urs’s arm and looked up at the man and his buzz cut. “Urs—this is such an important opportunity.”
Urs shook his head. “Eet ees eempossible.”
“No, no it’s not.” Henrick dropped his hand from Urs’s arm when he shot him a death look. Henrick adjusted his bow tie. “You’d like to be warden, right? The board has hesitated on appointing you because we’re not sure you can secure the support of the public.” Henrick smiled at us, though his eyes shone with desperation. He could probably taste those donations. He swept an arm toward the group. “Here’s your chance to get the support of the public.”
Urs shifted on his feet. “Za public doesn’t haf to enter za prison to know vee do eemportant vork.”
Emmaline turned to me and pressed her lips together in an exaggerated expression of disappointment. “I mean, I’d really love to give them all my money, wouldn’t you?” She didn’t wait for my answer. “But the prison is on an air island, out of sight, and no one I know has ever seen it… I don’t know. It just seems so intangible.”
I bit my lip to keep from smiling and ruining it. She was killing it.
Henrick whimpered.
“Eet vould compromise prison security.” Urs rolled his shoulders.
“The wealthy women of the ladies’ social salon?” Henrick scoffed. “You’ve got to be—you can’t be serious?”
Emmaline batted her lashes and interlaced her fingers with the backs of her hands together. “I promise we’ll be on our best behavior.”
Urs flushed bright red. He held his cleft chin high and looked out over our heads.
Henrick’s nostrils flared. He shook a finger at Urs and gritted his teeth. “Listen here. Bernhardt got us making expensive renovations which have far outstripped the budget already, and we aren’t even finished yet.”
I made a mental note. Renovations were not finished. We’d need to memorize both sets of blueprints.
“You want your flesh-eating magic mist? You want emergency-ready deployment spells and the zombie snakes? Hm?”
I pressed a hand to my mouth. Oh dear sea goddess below, I was going to be ill.
Henrick stuck his round belly out and puffed his chest. “Then you get that funding and you let these ladies in. Or you can kiss that warden position goodbye. We’ll bring in Whistler.”
Urs jerked his head to look at Henrick. Guess that finally got his attention.
“Vhistler? From zat Earth prison viz za mornink meetinks and za team buildink?”
Henrick gave a curt nod.
Urs paled. “You vouldn’t.”
Henrick’s nostrils flared. “Oh. We vould.”
Urs pursed his lips and his chest heaved a few times. He looked up at Emmaline, his eyes blazing. “Fine. You vin. I vill allow you and your ladies een for vone tour.” He held up one tanned finger. “Vone. Za vone and only een za heestory of Carclaustra. Understoot?”
Emmaline sucked in a breath and gripped Cas’s arm in excitement. “Understood! Thank you, Mr. Volker.”
Henrick puffed up his chest. “Then I’m going, too.”
Urs glared at him.
Emmaline flashed a huge smile at me.
“Vee shall see you on Sursday.”
Emmaline clicked her tongue. “Oh, unfortunately, I was chosen to host the salon on Friday. So it’ll have to be Friday.”
Urs pursed his lips and sniffed. “Fine! Friday!”
I threw my arms around Emmaline. “You did it!”
She squealed.
We had our way into Carclaustra. We’d still have to work out the details, but Maple, Annie, and I at least could probably sneak in with the ladies’ group.
Louella’s squeaky laugh cut through the din of the party. “You certainly did something.” She clicked her tongue and tilted her head to the side, a pout on her lips. “Oh, Emmaline. Your first chance to impress the women of high society, and you’re taking us to a prison?” Her posse twittered. “A prison, Emmaline. No one, I mean no one, is going to go.” She shook her head.
Emmaline’s shoulders slumped.
The duchess frowned at Louella. “Speak for yourself.” She turned a pleasant, tight-lipped smile to Emmaline. “I for one am quite intrigued by this little outing, and must credit you, dear, for pulling together such an on-theme event on such short notice.” She chuckled to herself. “A tour of Carclaustra, what could be more exclusive? It shall be quite titillating.”
Emmaline beamed. She turned her wide eyes to me. “That’s what you said! Imogen, you’re so flash.”
“Flash?”
She nodded. “Yeah. It’s means like, quick and bright. Flash, like lightning.”
I preened at Hank. “I’m flash.”
He bent down and kissed my head. “So flash.”
I grinned. Then froze. I’d just manipulated a friend to help me orchestrate a prison break. I might be flash, but I was also kind of a jerk and likely to soon be dead or behind bars. So dead or behind bars.
12
Rap Sheet
The next morning, I’d finished up my morning shift in the bakery and was headed to my room to freshen up for a garden party when Hank intercepted me.
“Imogen.”
“Gah!” I jumped and dropped my room key. I bent to pick it up, but Hank was faster.
He handed me the small silver key with a sheepish smile. “Sorry I startled you.”
I grinned. “That’s all right. I know you can’t help your ninja training.” The truth was I’d been paranoid ever since Horace mentioned having his operatives stationed all over, ready and waiting to kill us and our friends and family. I couldn’t see a stranger without wondering if they worked for my brother.
“Ninjas….” Hank closed one eye. “Those are the quiet acrobats who dress in black and play with stars?”
I laughed. “Something like that.” I’d been educating Hank on human things. I pl
anted a hand on my hip and gave him a once-over. “And what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for our garden party on the south terrace?”
His eyes flashed. “We’re ditching that.”
I slid closer to him and he wrapped his arms around me. “Are we now? You have something else in mind?” I certainly had a few ideas for how we could pass the time.
He cleared his throat even as a blush crept up his neck. “I do… but it’s probably not as fun as what you’re thinking.”
I lifted my brows in question.
“So, I did some more research….”
I grinned. “You and your books.”
He let go of me with one hand to hold up a finger. “I looked through old newspapers and government records this time. It turns out my old mentor had a criminal past.”
“Seriously? He sounded like a nice guy.”
Hank nodded. “He was. The record indicated he was arrested for stealing medicine for himself and his family.” Hank shook his head. “I was just a little kid, so I don’t remember it, but the kingdoms had this monster measles outbreak—quite a lot of people died of it.”
I frowned. “That’s terrible.”
Hank nodded. “He pleaded guilty to the charges. Colin said his family was too poor to afford medicine, so he resorted to theft.” Hank sighed. “He was only eighteen at the time.”
“What happened to his family?”
Hank shook his head. “I’m not positive.” He frowned. “In fact, Colin never mentioned he had family in the Water Kingdom. But the records from the time show that his parents and younger brother submitted testimonials of good character on his behalf.”
I brightened. “They probably couldn’t have done that if they weren’t feeling better, right? Hopefully the medicine worked.”
Hank nodded. “Hopefully. But here’s the strange thing—they kept him locked up for six months and he was only released by a royal pardon.”