by Lara Nance
“We were able to avoid the main part of the city using this path,” Rett said. “But now we’ll be out in the open until we make it over that hill.”
Belle scanned the distance. A rocky terrain stretched out before them with only short scraggly bushes here and there. She looked down at Armani’s feet. She only had the thin slippers she was given at Rafi Tarris’ house.
“You’ll have to help Armani,” she said to Rett.
“Who is she by the way?” he asked, eyeing the girl with skepticism.
“She’s the niece of the Gandiss Ambassador, the one I met at the ball. She was kidnapped from her home.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“No, it’s true.”
Rett shook his head in disbelief. “Okay, let’s go.” He took Armani’s hand and they ran for the hill.
As the ground grew rockier, he finally stopped and picked her up. Belle stumbled on the loose gravel and Sam put out a hand to keep her from falling. She gave him a quick smile of thanks and then hurried on until they crested the hill and were out of sight from any followers.
Belle panted and lowered herself to a large rock. Rett released Armani and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“Okay, Gambit is just along this little valley. Come on. The sooner we’re in the air, the better.” Rett motioned them forward. “I doubt they’ve given up the search completely.”
The valley he mentioned looked to be an old stream bed, mostly sand. Armani held on to Belle’s hand and they continued on for several minutes until the bed widened into a broad area barren of vegetation. Gambit nestled in among the surrounding hills. Belle let out a deep breath of relief.
As they approached, Benji and Jasper ran down the gangplank toward them. Benji threw himself into Belle’s arms.
“B, Belle, you’re safe,” he exclaimed hugging her to him.
“Yes, dear. Quite safe.” She had to smile and tears stung her eyes.
“So happy you are back with us, My Lady,” Jasper said with a catch in his voice, then surprisingly broke protocol and enveloped her in a crushing hug.
When she felt him suppressing his sobs of relief, her tears spilled over and she patted his back, murmuring soothing words. Then he backed away, quickly wiping off any trace of tears and drew himself up in his normal imperious manner.
“You gave us quite a fright, My Lady,” he said.
“I know. I’m sorry.” She put a hand on his arm and his gaze softened.
She gestured behind her. “This is Armani. She’s coming with us. Benji, can you take her to a room in the gondola and show her around? Give her my fur cloak until I can find more clothes for her.”
Benji nodded. “Of course, this way m, m, miss.”
“Stoke her up, Sam,” Rett said as Belle followed Benji and Armani up the plank. “We need to get this bird in the air fast.”
He and Sam released the ground lines and he ran to the pilot station while Sam hurried down to the engine room. Puffs of steam soon rose from the twin pipes that exited at the back of the ship. Belle and Jasper hauled in the tether lines and coiled them on the deck
“Let ‘er fly,” Rett yelled and stomped the deck. Gambit swung lazily side to side, then picked up speed as Sam released more gas into the inflatable. Rett pushed the lever for the fans and they lurched into the air neatly missing the top of the hill that had concealed them.
Benji and Armani emerged from the cabin and joined Belle and Jasper at the rail. Armani no longer shivered, wrapped in Belle’s heavy fur lined cloak.
As they gained altitude, Belle could make out the details of Faldoral she had been unable to see cooped up in the train. By the light of the rising moon, the dark sapphire blue lake glistened with lights from the elaborate estates that circled it. Behind them were the rugged grey peaks of the mountain range with their snowy tops.
She had to admit it was a beautiful place. What would it have been like if she had accepted the pasha’s offer? He was a handsome man for certain. That fleeting kiss stirred some excitement in her that she had not felt in a long time. She smiled and shook her head at such foolish thoughts. She wouldn’t be content for long without her freedom, unable to choose how to live her life and who to marry. That wouldn’t do for her. But at least she didn’t feel he was the type of man who would mistreat the girls they left behind—a small consolation.
The airship rose faster now and Rett steered them around to avoid the city and head south. The figures of people on the ground became smaller. Armani touched her arm and pointed back toward the city. A large group of soldiers were moving through the streets, the moon glinting off their helmets and spear tips. Behind them a lone figure in burgundy robes rode on a grey stallion issuing orders they could not hear. He looked up in their direction but Belle could not make out his expression in the evening shadows.
She squeezed Armani’s hand. “That was quick thinking back there. You saved us.”
“I just imagined what you would do in that situation.” Armani grinned.
“Come on, we’ll find some warmer clothes for you.” She took the girl’s arm and led her down to her cabin.
###
Sam climbed out of the engine room and stood beside Rett. “We’re all stoked up. But we’ve got a problem.”
“Yeah? Let me guess. We don’t have enough fuel to make it to Jandaharra.” Rett grimaced.
“We can get by on coal, but we’ll run out of water.”
Rett eyed the horizon. He hadn’t thought past rescuing Belle. It had all happened a lot faster than he imagined it would. He and Sam were on their way to reconnoiter the house when they ran into Belle and Armani escaping. He wasn’t going to bemoan the easy getaway however. But now they had to find a place to stop between here and Jandaharra that would be safe and provide an ample supply of fresh water.
“How long until we have to stop?” he asked.
“Two or three hours at best.”
“That should at least put us over the border into Gandiss.”
“Aye, but there aren’t any towns along that way.”
“We’ve roughed it before. We’ll look for a small lake or river with a place big enough to land.” Rett rubbed his eyes. “In fact, it would be good if we can spend a night on the ground. I haven’t slept in two days.”
“Want me to steer?”
“No, get the others and have them help you look for water. It won’t be easy to see in the dark. I’ll decrease our altitude now that we’re away from Faldoral.” He pulled the lever back and angled the ship down slightly.
The terrain began to change from rocky hills to more wooded areas; a good sign water was abundant in this area. The further south they flew, the frigid chill of the north faded to mere coolness.
After several hours, Benji yelled, “Water. A l, l, lake.”
Rett noted he pointing off to the port side. Yes, he could see a flash among the green trees that might be the moon reflected off water.
“Way to go, mate,” he said as he turned the wheel to head in that direction.
The others gathered at the rails. Armani wore one of Belle’s jackets and a pair of jodhpurs under the filmy skirt. They all seemed to be holding their breaths as they neared the small lake, hoping for a good place to land.
Rett eased back on the throttle and the ship slowed as it descended. The bottom of the gondola soared only a hundred feet above the tops of the trees now. There were no signs of habitation which meant they had a better chance of stopping here without detection. The lake ended up being no more than a pond but Sam said it would be adequate for their purposes.
“L, l look at that,” Benji pointed to what appeared to be a large pile of stones grown over with vines among the trees, barely discernible in the dim light.
“What is it?” Belle asked
“I think it’s the ruins of some k, k, kind of building,” Benji said. “There are some statues, too.”
“It appears to be quite old and forgotten,” Jasper said. “Strange that it is in
such an isolated area.”
“Just be thankful we found a water source,” Rett said. He could care less about ruins, he wanted to make sure they had a place to take on the water they needed. If not, they wouldn’t be going anywhere.
Perfect, a sandy area ran back from one end of the pond and Rett slowed to a hover as Sam went below to pump helium back in the concentrator. The ship settled like a giant hen on her nest and when he felt impact with the ground, Rett stomped on the hatch.
“We’ll get the tether lines secure,” Rett told Belle as he and Sam left the vessel with Benji close at their heels.
They tied off the ropes to adjacent trees and Rett paused to look around. It seemed deserted. He heaved a deep sigh. Finally he felt like he could relax for the first time in a week. Now if they could just make it to Jandaharra they could take on more coal, drop off the girl, and then hop over the mountains to Carabarras. If they were lucky they might pick up the trail of Wildeye in the capital city of Terrabba.
Sam already had the water hose out, hauling it to connect to the auto-pump, and Rett went to help him. They floated the hose out to a clear area of the pond and then attached the opposite end to the pump. Rett sealed another hose around the output pipe that ran into the ship’s water tank as Sam pulled the retractable steam pipe over and hooked it onto the top of the pump. He spun the wheel that opened the valve, pulled the start lever and the pump began to make chugging noises.
Rett poked the water intake hose with one finger and found it firm with flowing water. The output hose plumped up as well. Sam nodded. Water pumped into the tank.
“That’s very interesting,” Benji said as he observed the process. “I’ve never seen a p, p, pump this small before.”
“I did a bit of engineering on a bigger pump to make this one,” Sam said, patting the chugging brass contraption fondly. “Comes in very handy in situations like this.”
“How long will it take to fill?” Belle asked.
“Not long. Half an hour, since we’re almost dry,” Sam responded.
“Then we can leave?” she asked.
“We’re staying here tonight,” Rett said as he tightened a bolt on the pump. “We’ll leave in the morning.”
Belle’s eyes grew big. “Staying here? But we need to get back on my father’s trail. There’s not a minute to lose.”
“No. We’re staying here tonight and that’s final, got it? And don’t go wandering off and get in trouble again,” he snapped and then flinched at the hurt in her eyes.
Exhaustion swept over him and he didn’t feel like explaining anything to her. She was so stubborn she probably wouldn’t listen anyway; all she cared about was her own bloody feelings. The only positive thing he could give her was that at least she wasn’t calling him captain anymore. He threw down the wrench he had been holding and stalked off.
###
Belle watched him leave and turned back to Sam. “What’s wrong with him?”
“Oh, don’t mind him. He turns into a bear when he hasn’t slept in a few days.” Sam checked all the hoses without looking at her. “He hasn’t had so much as a nap since you disappeared. Don’t worry; he’ll be better in the morning.”
A sinking feeling invaded her chest. It never occurred to her Rett would be so intent on a rescue. She fully expected him to have stayed in Harruca. But he had actually been quite resourceful in tracking her. Such behavior cast him in a new light. Since he left her at the altar, she had thought him nothing more than a scoundrel, without any sense of responsibility or regard for others.
She looked around but he’d already gone into the gondola. Benji and Armani wandered along the side of the pond and sat on a group of rocks, tossing stones into the water. She walked around to join them.
“Do you think we might have a l, l, look at that stone building?” Benji asked when she sat beside him.
“Not now, it’s too dark. Maybe in the morning.” She looked up at the stars sparkling in the clear sky.
“We’re staying the night? Capitol!”
“I’m not sure I like this place,” Armani said as she rubbed her arms and glanced at the thick forest that surrounded them.
“Why not?” Belle frowned.
“I don’t know. Perhaps it is merely fancy. I have not felt safe in a long time.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Don’t worry, we’ll take c, c, care of you,” Benji said. He reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder, and she gave him a small smile.
“Tea is served.” The call echoed across the water where Jasper had set up a table and chairs on the sand and brought out the tea service along with trays of food. Gas lamps from the ship cast a cozy glow over the scene.
“Remind me to give him a raise when we get back,” Belle said laughing.
“I am starting to be quite f, f, fond of him myself.” Benji grinned.
The trio strolled back around the pond as Jasper brought out several lanterns from the ship and placed them on the ground around the chairs for more light. Fortunately he had bought provisions at the market before Belle was kidnapped so they feasted on fresh fruit and thick flat bread the Pandistanis were famous for. There were several types of hard sausages they sliced and rolled in the bread along with sour pickles. Armani exclaimed over some sugared plums, and Belle sighed with delight over a container of green olives stuffed with almonds.
Mist rose from the pond as the chill of night descended. Sam shut off the pump and declared their tank completely filled. He came over and joined the group, adding a bottle of whiskey as his contribution. Jasper frowned on this common offering, and with a look of sure victory produced a bottle of ten-year old sherry along with the set of cordial glasses he had brought from Belle’s house.
By the time Rett decided to leave the gondola and join the party by the lake they were all a bit tipsy. The alcohol along with the relief of having come through an adventure unscathed left them all in need of laughter. Rett pulled a log up within the glow of the gas lanterns and accepted a glass of sherry from Jasper and a plate with samples of food from Belle. She hoped it would make up for her earlier outburst.
Sam was in the middle of an outrageous tale about a time early in their careers when he and Rett escaped some air pirates with an expensive cargo of olive oil kegs on board. Belle laughed so hard she almost fell out of her chair, which finally brought a smile to Rett’s lips.
“You mean you didn’t really have a c, c, cannon on Gambit?” Benji asked.
“Lord, no, not back then we didn’t. We were just starting out in the cargo business. Now we’ve got some though.” Sam slapped his knee. “What we did was use some pipe we painted black. We had five of them positioned over each rail. The pirates were too far away to be able to see if they were real or not. Rett would yell ‘fire’ and I would throw a bit of flour in the air to look like smoke from the guns.”
Belle glanced around at the comfortable group, their faces glowing in the lamplight. Even Jasper had loosened up and sat on the arm of Benji’s chair, sipping sherry and chuckling. Armani finally realized she was safe and laughed along with the rest of them. Belle thought if only Sir John were here she could feel completely content. How different from the stuffy ballrooms of Aereopolis. Maybe this was what Rett needed, the reason he had left—freedom and the sky full of adventure. It made her view him a little differently.
“Tell us what happened when you were k, k, kidnapped, Belle,” Benji asked.
Belle gave them an abbreviated version of being taken by the Sarc and how she escaped only to end up in the hands of the slave trader Rafi Tarris.
“You escaped a Sarc?” Benji sat forward, eyes wide. “You actually saw one?”
“He wanted the stickpin. I suppose he must have stayed behind when Blackwatch left.” Belle sipped her sherry, thinking how fortunate she was to have escaped. Otherwise she would be dead right now.
“Unfortunately, that may not be his last attempt. Those pins are sacred to them.” Rett frowned.
“How w
ill he find us now?” Belle asked.
“If I can find you, then so can he.” Rett shrugged.
A cold spider of fear crawled up Belle’s spine. She’d considered the danger of the Sarc past, or at least until they reached Carabarras and had to face her father’s kidnappers.
“In Pandistan it would be a natural assumption that a woman like you might end up in the slave market. Then it’s just a matter of bribing the right person.” He held out his glass to Jasper who refilled it. “That means we have to be careful. From now on, nobody goes off by themselves and we keep our movements as secret as possible.”
Rett’s words cast a pall over the previous jovial atmosphere. But Belle knew he was right. They had been careless in Harruca and the result was they had lost valuable time. Now they had to return Armani to her family and that would further delay them. Belle could only hope the Blackwatch had been similarly delayed and they would be able to pick up the trail once they reached Carabarras.
Rett stood and stretched. “I suggest everyone get a good night’s sleep. “We’ll need to be sharp when we reach Jandaharra to avoid further…adventures.”
He cast a meaningful glance at Belle and then strolled down to the pond. She waited a moment then followed, wanting to apologize to him. He went beyond the circle of light cast by the lanterns and picked up some stones to throw into the water. Plunk. Plunk.
“Rett?” She walked up beside him.
He turned his head at her voice.
“I wanted to apologize,” she said.
“For what?” His brows came together.
“For this afternoon. I really appreciate what you did to rescue me and I didn’t know you needed some rest. I’m sorry about pushing to go on, but I’m just so worried about my father.”
He tossed another rock into the pond. Plunk. “That’s just like you, Belle. You apologize for something that small when I never really apologized for the awful thing I did to you.”