Take Back the Skies

by Lucy Saxon

  Unable to resist, she dug a silver out of the purse. Approaching the vendor and pointing at the paper bag, she placed the shiny coin on the counter. With a smile, the man took a bag off the shelf, pressing it into her fingers. She beamed at him, taking her prize and running off towards the fountain, thickly gloved fingers fumbling with the string tying the neck of the bag. She managed to get it open, and popped a toffee square in her mouth with a quiet moan of pleasure as the sweetness hit her tongue. Sucking on the treat, she stuffed the bag in her coat and looked up at the pennant by the fountain, her eyes widening as she saw the wind was blowing North. Obviously other people had noticed too; they were tossing copper coins into the water and murmuring under their breath.

  Hastily finding a copper in one of the purses, she squeezed through the crowd to the edge of the pool, pressing a kiss to the coin before throwing it into the water. It hit the surface with a small splash, sinking to join its fellows. She closed her eyes tightly. I want for Anglya to prosper again. I want to stay on the Stormdancer forever. Concentrating hard on her deepest desire, she opened her eyes, wondering if anything magical was supposed to happen.

  Only time would tell, she supposed.

  Cat started to look for her next victim. She noticed a finely-dressed man standing outside a jewellery shop, and her eyes landed on the purse at his belt. That was far, far too easy. Feet light on the crisp white grass, she made her way over. Just as Cat approached, one hand outstretched to slip the purse from its strap, she froze. Two men were walking past, dressed in heavy black coats and thick boots, talking in low voices – in Anglyan.

  ‘We should just cut our losses and run,’ the taller man said to his companion, accent marking him as government. ‘Empty the family accounts, leave Anglya and start over here, before someone catches the government in their own web of lies.’ Cat was surprised she didn’t recognise either of the men – she was usually good with faces – but continued to listen intently.

  ‘How, though? There’s no way we’d be able to get our families out. We make one move to leave, and they’ll take the girls for Collection before we can blink. I’m not leaving without my daughters,’ the shorter man replied vehemently. ‘We’re safe as long as we keep working, and junior enough that even if the truth does come out, we can claim innocence. It’ll happen soon enough – they can’t keep up this whole war charade much longer. When it does, we act like we’ve never seen any of the kids in the lower levels, never even been down there, and we get off scot-free.’

  ‘Oi!’ Cat jolted as a meaty hand grabbed her outstretched wrist, hoisting her up to stare directly into the eyes of the man she’d been about to steal from. His face went red, and he let out an angry stream of Siberene.

  ‘No! Let me go!’ she exclaimed, struggling in his grasp. ‘I didn’t do anything, I didn’t touch it, let me go!’ Panic rose in her chest as the man lifted her clean off her feet, carrying her effortlessly towards the fountain, and the guards that surrounded it.

  Cat struggled harder as she realised his intent, kicking him in the shins with little effect. She couldn’t let him turn her into the guards! If she got arrested, Harry and the crew would leave without her, and she’d be stranded! But the man’s grip was too tight, his hands as big as dinner plates, as he dragged her in front of a guard, barking out something in harsh tones. The guard’s brow furrowed, and Cat wished more than anything that she could understand Siberene.

  ‘No!’ she shouted again as the guard pulled some handcuffs from his belt, clipping them around her wrists as her captor held her still. ‘No! Stop! I’m innocent, I didn’t do anything! Search me, I’m innocent!’ The coat was full of hidden pockets, as Fox had shown her the night before, and the purses she’d already stolen were safely tucked away where the guard could never find them. Maybe if she got him to search her, he’d think she hadn’t actually stolen anything and let her go. A glance at the clock tower showed it was already quarter to five; she had forty-five minutes to get back to the ship. It wasn’t looking good.

  Her captor muttered something to the guard, sounding disgruntled, and the guard replied in an assuring tone, gripping the handcuffs tightly and yanking Cat forward. Her feet finally touched the ground as the man released her, but it was no use; she was cuffed, and there was no escaping from them on her own.

  The guard left his post at the fountain, tugging Cat along with him as they headed for a narrow street – in the opposite direction to the shipyard. She could see people laughing and jeering at her, but had irritatingly lost sight of the two Anglyan men that had got her into this mess. What had they been talking about, anyway? What kids in the lower levels?

  ‘Where are you taking me?’ she demanded. In all her years of sneaking around and getting into trouble, she’d never been arrested before.

  ‘Cells,’ the guard spat out in thickly-accented Anglyan, sending a wave of cold fear through Cat. Struggling frantically, her shoulders ached as she tried to wrench her hands free of the metal cuffs, heels dragging on the paving stones as the guard continued to tow her along regardless. He was about as broad as she was tall; Cat didn’t stand a chance. Still, she resolved not to give up; she had tasted freedom now, onboard the Stormdancer, and would do anything not to be parted from it.

  The guard stopped in his tracks as there came a loud crashing noise, followed by a series of screams and exclamations. Cat could just about make out a crowd of jostling people further down the street. Turning to her, the guard pulled another pair of cuffs from his belt, looping one of them through both of her wrist cuffs and hooking the other end tightly around a railing.

  ‘Stay,’ he instructed in his low, gruff voice, turning on his heel and jogging over towards the commotion. Cat immediately turned to her cuffed hands, wincing as she contorted her wrists painfully in an attempt to break free. It proved fruitless; the cuffs were strong and thick, and she had nothing with which to pick the lock.

  ‘Shut up and keep still.’ The voice startled her so much she almost slipped on some ice, and her eyes widened at the familiar head of red hair that seemed to appear from nowhere.

  ‘Fox!’ she hissed in astonishment, throwing a frantic glance in the direction of the commotion. The guard was nowhere in sight. ‘What are you doing here?’ Fox crouched, pulling a thin wire from his pocket and immediately setting to picking the lock on her handcuffs.

  ‘Rescuing you – what does it look like? Idiot brat, I can’t believe you let yourself get caught! You were just standing there like a statue, I’m not surprised he noticed!’

  ‘You were watching, in the courtyard?’ she asked. Had he heard the two Anglyan men talking?

  ‘I was passing through,’ he replied evasively, a look of concentration on his face. ‘Saw you causing a bit of a scene there. Foolish boy, what were you thinking?’ There was a soft click, and Cat couldn’t help but beam as the cuffs fell from her wrists and were left dangling from the railing.

  ‘We haven’t got time – I’ll explain when we’re safe,’ she assured him under her breath, rotating her wrists and grimacing at the pain. Fox grabbed her by the shoulder and urged her forward, faltering at a loud shout.

  ‘Hey!’ Glancing behind her, Cat cursed as she saw her guard racing towards them, fury on his face.

  ‘Run,’ Fox muttered, practically throwing her ahead of him as they both started to sprint.

  ‘What if he’s got a gun?’ Cat exclaimed.

  ‘He’s not going to shoot a sprog. You only stole some purses.’

  Cat panted with relief as they drew further and further away from her guard, getting closer to the courtyard with every frantic step. Suddenly, all she could see was stars as she ran head-first into something solid and fell backwards, the back of her head slamming into the stone ground so hard she thought she might vomit. She heard Fox cry out in alarm, but couldn’t focus on anything but the blinding pain in her skull, the world spinning as she tried to sit up.

  ‘Cat, get up!’ A hand grabbed her under the arm and hoisted her to he
r feet, sending her vision lurching again. She let out a moan of protest at the motion, which morphed into a shout as a larger hand gripped the collar of her coat, trying to wrestle her from Fox’s grip.

  The solid thing she had run into turned out to be another guard, and Cat’s heart raced as the first guard caught up with them.

  ‘Fox!’ she screamed, not caring that it was definitely not a masculine noise. Through her blurred vision she could make out Fox trying to tug her forward by her arm; the pain in her shoulder was excruciating. Fox’s grip slipped, and she felt herself reeling backwards. Cat fumbled with the buckles on her coat and let it fall from her shoulders. Unfortunately, one of the guards dropped her coat as soon as he realised it was no longer on her, and grasped her jumper and shirt collar in one hand, pulling her away from Fox.

  The teenager’s hands wrapped around her wrists as he tugged, Cat’s fingers feeling small and weak as she tried to grip him back. Her head pounded, willing her to just close her eyes and let the guards take her.

  It all happened within a few seconds. The sound of ripping fabric was the only warning she had before her jumper and shirt split down the sides, leaving a handful of fabric with the guard as she fell into Fox’s arms for a second time. Prepared, the older teen urged her aside and swung a fist into the closest guard’s face before he could regain his balance, breaking the man’s nose with a satisfying crunch.

  ‘Cat, go! Back to the ship, I’ll catch up!’ It took several seconds for her pain-fogged brain to process his words, and Cat stood there watching as he fought off the two guards single-handedly. Her coat, heavy with stolen purses, lay abandoned on the street in a pile of snow, and she bundled it in her arms.

  ‘I’m not leaving you!’ she argued, merely for Fox to growl in frustration, dodging a well-aimed kick.

  ‘Run, you moron!’

  Cat looked around for anything she could use to help, wondering why no one seemed to be coming towards them. They were certainly making enough noise. Fox cursed loudly as he got caught across the jaw with a huge fist, sending him stumbling back several steps. Cat took the chance, reaching out to get Fox’s attention, jerking him towards her and the exit to the courtyard. He looked up wild-eyed, seeing the coat in her arms, and seemed to agree with her decision, grabbing her wrist and running away from the guards as fast as he could manage.

  Fox took the lead and dragged her down a side alley, and through several more until he evidently deemed them far enough away from the guards to stop. Cat panted, trying to regain her breath while her head resonated with white-hot pain. She dropped the coat to the floor, the remnants of her jumper and shirt falling off her too, and she saw Fox freeze, his eyes widening. Opening her mouth to ask what was wrong, the words died in her throat, goosebumps rising on her arms as she realised that she was standing in the alley in just her undershirt, and Fox’s eyes were fixed firmly on her chest.

  Chapter 8

  Fox gaped, staring at her incredulously.

  ‘I can explain,’ she stuttered, head pounding.

  ‘I think I can manage without an explanation,’ Fox retorted stiffly, not taking his eyes off the area where her thin undershirt clung to her skin. ‘How long did you think you could hide that one, hmm?’

  ‘I was going to tell you,’ Cat insisted feebly. She was still trying not to be sick, and Fox’s accusing stare wasn’t helping. Bending to grab the coat from the ground, Cat shrugged it on and wrapped it tightly around her. ‘I didn’t think you’d let me stay if you knew.’

  ‘Maybe you were right,’ the redhead muttered, glaring at her. ‘Storms, I should have let the guards have you.’ Before she could respond, Fox turned on his heel, coat flaring out behind him as he left Cat alone in the alley, ruined clothing at her feet. A faint sob bubbled in her throat, but she swallowed it down, clenching her jaw in determination. Just because Fox had reacted badly didn’t mean the rest of the crew would do the same; she had to at least try and convince them to let her stay. And that meant getting back to the ship before half past five.

  Tentatively reaching up to check the wound on the back of her head, Cat grimaced as her fingers came away wet with blood. She could do nothing about that now, though. She noticed the peak of the clock tower just above the building to her left, and headed towards it, hoping to eventually reach the courtyard.

  She was in luck, ending up at the edge of the Eastern side within a few minutes of walking. There were still three guards around the fountain, and she nervously edged out into the main courtyard, staying hidden behind a crowd of women who were walking in the direction she needed to go. There was a chance the guards wouldn’t recognise her, but her arrest had caused a fair amount of noise. It wasn’t a risk she was willing to take.

  It took her a lot longer to make it back to the shipyard than she’d anticipated, but at last she stumbled over to the Stormdancer, wanting to cry with relief that the ship was still docked. Dragging herself up the gangplank, she spotted Ben and Matt playing cards on deck. They looked up when she approached, and Cat’s heart sank; their expressions said it all. Fox had obviously made it back before her.

  ‘All right, girlie,’ Matt greeted, getting to his feet. ‘Storms, you look awful. Fox said you’d had a bit of a bump, but if I’d known you were hurt this bad I’d have gone looking for you myself!’

  Ben frowned, moving over to examine her head wound.

  ‘He told you, then?’ she said, resignation in her tone.

  ‘He did,’ Matt confirmed, an unreadable expression on his face. ‘Why didn’t you tell us sooner?’

  ‘Boys are more useful. Girls are weak, helpless and only good for cooking, cleaning and pleasing men,’ Cat replied without missing a beat, repeating what had been drilled into her from a young age by her father.

  ‘Well, that’s a load of rubbish’ Matt muttered, rolling his eyes. ‘Come on, lass, let’s get you below deck. I want Alice to have a look at that head of yours.’

  ‘You’re not going to make me stay in Siberene?’ Cat asked. Ben smiled at her, squeezing her shoulder gently. There was blood on his fingers from her head, and it smeared on her coat.

  ‘Of course not, Cat. We’re not that cruel. Now, come on, it’s cold out, and you need to sit.’

  ‘Wait,’ Cat said abruptly. ‘I want some answers first. If I’d known the truth to begin with I wouldn’t have got caught.’ She told the two men how she’d overheard the Anglyan men, squinting as her vision doubled. Matt and Ben shared an uneasy glance, Ben biting his lip.

  ‘You’ll get your answers,’ the blond man promised. ‘But inside, after Alice has seen to you. You’ve no doubt got concussion and you’re in no state to stand out here chatting.’ He glanced pointedly at her legs, which were shaking with the effort of keeping her upright.

  ‘I’ll carry you down,’ Matt offered, making Cat scowl.

  ‘Don’t need to be carried,’ she insisted. ‘Not a helpless little girl.’ The large man ignored her, hoisting her into his arms with ease.

  ‘Humour me.’

  Groaning as the world spun on its axis, Cat buried her head against Matt’s chest. She was hardly aware of him carrying her below deck and through to the galley, opening her eyes as she was deposited gently on the bench.

  ‘Oh, Cat,’ Alice sighed, coming into her line of vision with a frown on her face. ‘What have you got yourself into?’

  ‘I didn’t want to lie,’ she insisted quietly, eyes half-shut. ‘Tell Harry. I never wanted to lie to you. It was safer, but I didn’t want to.’

  ‘I know, lass.’ That was Harry’s voice, though she couldn’t see him in the room. ‘Just let Alice sort you out.’

  ‘Answers,’ Cat reminded pointedly, opening her eyes wider to give Matt a prompting look. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sat opposite her.

  ‘I don’t know what to tell you, lass,’ he admitted, shuffling over as Ben came to sit beside him.

  ‘The beginning is usually a good place to start.’ Fox’s voice made her jump,
and she turned to watch as he entered the room. Wincing as Alice poked at a particularly tender spot, Cat didn’t let her gaze drop from him, the expression on his face making her heart clench with guilt.

  ‘There you are! I’ve half a mind to take you over my knee. you’re not too old, you know!’ Alice exclaimed, fixing the redhead with a stern look. ‘What were you thinking, leaving the poor lass on her own with a wound like this in the middle of the city?’

  ‘She lied to us!’ Fox protested, only for Matt to interrupt him with a scoff.

  ‘Like we’ve not been lying to her in return!’ he argued, turning to Harry. ‘We need to tell her, Harry. She knows too much.’

  ‘How can we trust her?’ Fox shouted. ‘She’s lied to us about this – what else don’t we know about her?’

  ‘My name is Catherine Elizabeth Hunter,’ Cat declared loudly, staring Fox dead in the eye. ‘And I ran away from home because my father is an arrogant git with delusions of grandeur and plans to betroth me to some brutish boy I can’t stand.’ She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nausea. ‘Now, can you please stop shouting? I have one hell of a headache.’

  ‘Hunter?’ Ben repeated, brows furrowing. ‘Nathaniel Hunter’s daughter? You’re a government brat?’

  ‘Oh, brilliant,’ Fox remarked sarcastically, pacing up and down the galley. ‘Now we know we can’t trust her!’

  ‘I hate the government just as much as you do!’ Cat argued, making him snort.

  ‘I sincerely doubt that,’ he replied, voice cold.

  ‘I didn’t ask to be born government,’ Cat murmured, turning imploring eyes on Harry. He was the captain; it was his word that would decide her fate. ‘I hate my father, I hate his associates, I hate the whole bloody aristocracy. Make of me what you will, but if you’re going to get rid of me I ask you to do it here rather than in Anglya. If my father finds me, he’ll kill me.’