by Anna Bowman
So that’s how he was going to play it. He was only hunting for information.
“Although,” he raised an eyebrow, “I can’t see why it would bother you who I keep company with.”
Did it bother her?
“And I might say the same to you.”
It sounded petty, saying it aloud.
“I don’t like Pelicans hanging around my crew.” Solomand gave the man a dark look. “They’re dangerous.” He slid his knife back in his boot. “But I’ll let this one live if it bothers you so much.”
Jank looked uncomfortably from Rayn to Solomand.
“The bell, Sol,” he prodded. And glanced down at the airman. “This ‘s bound to bite us in the ass, ya know.”
“What doesn’t?” Solomand leaned over and used the airman’s starched coat to wipe the blood from his knuckles. “Let’s get on with it, then.”
He glanced at Rayn and rubbed the red handprint on his cheek. She thought she caught his mouth turn up in a crooked grin.
Chapter 25
Rayn
The bell tower looked a pale white in the moonlight, instead of its actual color of faded gray. Jank stood watch in an alcove, rifle raised as he scanned the dark windows looking down on them. Solomand leaned his head back.
“Looks taller at night.”
He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and loosened his collar. He tugged at the thin chain around his neck before taking a sharp breath.
“Right.”
He and Rayn started to climb.
Stones were staggered within the mortar, allowing enough room for the toes of their boots to get a hold. Rayn gritted her teeth and clutched the coarse footholds with her fingertips.
“How the hell did the old man get up here?” Solomand huffed.
Rayn kept her gaze forward, climbing as fast as she could until she was able to get her elbows on the edge of the shingled roof. She heaved herself up, swinging her legs and standing triumphantly on the roof before Solomand could offer her a hand.
“Right…” he said again. Perspiration was already heavy on his brow. “You go up that side, and I’ll go up this one.”
He indicated with a wave of his hand which way he wanted her to go.
Rayn nodded, climbing the opposite side as him, clinging to the contour of the tower. The curved stones felt cool through her clothing on the warm summer night. Sweat trickled down her back and soaked the top of her trousers.
Almost there.
The windowsill was out of reach, the shadowy shape of the silent bell taunting her. Her right hand shook as she stretched, gripping with her fingertips. Panting, she pulled herself up. Her boots scraped against the stones as she felt for footholds along the way. She hooked her elbows on the window and pulled herself the rest of the way to the top.
I did it!
A thrill ran through her as she circled the narrow sill, taking in the view. Bracing both hands on either side, leaned out to get a better look.
It was like a pool of flickering lights, some of them moving. The sputtering of motorcars and the distinctive roar of motorbikes mingled with the clip-clop of horses as it rose above the streets. A warm gust of air blew sweaty strands of hair from Rayn’s face. Her grip tightened, and she smiled, closing her eyes.
“God, Rayn! Don’t do that!” Solomand’s voice came from below. He was still inching his way up.
Rayn leaned out further. “Don’t do what?”
Solomand clamped his eyes shut and kept moving. “That!”
A wicked smile spread on Rayn’s lips.
“Well, if I didn’t know any better, Captain Black, I’d think you were afraid of heights.” She feigned shock.
Solomand’s hand reached next to where she was standing, and she sidestepped to give him room. He pulled himself up, eyes still shut, chest heaving.
“I’m a pilot. I’m not afraid of heights.” His fingers never lost contact with the tower as he forced himself to stand. “I just have a problem with falling to my death or being picked off by a sniper—it’s a lovely night for it.”
The grin still plastered on her face, Rayn leaned out further, holding herself with only one arm, she swung outside the window.
Solomand made a peculiar noise with his throat. His face looked almost gray in the moonlight.
“It’s’ rather lovely up here.”
Rayn swung herself back to stand next to him. As close as they were, she could feel the tenseness in his arms and see the labored rise and fall of his chest. He was terrified.
“Let’s just get what we came for.”
“Waiting on you.”
She made exaggerated eye contact, extending her arm so she could hang over the edge once more.
“Oh, for god’s sake.” Solomand dragged a hand over his face. “Please. Stop.”
“Oh, alright.” Rayn relented, swinging herself back beside him. “Where is it anyway?”
“There’s a compartment under the damned thing that holds the bell up.” His hands shook as he slid down to grasp the bottom of the tarnished bell. “I’ll lift it up, and you reach under and grab it—and be quick about it, will you? I shouldn’t have to tell you, this thing’s not light.”
He nodded at the bell. Then, breathing out, he took hold of its brim. The vein in his neck bulged as he strained to raise the massive, metal dome free of its hook and balance it on his bent knee.
The hook the bell was fastened on stuck through a box-like compartment, which could not be opened when it was in place. Rayn pried the door open with her fingertips. Her hand closed over the metal surface of a spherical device.
“Got it.”
She fumbled the hook over the door back into place with her free hand, glancing at the metal ball in her other hand. It was covered with strange markings and had different-sized gears embedded in the surface. A muffled sound cracked from the square, and something whizzed past her head. Rayn’s heart jumped. There was a stinging sensation on her cheek then something warm and wet. The sound rang out again.
Someone’s shooting at us!
She jerked, lost her footing and fell. For one terrifying instant, she felt like her heart might burst through her chest.
Solomand released his hold on the bell and grabbed her by the arm. He pulled her to safety as the deafening clang echoed throughout the courtyard and the rest of the city. “So much for going unnoticed.”
“Hey!” Jank hollered. They looked down to see him flailing one arm overhead, his rifle in the other. “We’ve got company.”
“No shit.” Rayn could feel Solomand’s hand shaking as he clung to her. Two more muffled shots came from the blackened windows. “And it’s about to turn into a regular, high-midnight standoff.”
His face inches from hers, he reached up and brushed her cheek. Then, with a look that said, ‘I told you so!’ he showed her the blood on his fingers. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she gulped.
“Let’s get the hell out of this town.”
Rayn stuffed the geared device down the front of her vest before climbing down ahead of him. More bullets sailed, chinking at the stones over their heads. Gritting his teeth, Solomand whipped out his pistol and fired into the dark.
Rayn’s fingers were slipping on the stones. She breathed out in relief and dropped to the roof. Solomand landed next to her, and they dashed across together.
Moving lights approached from the main path. Baying of hounds was followed by voices.
“Oh, that’s brilliant.”
Solomand skidded across the last few feet. They jumped together. Instead of finding themselves on the hard ground, there was a thump as they collided with something softer. Jank yelped and shoved at them.
“Bloody, get off!” he wriggled from under them.
“Thanks for the warning, Jank.”
Solomand rolled off the engineer. Lights flickered in the open doorway of a building. Without thinking, Rayn drew her pistol, cocked the hammer and fired, in one swift movement. Something slumped inside the door.
“Shit.” Solomand crouched down, dragging Rayn and Jank with him.
“Can’t go back the way we came,” Jank panted.
“Then we’ll make a new way! Come on.”
They followed Solomand as he dashed from the lights and voices, skirting around a damp alley as the pursuers converged into the courtyard.
Solomand pushed up his sleeve, exposing the leather transmitter band on his wrist. He jabbed the red button with a shaking finger.
“Zee! Intercept at bearing November 0 Echo 5 8!”
“Can she really fly that thing?”
Rayn huffed out, her chest burned as she tried to match Solomand and Jank’s pace.
“Good as I can,” Solomand said, dashing faster down the musty street.
So, we’re dead.
Their footsteps reverberated against the looming buildings on either side of the path. A small voice crackled over the tiny microphone on Solomand’s transmitter.
“That’s east?”
“East-ish.” Solomand breathed into the microphone.
There was a pause then Zee’s voice came in again. “When?” Lights and shouting grew closer.
“Ten minutes ago!”
Solomand kicked in a door, and they stumbled inside after him.
Rotten boards and debris rained from the ceiling as they burst through a shattered window. Sweating and gasping for air, they followed Sol’s lead and paused for a moment, bending and grasping their sides. The barking turned into guttural growls.
“Time to go,” Solomand gasped.
He grabbed Jank by the collar and dragged him along until he started running fast enough to keep up. They were going downhill now, away from the city and whoever was hunting them. The path they were on wound down the cliff, beneath the mist.
“Too—dangerous,” Jank wheezed, doubling over.
But Solomand ran harder, and they didn’t dare fall behind.
Rayn’s hair and clothes clung to her. Their pursuers were getting closer. Rayn drew her revolver, cocking it with a jerk of her thumb.
“Not yet.” Solomand eased to the edge of the cliff, searching the clouds drifting by at their feet.
His chest heaved as he closed his eyes, his thumb twitching on the grip of his pistol.
Rayn rubbed the back of her hand on her face, smearing blood and sweat. Lights shined on them through the mist and Rayn’s arm tensed. Another sound drowned out the hounds’ baying. Rayn never thought the sound of an airship’s engines sounded so good. She let out a sigh of relief, still eyeing the lights until the Spry was right on them. It rose from the clouds, the bay ramp extended.
Guns started firing. Bullets tore up the dirt, growing nearer with every shot. Rayn squinted and fired back. Someone gave a yelp, and she flicked her thumb, cocking her pistol again.
“Rayn!” Solomand grabbed her by the shoulder. “Let’s go!”
Smoke rising from the barrel of her revolver, Rayn sprinted with him. Jank had already made it to the ramp. He crouched there now, waiting to help them. Together they jumped across the two-foot expanse between the cliff and the airship. They were going to make it! A gust of wind pushed the Spry a few inches out, and only Solomand managed to grab hold of the ramp. Dangling there, his face as white as the moon, he called Rayn’s name as she fell. The airship surged forward and away.
Chapter 26
Rayn
Rayn plunged into the clouds. One moment she had felt exhilarated, knowing they would be alright. Now, it was replaced by the horror of imminent death. Much sooner than it should have happened, she collided with the ground. Pain shot through her arms and legs like bolts of lightning, and she struggled to sit.
I’m still alive?
She gasped to catch her breath. Cool blades of grass touched her fingertips, thick with dew. She crawled forward on hands and knees, the pangs lessening in intensity. Her hands felt open space, and she scrambled back with a jolt.
Shit.
There was the unmistakable click of a gun’s hammer and the cold steel of a barrel pressed against her temple. Rayn held her breath and froze. The sound of her heartbeat pounded in her ears, drowning out the barking of the dogs and shouts of the search party.
“Don’t make a sound,” a familiar voice whispered.
“Minuet?” Rayn couldn’t believe it was her. “What are you doing here?”
She jerked her head over her shoulder to look at the last person she ever wanted to see again.
Minuet wore riding pants, a grey blouse, and a leather shoulder holster with two derringers. On her forehead was a set of infrared goggles with red shields over the eyes.
“Solomand’s really made a mess of things this time,” she remarked. “One more city he shall have to add to the list of ones to stay away from.”
She eased the gun off Rayn’s head, a look of triumph spreading across her face.
Rayn’s hands lowered towards her belt, not liking the hungry look in the woman’s eyes.
Minuet took a step back, her finger twitching on the trigger of her derringer.
“Alright, Rayn. Hand over your weapon.”
The fingers of her free hand snapped repeatedly, and Rayn tensed, imagining the sound of her adversary’s neck snapping.
“Don’t try anything stupid, either.”
Minuet arched an eyebrow.
Her mouth drawn into a tight line, Rayn unbuckled her gun belt and threw it at the woman, hoping it would catch her in the face.
“What do you want with me?”
Minuet tossed Rayn’s revolver aside.
“It’s nothing I want of you, per say.” Her head tilted to the side. “Solomand has something I want very much, and you will make a very nice trade. Or hang for crimes against the Coalition.” A cruel smile crossed her lips. “Or worse. I did warn you he was trouble. Her hand went to the dial on the side of her goggles, and she adjusted it.
“I barely know him. What makes you think he’d trade what you want for me?”
Rayn figured the more she got Minuet to talk, the better chance she would have at escaping. The ground was too soft to trigger the knife in her boot. Her eyes moved to some rocks sticking out of the ground a few feet away.
“Don’t be so modest.”
Minuet held her hand up to her face. On her wrist was a leather cuff: a transmitter like Solomand’s, except it, was slimmer. The keypad, with strange symbols rather than letters, was concealed between the linings.
“I suspect he’ll stop at nothing to get you back.”
Minuet undid the buckle and typed on the coded numbers. Her fingers nimbly worked to reattach the clasp.
Rayn’s shoulders tensed. Now was her chance.
“Who says I need Solomand Black to save me?”
She side-stepped, slamming her heel against the rock, then jabbing the protruding blade into Minuet’s shin.
As she cried out, Rayn wrenched the derringer from her hand and hit her over the forehead. She crumpled to the ground as the voices of her men and barks of dogs grew closer.
Rayn slung her gun belt over her shoulder and ran. Her lungs burning, she forced herself to keep going. She was blind in the thick fog. The barking grow fainter, and she suspected they must have stopped where they found Minuet.
Should have used her as a hostage.
The ground tilted at a steep angle and she dropped to all fours, feeling her way ahead in the mist, reaching in her shirt to make sure the device Solomand gave her had not fallen out when she ran. It was still there, and her tension eased as she panted.
How the hell am I going to get out of this?
Her hands found the jagged edge of a cliff, and she stopped crawling, her heart giving a violent jump. A sliver of black sky lit with stars shone through the clearing cover of clouds. Rayn gulped and forced herself to keep crawling down, her hand clutching the cliff’s edge, so she could stay clear of it.
The sound of engines grew louder in the mist. Rayn looked up to see a familiar airship speeding toward the edge of the cliff-face
.
“Sol.” She breathed out a sigh of relief
Chapter 27
Solomand
Solomand watched Rayn fall, his heart dropping with her. How could she not have made the jump? Fighting against the airship’s forward thrust, he fought his way to the intercom panel by the door.
“Turn back, Zee!”
“But, Sol, we can’t turn back—they’ll blow us out of the sky!” Jank yelled.
He recoiled, backing away as Solomand spun around to face him. He might have lunged at the engineer, but a shrill beep emanated from his transmitter.
He looked down to see the coded letters illuminate, revealing Minuet’s transmission:
I have her at Rim. You know what I want.
Solomand jumped to the intercom. “Zee—bearing romeo-zero-zulu-five-four!” He turned to Jank. “Make sure the guidance keeps working.”
Jank dragged both hands down his face.
“It’s not meant to be flown like this, Sol!” he groaned, issuing a final complaint before dodging off to follow the order. “Why can’t you learn how to fly the damned thing proper?”
The Rim was the narrow strip of land beneath the clouds of Blackpool. It ran to the outer edge of the cliff, the opposite way of the road that wound into the valley. Solomand secured one end of a rope to a rung on the wall, and the other around his wrist. His fingers quivered, threading the knots. Blood pounding in his ears, he crouched down and eased on the edge of the open ramp.
You know what I want.
He did know. But the fire of hell would be unleashed on this world before he gave it to her.
You go too far, Minuet.
People were not pawns in some game. One would not be exchanged for another. She should have known better. Solomand would never compromise or make deals with anyone that wore Coalition colors. Never again.
The grating shifted under him, tilting as the airship turned. Rushing wind no longer felt cold against his skin. Solomand’s boots slipped. The rope tightened, burning his fingers.
If I ever get you out of this…
He tried not to think about what would happen if he didn’t get her back.
The engines whined in protest as the Spry sank lower, concealed by the white haze of clouds. Solomand spotted her against the cliff; Rayn, with no sign of her captor. He gritted his teeth and got ready.