Cass nodded as she pulled her goggles down, her heart already beating at the thought of flying again. “Yes.”
“All right, go.”
Cass started her run. There was no uncertainty in her gait, no hesitation. The glider, her body, and the wind were one. Halfway down, the straps pulled on her arms and torso, then she lifted off the ground. Down near where Bert had indicated the thermal was located, Cass felt the glider catch the invisible air current and lift up. She leaned slightly to the left and began to circle the funnel, letting the air lift her higher and higher.
Below, the town square grew smaller, and the Mist became more opaque. After a couple of minutes, she broke through into clear, crisp, cold air. Such a difference, as stark as life and death. A hawk appeared, its wings spread, gliding just above the Mist. Then it suddenly made a sharp turn and dipped down. Just another mystery: the Mist didn’t seem to affect anything but humans.
Cass continued to glide, catching the updrafts, rising higher and higher as she soared toward the Daedalus. Twenty minutes later, she flew toward the deck, tilted the glider slightly up to stall, then dropped onto the ship.
“A perfect landing.” Jeremiah clapped and came toward her. She spotted Captain Gresley standing near the bottom of the stairs, a smile of approval on his face. He gave her a nod before turning and heading to the upper deck.
“Thanks.” Cass pulled the other cord and stowed away the glider, then lifted the goggles from her face before tugging off the gas mask. She breathed in the fresh air. Much better than the metallic, stale air of the mask. And no need to worry about the Mist or spores.
“How was it?”
Cass paused, not sure if she should tell about the Turned. Before she could answer, Bert was already hovering above the deck, ready to land. Cass and Jeremiah moved to the side and watched as he came down.
“It was . . . informative.”
“Informative?” Jeremiah scoffed. “What kind of word is that? Did you have fun? Did you see anything?”
“We had a run-in with a Turned,” Bert said as he stowed away his glider and approached the two. “But it wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle, right Cass?”
She could tell Bert was subtly asking if she was okay.
She flashed both men a smile. “As Bert said, it wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle.” If she was going to be a diver, she had to accept the risks. Today was only the beginning.
Jeremiah’s eyes went wide. “What? There hasn’t been a Turned in this area in years.”
“I know.” Bert’s face was sober. “It concerns me a little. I’m going to let Captain Gresley know about our little jaunt down there. Do you need anything, Cass?”
“Nope. I know where to put the glider equipment, and I assume the masks are stored nearby.”
“Yes, I’ll show you,” Jeremiah said and turned toward the doorway that led down into the bowels of the ship.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” Bert said quietly.
“I am, as long as you teach me to use that gun of yours. I don’t want to be up against a Turned again with just a stick in my hand.”
Bert chuckled. “You did look a bit scary at the top of the stairs with that board.”
He had no idea how close she came to throwing that board at him.
“Are you coming?” Jeremiah yelled as one of the other sailors crossed the deck with a large coil of rope over his shoulder. The sailor smiled at Cass as he headed for the top deck.
“I’m coming,” Cass answered. For the first time, she felt like part of the crew. It felt good, even if it came with more sobering moments like this encounter with the Turned. It was worth it in the end. It was almost like being part of a family.
Almost.
“Bert told me about your encounter down in the Mist.”
Cass turned to find Captain Gresley approaching her that evening after dinner.
“May I?” he asked, indicating the empty spot on the bench next to her inside the galley.
“Yes.”
The bench groaned under his weight as he settled down next to her. She was still intimidated by the captain’s size, but his smile—and his laugh—took any fear away. They spoke for a few minutes before he brought up the Mist again. “I agree with Bert,” he said as he pushed the dinner dishes away. “If you’re going to be part of my crew, and a diver, you need to know how to defend yourself. I’ve decided to take it upon myself to teach you how to shoot, amongst other things.”
“You?” Cass asked, surprised.
“Yes. I’m not just the captain of this ship; I’m also the head diver. Bert oversees most of our missions, but the responsibility for each mission falls on me. Starting tomorrow, I’ll teach you all that I know. You think you can handle that?”
Cass smiled. “Yes, I think I can.”
Then again, maybe she should have been more careful in her answer. What did Captain Gresley mean by “other things”?
Days later, she sat at the same long table with a primer in front of her, as sunlight streamed through the porthole windows and clanging pots sounded while Patterson prepared dinner.
She turned her attention back to the letters printed across the pages. Reading wasn’t a necessary skill on the streets. But apparently Captain Gresley believed everyone on his ship should be literate, so here she was.
Cass shifted as an hour went by and the galley filled with the smell of simmering spices and vegetables. Past the galley, she could hear the gentle cluck of chickens. Patterson kept a small flock for eggs and the occasional meat. Just when she wanted to start pulling her hair out, Captain Gresley walked in. “That’s enough for today, Cass. Now it’s time to shoot.”
Cass shut the book and stood. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to read, it’s just that she couldn’t sit for long before the need to move came over her.
He led her out of the galley, across the main deck and toward the upper deck. Soft wisps of clouds floated by as a bright sun shone overhead. They were due to arrive in Decadenn in a few days, so the only thing visible for miles around was the Mist down below and the sky above.
Captain Gresley and Cass came to stand near the ship’s wheel. Ahead, at the end of the prow, hung a small, red circle. Captain Gresley removed one of the two revolvers from the holster around his waist.
He carefully held it up. Sunlight glinted off the edge of the barrel. “First, safety. Never point a gun at something you don’t intend to shoot. And never have your finger on the trigger unless you’re ready to shoot. Got that?”
It made sense. “Yes.”
“All right, now for the rest.”
Cass spent the remainder of the afternoon learning the ins and outs of the revolver, the nature of incendiary bullets, how to line up the barrel, the awareness of the weapon in her hand, and finally learning the firing act itself.
“We’re using normal bullets for practice. Don’t want to waste our incendiary ammo,” Captain Gresley said as he held the revolver up, aimed, and fired. There was a pop and a bang as the bullet hit the red metal target ahead.
“Now your turn. Remember what we’ve been practicing. Careful of where you’re pointing, place your finger near, but not on, the trigger until you’re ready. Line your revolver up, then give the trigger a careful squeeze.”
“Got it.”
Her first shot went somewhere over the railing. Captain Gresley laughed. “Try again.”
She shot. And shot. And shot, until she had to reload. Finally she hit the edge of the target, causing it to swing. She straightened up and grinned.
“Very good,” Captain Gresley told her. “Now I want you to keep practicing until the dinner bell rings.”
Cass glanced at him. “What about my duties?”
“Don’t worry about them today. Starting tomorrow, you’ll do your usual cleaning in the morning, then I want every afternoon spent on reading and shooting. All right?”
Cass slowly nodded as she turned her attention back toward the target hanging over the prow. Wa
s every ship captain like Captain Gresley? Deep down, she was pretty sure she knew the answer. She had seen too much to think otherwise. He was definitely different. He not only cared about the people on his ship, he wanted to see them succeed.
She swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. How did she become so lucky to have found a place on the Daedalus?
Days later they reached the sky island city of Decadenn. When the hovering city first came into view, it took Cass’s breath away. They approached the city at dusk, when the sky was filled with brilliant colors and the city was lit for the evening. Since there was very little space horizontally on the sky island it was built upon, the city rose vertically, with multistory towers made of metal and brick, sky bridges connecting the buildings, lofty cranes for lifting heavy crates, and narrow chimneys with smoke rising into the darkening sky.
And the lights . . .
So many lights, as if the city was covered in a thousand fireflies.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Bert said as the diver came to stand beside Cass. “There’s a reason this city is called Decadenn. It’s known for its decadence in fashion, art, and foods. And don’t let the splendor fool you, there is a dark side to Decadenn as well.”
That’s right, Bert grew up on Decadenn. A pickpocket on the streets.
“So what are we here for?” Cass asked.
“Hopefully a job,” Bert said. “The captain heard there might be a possible diving opportunity for us. It’s also where his brother lives, so we visit Decadenn at least a couple times a year.”
“His brother?”
“Yes, and co-owner of the Daedalus, although he rarely travels with us.”
“I see.” She recalled Jeremiah saying that the previous Captain Gresley had been their current captain’s mother, and that the captain also had a brother.
“As divers for the Daedalus, we will be accompanying the captain to the meeting. Even though the captain ultimately makes the decision whether to take a job or not, he values our input on whether a dive can be accomplished and if it will be lucrative enough for the risk.”
Cass stared out at the city ahead as night fell and the Daedalus drew near the port located at the edge of Decadenn. Part of her didn’t feel old enough or mature enough for such a responsibility, and yet another part of her was thrilled at the prospect. “You really want me to be there?”
Bert laughed. “Yes. It’s all part of your training. You want to be a diver, right?”
“More than anything.”
“That’s good to hear, especially after your first encounter. Most would have reconsidered.”
He was right, and maybe she should. But compared to the life she had left behind—dodging roaming gangs, scavenging homes left after the Purges, always wondering when her time would be up—the life of a diver was actually safer. And there was something enthralling about searching out the unknown.
A half hour later, the Daedalus came to a stop near one of the walkways, and a handful of the crew set about securing her to the pier.
“Once your duties are done, feel free to take the evening off,” Captain Gresley announced from the upper deck. There were hoots and hollers from the crew and renewed energy as the sailors bustled about.
Jeremiah came up beside her as she finished coiling one of the extra ropes. “A couple of us are going to visit a nearby pub. Want to join?”
Cass hesitated, disturbed by a sudden feeling inside. She didn’t want to leave the ship. At all. “I think I’ll just enjoy the city from here.”
Jeremiah raised one eyebrow. “Are you sure? We’d watch out for you.”
She smiled, touched by his brotherly concern. “I’m fine here. I think I’ll read for a bit, then turn in early.”
He appeared even more flabbergasted. “You want to read when we have the night free?”
Cass laughed nervously. “I’m feeling off tonight.” And she wasn’t sure why.
“Well, if you change your mind, we’ll be at the Skyhop at the end of this walkway.”
“Sure, thanks.”
Minutes later, a group from the Daedalus headed down the plank to the walkway, a loud, boisterous group of sailors with Jeremiah in the middle. Cass watched them from the deck, then turned her attention back to the city lights. She reached for the locket around her neck and clutched the small oval. Why this sudden hesitation? Decadenn appeared beautiful under the night sky. How much more beautiful would it look from the inside?
Then it hit her. She hadn’t left the Daedalus since they departed from Belhold except for glider training and the excursion down into the Mist. It had been her first time off the streets since the Purge that took her parents three years earlier. And now part of her was scared to walk the city streets again—any streets.
How could this be? She was a survivor, living off those same streets for years.
She dropped the locket. Perhaps that’s why she was afraid. Now that she had found a safe place, she was reluctant to leave. Even fearful. Like a wounded animal hiding in the darkest corner, finally free of its oppressors to rest and recuperate.
She turned around. Tonight, she would rest. Tomorrow she would go into Decadenn with Captain Gresley, Bert, and the other divers.
An hour later, Cass lay stretched out in her hammock inside the tiny cabin next to the galley, a primer in her hands. The lamp above her head flickered, then went back to its steady stream of light. For the first time, the Daedalus was quiet. It left a strange sensation in the air. Even the motors were silent. And the primer was boring. She had the alphabet memorized and could sound out simple words. It was time for the next book.
She yawned and placed the primer in a small sack that hung next to her hammock, then reached for the wool blanket near her feet when shouting erupted deep inside the ship.
Cass sat up, immediately alert. Who was still here? And why the shouting?
Carefully she disengaged herself from her hammock and stood. The sounds had dulled, but she could still hear voices through the walls. Whoever they were, they were near the captain’s cabin.
Cass slipped into the hallway and headed past the galley toward the stairs. She could hear the voices more clearly now. One was the voice of the captain, and the other was clearly a man, his voice similar in tone.
She started to turn back around. She really shouldn’t be eavesdropping.
“So how much is this going to cost me this time?”
“Thirty thousand sterlings.”
“Thirty thousand!” The captain’s voice rose. “Gales, Eli, that’s far more than I have!”
“But you said you had a new job lined up, a lucrative one.”
“I have to pay my crew and take care of my ship! What do you think I do with the money from a diving job, pocket it?”
“Fine, fine.” The other voice sounded irritated now. “I’ll find my own way to pay the Staggses back.”
“The Staggses? This gets worse and worse. When will you learn, Eli? Nothing comes free. Mother never raised us to live this way—”
“I know! I know! I won’t do it again. I’ll find a way to pay back the Staggses, then I’ll find a real job.”
“You’ve been saying that for years.”
“This time I mean it. I’ve never met a family like the Staggses before. It’s all or nothing with them.”
“I could have told you that,” The captain grated.
Cass held her breath. This was a family fight? And Captain Gresley’s family, no less.
“This is the last time, Eli, and it’s only because you found yourself caught up with the Staggs family. They are ruthless. Unlike the gambling dens you’re used to, the Staggses will take everything from you, then toss you into a Purge. I’ve seen it happen countless times. But after this, you have to stop. Your debts are going to kill you, and there will come a time when I can’t save you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Victor,” Eli mumbled so low that Cass barely heard the words.
Cass slipped away from the wall and back down the h
all. She felt awkward. She should have left the moment she heard the captain, but curiosity overrode her common sense.
Did the other crewmembers know about the other Gresley? Half-owner of the Daedalus? The one with an apparent gambling problem?
Cass shook her head. She had seen firsthand what that kind of addiction could do. It was a plague of its own, destroying the person and those around them in a financial fire.
She liked Captain Gresley, even respected him during the little time she had spent with him. But she wasn’t sure about this new situation. It sounded like Eli could go off the deep end. And as co-owner of the Daedalus, he could unwittingly take not only his brother, but all of the crew down with him.
Cass held her arms across her stomach and wished she’d never heard that conversation.
Theo sat down at one of the many desks inside the history classroom at Browning University a week later, his research inside the leather valise sitting near his feet. There was no doubt in his mind after checking each gauge along the Belhold border: the Mist was rising swiftly again. The question was why, exactly how fast, and would others believe him? He would talk to Professor Hawkins first and wait to speak with his grandfather when he had more than just his own findings to back him up.
Professor Hawkins walked in moments later and came to stand in front at the blackboard, then began to write across the dark surface with his sharp, straight penmanship. His white hair stuck out around his head in wispy curls, a contrast to his dark suit and robe. Students ambled into the class and took their seats. Theo’s knee thumped nervously under his desk, a hidden sign of his agitation.
The university was an all-male school, like most of the schools across the sky and mountaintops, although there were rumors of a girls’ school opening in Tyromourne. The student population at Belhold consisted of the elite: sons from powerful families, rich merchants, and high government officials. There was even a general’s son.
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