was instantly suspicious. “What did I do?”
“How you rescued them from the cell when they were held prisoner by the sea people.” He paused for a moment and seemed somewhat bemused, as if he couldn’t believe he was saying those words to his despised and useless older sister. Emilie had to admit it did sound rather unlikely, though it was true. He continued. “It was… I just… Weren’t you afraid?”
That wasn’t what Emilie had expected him to ask. She hesitated, tempted to say she had never been afraid, that she had sailed through the whole experience without a qualm, even when people were trying to kill her. Efrain would never have believed her if she had told him about it, but he had believed Seth, even though he was a total stranger. A strange man who is a crew member on an airship Efrain stowed away on has more credibility than me . But she thought of poor Beinar and suddenly couldn’t lie about it. “I was very afraid. But there was no one else. Rani had just been captured, Miss Marlende was being held prisoner by Lord Ivers, I wasn’t sure where Lord Engal and the others were, even if I could have gotten to them.” Even remembering it was making her insides curl up. She had been afraid, but it was the feeling of being completely alone that she remembered the most. “But I was more afraid to just stay where I was, so I had to keep going forward.”
Efrain bit his lip, obviously conflicted. “It’s like I don’t know you,” he said finally.
“You don’t,” Emilie said, and it startled her to realize just how much she resented it. It almost put what Uncle Yeric had said to her in the shade. “You stopped knowing me when Erin left. I went away and you pretended there was a useless, stupid girl in my place, who said stupid things and was easy to ignore. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”
Efrain shook his head, confused and mulish. “That’s not what… You were… You changed!”
If that was all he had to answer her with, Emilie didn’t care to continue the conversation. She retorted, “I didn’t change. I was always the same. But it’s not nice, having someone who knows you suddenly un-know you.”
Emilie turned away, took three long strides toward the stairs, and almost ran into Professor Abindon. The professor’s expression might have been mistaken for her not uncommon angry frown, but this close up, Emilie could see it was really consternation, as if she had just heard something that had startled or upset her. Before Emilie could speak, the Professor said, “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to overhear.”
“It’s all right,” Emilie said hastily, and waved her hands, trying to indicate that the interconnected compartments of the airship made privacy almost impossible. “Can’t be helped, here, I mean.” Then she fled before it got any worse.
It was Cobbier who fired the hook-launcher up toward the platform. The hook skittered across the metal and caught on the far edge. Everyone ducked a little, waiting tensely. Emilie saw she wasn’t the only one who had thought that appearing to shoot something at a strange ship could possibly be problematic. But there was no reaction, and after a few moments, everyone breathed again.
Cobbier detached the line from the launcher and leaned on it, testing the hold. The hook didn’t move. “It’s holding.”
“Good.” Dr Marlende shed his coat and absently held it out. Emilie hastily stepped forward and took it, glad to feel a little useful. He continued, “I’ll go up first and secure the ladder, then come back and extend the spell to cover the rest of you.”
Miss Marlende said, “Have you tested the smaller protective spell?”
Dr Marlende smiled at her, pulling on a pair of leather gloves. “This will be the test.”
Miss Marlende drew a sharp breath, and didn’t look especially happy with that answer. Professor Abindon sighed wearily and rubbed her forehead. Emilie could see that being married to Dr Marlende might
“How you rescued them from the cell when they were held prisoner by the sea people.” He paused for a moment and seemed somewhat bemused, as if he couldn’t believe he was saying those words to his despised and useless older sister. Emilie had to admit it did sound rather unlikely, though it was true. He continued. “It was… I just… Weren’t you afraid?”
That wasn’t what Emilie had expected him to ask. She hesitated, tempted to say she had never been afraid, that she had sailed through the whole experience without a qualm, even when people were trying to kill her. Efrain would never have believed her if she had told him about it, but he had believed Seth, even though he was a total stranger. A strange man who is a crew member on an airship Efrain stowed away on has more credibility than me . But she thought of poor Beinar and suddenly couldn’t lie about it. “I was very afraid. But there was no one else. Rani had just been captured, Miss Marlende was being held prisoner by Lord Ivers, I wasn’t sure where Lord Engal and the others were, even if I could have gotten to them.” Even remembering it was making her insides curl up. She had been afraid, but it was the feeling of being completely alone that she remembered the most. “But I was more afraid to just stay where I was, so I had to keep going forward.”
Efrain bit his lip, obviously conflicted. “It’s like I don’t know you,” he said finally.
“You don’t,” Emilie said, and it startled her to realize just how much she resented it. It almost put what Uncle Yeric had said to her in the shade. “You stopped knowing me when Erin left. I went away and you pretended there was a useless, stupid girl in my place, who said stupid things and was easy to ignore. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”
Efrain shook his head, confused and mulish. “That’s not what… You were… You changed!”
If that was all he had to answer her with, Emilie didn’t care to continue the conversation. She retorted, “I didn’t change. I was always the same. But it’s not nice, having someone who knows you suddenly un-know you.”
Emilie turned away, took three long strides toward the stairs, and almost ran into Professor Abindon. The professor’s expression might have been mistaken for her not uncommon angry frown, but this close up, Emilie could see it was really consternation, as if she had just heard something that had startled or upset her. Before Emilie could speak, the Professor said, “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to overhear.”
“It’s all right,” Emilie said hastily, and waved her hands, trying to indicate that the interconnected compartments of the airship made privacy almost impossible. “Can’t be helped, here, I mean.” Then she fled before it got any worse.
It was Cobbier who fired the hook-launcher up toward the platform. The hook skittered across the metal and caught on the far edge. Everyone ducked a little, waiting tensely. Emilie saw she wasn’t the only one who had thought that appearing to shoot something at a strange ship could possibly be problematic. But there was no reaction, and after a few moments, everyone breathed again.
Cobbier detached the line from the launcher and leaned on it, testing the hold. The hook didn’t move. “It’s holding.”
“Good.” Dr Marlende shed his coat and absently held it out. Emilie hastily stepped forward and took it, glad to feel a little useful. He continued, “I’ll go up first and secure the ladder, then come back and extend the spell to cover the rest of you.”
Miss Marlende said, “Have you tested the smaller protective spell?”
Dr Marlende smiled at her, pulling on a pair of leather gloves. “This will be the test.”
Miss Marlende drew a sharp breath, and didn’t look especially happy with that answer. Professor Abindon sighed wearily and rubbed her forehead. Emilie could see that being married to Dr Marlende might
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