Knight of Wands (A Steampunk Fantasy Adventure Novel) (Devices of War Book 2) by SM Blooding Page A

harvesting jelly gas. We believed in cohabitating with the air jellies.
    I needed to talk to Joshua and discuss them with him. He was the real genius anyway.
    It was time to leave the docks and find Keeley and Yvette. I was directed to what the people of Peacock Rock called the west common room. The water fell lighter now and the harvesting of the wall algae had stopped.
    There were a few more familiar faces.
    Ryo turned, his black hair tied in a tight top knot, his slanted eyes nearly closed with happiness. He wrapped me in a rib-crushing hug. He wasn’t dressed in the silks of the Ino people, but instead he wore the knee pants, high boots, and white shirt with the red sash of the El’Asim. The only difference was the placement of his sword. My curved blade normally rested on my hip. His long sword was strapped across his back.
    “It’s good to see you, little brother,” he said, pulling away, clapping me on the shoulder. “I am happy to see you are alive and in one piece.”
    I pointed at his sword strap. There was a leather circle with the emblem of the El’Asim Family, the spitfyre falcon. One didn’t simply wear this. It had to be awarded. “You have a story to tell, brother.”
    He opened his mouth.
    Someone pushed her dark brown, curly-haired head under my arm and wormed her way in, taking my head in her hands.
    I grinned and released my brother to welcome my not so favorite sister. She was older than me and never let me forget it. “Zara.” I released her head and gave her a tight squeeze. “It is good to see you. Are things all right?”
    She nodded, burying her head in my shoulder. Then she pushed away and slugged me in the arm. Hard. “I was worried about you.”
    I snorted, rubbing away the pain. “I’m fine, Zar.”
    Her dark eyes lit with fiery worry. “Don’t you ever do that again.”
    I tucked her deeper into my arms. “I won’t.” I hoped.
    Her falcon settled on her shoulder. His feather tail poked at my arm. His lizard tail curled around it and gripped my elbow. Even Fadi seemed to be glad to see me.
    “Are you whole, my sayyd ?” Isra asked behind me.
    I twisted around, not letting Zara go.
    Isra’s scarred face rose. Her eyes, marked with deep crow’s feet, met mine in defiance. She was tall and severe, her dark brown hair pulled back in a braid, her raggedly gloved hand resting on the curved sword at her hip.
    “I am whole, Isra Um’Binte.”
    Hala, her spitfyre falcon stood guard on Isra’s shoulder. Hala was small for a spitfyre. Her markings were dark, her chest pale. As she watched me, a plume of smoke escaped her beak.
    “Are you coming home to your people, sayyd ?” Isra’s eyes were like knives, holding mine with a steel intensity.
    “I don’t know. I hope so, but I feel as though there is a long path before me I still have yet to travel.”
    My father’s second in command nodded. “You will need to set things in order.”
    “I am aware. How have our people been to you?”
    She blinked, her iron-clad gaze shifting off of me to rest on Ryo. “They required a male.”
    Or for Zara to step up and claim her Family’s right, which she wouldn’t. She never wanted it and she was ill prepared for it. There were people willing to shoulder responsibility and those that weren’t. I was learning that the hard way, fast.
    “Your mother was kind enough to let us borrow Ryo, but we are tasked to find a more permanent solution.”
    “Mother wants Zara to find a mate,” Ryo said, his voice dark, his expression even darker.
    Zara sighed.
    “And this mate is supposed to lead our people?” I asked.
    My warrior brother nodded. “I wish I could lead the sky people, Synn. I love it up there. I feel as though I was born to be there.”
    I smiled. “You would leave Ino City’s protection to who, then? Makoto?” Makoto was older than me, but, like Zara, had no wish to rule. He preferred numbers to people.
    “Oki will lead them. She can find someone worthy to protect her city.