Rasha stands, about to voice a defense from the look of it—but I stand as well and drain my face of all emotion. “It’s fine. I was just leaving anyway.”
On my way toward the door leading to the deck, I stop long enough to brush up against Draewulf and curl my fingers into a fist, as if my powers have returned. I lean into his ear. “Tell me, how does it feel to know you haven’t quite won?”
Without waiting for a response, I straighten my shoulders and proceed to the small deck.
A Bron guard is positioned outside the door. “You have thirty minutes until we—” he says, as my Faelen bodyguards join him.
I nod, straining to hear him above the engine noise. Then stall because whatever he’s mouthing suddenly doesn’t matter when I look up.
The enormity of the airship is beyond comprehension. Overhead spans a white, larva-shaped balloon easily a quarter the length of King Sedric’s castle. It billows slightly at the curved ridges and along the one tip I can see. Whatever’s powering the ship is burning and creating heat ripples in the air around a giant metal chimney chute. Steam flows from it into a hole in the base of the balloon that is attached to the airship by metal ropes similar to the ones Eogan used to control our man-eating warhorses.
The ship bumps five times in a row, as if it’s a farm cart riding over tills of soil. The vibrations beneath my feet are jarring compared to standing on the floor inside. I edge to the railing and glance down over the bulk of the ship to what I presume is the lower level. A few windows dot here and there, but for the most part, it’s a hull of shiny, glistening metal big enough to hold servants, guards, food storage, and probably whatever fuel they use for burning.
Above it sits the level we’re on, which appears to simply be the dining and bed quarters. And on top of that sits a smaller section—made up of what, I can’t tell. I peer high at the single row of windows. Is that where Eogan’s been hiding?
“A bit freezing out here, don’t you think?”
Flipping around, I discover Myles ten feet away. A superior smile is playing around his pale mouth as he leans over the metal railing, arms spread like a bird with the wind and rain ruffling his black hair.
I frown and walk over to him to find the raindrops are being thrown full force beneath the balloon here as the ship rushes along on the air currents. The water pricks my skin, making it feel alive and nervous as Rasha’s warning flares in my head. “Where are my knives?”
“Not hungry, eh?” he says, ignoring my question.
I scowl at him, at his thin face which is pale, but no longer green. “Couldn’t stomach the company.”
“Ah yes. Whereas me? I couldn’t ssstomach the food.” He glances out at the ocean. “Impressive though, isn’t it?” He stays watching a minute longer before turning back to smooth his hair and tip his head at the dining area. “About that nauseating company . . . Care to speculate what his plansss are?”
“The man who makes it his business to know everything, doesn’t know?”
“Ah, but Rasha would’ve already told you I don’t.”
“How about a guess? I hear you’re good at it.”
“I suspect in thisss case, your estimation is as good as mine, my dear.”
“Then I’m afraid neither of us is going to get far.”
He turns back to staring at the ocean.
I step closer, my tone cautious. “How long do you think before he does something with all of us?”
“I think the better question is, how long do we have before Eogan loses his battle inside his own body? That, I suspect, will be the defining point for the rest of usss.”
I make a snide face. Clearly he doesn’t seem too traumatized by the prospect.
Except . . .
My chest tightens. I narrow my gaze and study every crease and twitch of his aristocratic profile. “Do you think Draewulf can be separated from Eogan’s body without killing him?”
“How would I know?”
“Like I said, you make it your business.”
“Alasss, that is not an area I’ve ever cared to look into. Although . . .” He eyes me. “If anyone could have helped separate them, it would’ve been an Elemental. Too bad you don’t have the ability any longer to find out.”
“That’s not funny.”
“It wasn’t intended to be.”
“If my abilities could’ve freed him, I would’ve done so the other night.”
“If you’d been trained correctly, yes. Especially considering Elementals have always been the most powerful Uathúilsss. But, as I said, how would I know?”
“You’re suggesting you could’ve trained me to separate them?”
His gaze moves from my eyes, to my hands, to a quick, aloof sweep down my body. “I may know someone who could’ve advised me.”
He has my attention as well as my suspicion. “Who? Are they still around?”
“Ah.” He taps the side of his head. “That, my dear, is, for the time being, my business to know, not yoursss. However . . . it wouldn’t make much difference, would it, now that your abilities are gone. Unless . . .”
I clear my throat. “Unless?”