I check out my reflection in the mirror and try applying makeup the way Leyla does. I don’t manage nearly the effect she can, but at least I obscure the blue-black bags beneath my eyes. I add a little eyeliner and some lipstick, then I loosen my ponytail and spray one of the smoothening lotions on my curls. They lengthen and grow glossy.
When I return to the nose, Caasy is still sleeping, and we’re now racing down toward the largest bubble in sight, the city Aeolus. The sphere contains breathable air, which is much lighter than the planet’s dense atmosphere. Each sphere is weighted at the bottom with ballasts so it can’t flip over, and the storied levels inside are oriented to the planet’s surface. The uppermost level gets the most sunlight, so it houses the city’s corporate farms. The lower levels recycle air, water, and waste.
“Like it?” asks Hysan. “Our airborne capital is one of the Four Marvels of the Zodiac.”
“It’s amazing,” I say. “Is it made of glass?”
“Ceramic, actually.” He slides closer to me, and for the first time I notice the cedary scent of his hair. “Transparent nanocarbon fused with silica, extremely tough. It’s engineered to withstand our sulfuric atmosphere.”
Mathias edges between us. “A hot air balloon. Very appropriate.”
Hysan looks like he’s about to say something, but when he spies the discomfort on my face, he keeps quiet. Equinox’s thrusters fire, and we glide low over the face of Aeolus. This close, its protective membrane is mirror-bright and pockmarked with thousands of openings, with aircraft of every size and color circling, landing, and taking off. Hysan leans over me and says, “The landing pad is through there, and that’s—”
“Why are we still veiled?” snaps Mathias. “Aren’t you welcome in your own home?”
Hysan gives Mathias a superior look. “Do you think I’d draw a Psy strike on my world?”
They glance at me and turn away, and my stomach flips upside down. “Yeah, I know. I’m a walking target.”
The lower we glide, the denser the swarming traffic grows, and Equinox dodges through the jumble of vibrocopters, hover-ships, and pulse-jets. The ship makes a banking turn into a port and comes to rest, invisible to all eyes except our own. I wake up Caasy, and once again, Hysan insists we don our collars before disembarking.
From inside Aeolus’s transparent skin, the surrounding clouds look woolly green. This far above the planet’s surface, gravity thins out. The walls and ceilings are made of glassy-smooth ceramic, and the floors are covered in soft, cushiony plexifoam tiles. The whole place has a light, airy feel—a wonderful change from the cramped bullet-ship. The halls, however, are crowded with Librans dressed in all the colorful plumage of tropical birds.
We’ve landed near a major shopping zone, and consumers rush along with mesh bags and gold-starred eyes. Vivid films blare across the walls, promoting overstuffed fruit baskets, gourmet liqueurs, and baked goods. Illuminated arrows point the way to hostess gifts, caterers, florists, and party planners, and holographic ads flit through the throngs of people, showering everyone with minute-by-minute announcements of festive new merchandise.
Hysan seems to swell with pride as he takes everything in. “I forgot it’s Friday. Everyone’s planning weekend dinners. Hospitality’s a blood sport here.”
Caasy eyes a display of feathered hats. “I don’t suppose we could try a few things on?”
“There’s no time,” I whisper, already moving.
Caasy dawdles briefly, fingering the hats, then hurries after us. The line to enter the transportation tubes is a dense mass of bodies rather than an orderly queue, but since we’re invisible, we follow Hysan’s example and shove right in. Watching Hysan move, I begin to suspect this isn’t the first time he’s entered his city unseen.
He elbows his way through the shoppers, and though it goes against my grain, I have to do the same to keep up. The last thing I want is to lose sight of Hysan in this mob. Mathias stays close behind me, but I worry about little Caasy—until I remember he’s been taking care of himself for over three centuries.
Hysan leads us to a cordoned-off area marked Departures, where a crowd of people stands around, waiting to catch a Flutterby. We squeeze in among them and look up—a flock of transparent tubes, each with its own pair of large flapping insect wings, is descending on us.
When a Flutterby gets close enough, Hysan shows us how to reach up and grab the plexine loops overhead. Caasy’s too short, so he hangs on to Mathias’s belt.
Since no one can see us, several others try to grab our loops. When a heavy man steps on my toes, I pinch him to make him move. Hysan spots me and cracks up. “You’re violent.”
“Yeah, so watch yourself,” I say through my smile.