Back on Board

Zenith hated to admit it, but Mirage's invisibility proved quite effective. Though they tried to stick to the side alleys, they couldn't avoid bumping into the occasional soldier or two. Each time, the soldiers ran on past as if they didn't even exist.

Like this, they easily made their way across the island. Zenith kept scanning the sky, seeking out the Blue Sky. Once he returned to the craft, he'd have the ideal vantage point to search for his liege.

Even so, he refused to let down his guard around Mirage and Victor. Whenever he could afford to, he darted a glance in their direction. Mirage was breathing hard, sweat slicking his skin, but showed no other signs of exertion from using his elemental powers. Perhaps it was because he was holding Theo's staff.

The sight of it in this demon's hands wrenched at Zenith's heart. He should have demanded Mirage hand it over – but it was too late for that, not when he was already occupied with carrying Theo.

Anger pounding in his chest, Zenith gripped Theo tighter. Focus on what mattered now: Theo was safe. Alive. Even if Zenith hadn't been the one to find him....

"Hey." Victor's voice from behind startled him. "Isn't that your craft?"

Zenith snapped his head up. Sure enough, he saw a blue-domed shape in the sky above, tentacles trailing after it like ribbons. It swerved wildly back and forth, fending off attacks from soldiers mounted on nightsoarers.

The anger deepened, gripping Zenith's throat until he felt like he was going to choke. Damn it all, he should have been paying more attention.

He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. To his relief, his voice came out steady. "Yes. We need to get their attention."

Victor nodded at Mirage, who snapped his fingers. The veil of rose-scented Levia scattered like petals, and Zenith was relieved by how much easier he could breathe without the demon's infernal power smothering him.

No time to relax, though. Not with his crew in danger. As the Blue Sky banked to the left, the pursuers launched a volley of arrows. Most missed or clanged off the hull, but a few lodged in the medusid's bell, quivering like pins in a cushion.

He heard footsteps thudding behind him, saw a black blur to the left. The next thing he knew, Victor took a flying leap toward the Blue Sky.

As he reached the height of his jump, a purple diagram blazed beneath him. Zenith couldn't contain a gasp when wings erupted from his shoulders, black as shadow and shaped like a dragon's. A few tremendous flaps sent him soaring higher, straight toward the attacking demons.

Wreathed in purple flames, Victor's sword swung a dramatic arc. The two closest nightsoarers plummeted, raining black feathers while their riders screamed and thrashed.

Not wasting any time, Victor charged at the others. They scattered, breaking formation, but a few managed to fire their arrows. These Victor dodged with contemptuous ease, and hardly a minute later, he cut down yet another rider.

Sense slammed black into Zenith like a wave of icy water. He couldn't just stand here watching. Tensing his legs, he leaped on top of the nearest building.

But with Theo in his arms, he couldn't join the fight. Which was fine, he told himself – right now, fighting wasn't his top priority. Getting Theo to safety was.

"Everyone!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "I'm right here!"

The Blue Sky was hovering in place, most of the crew seemingly transfixed by Victor's battle. Just as Zenith prepared to shout again, a small head popped over the railing: Fia. Their eyes widened when they saw Zenith, but they didn't waste any time grabbing the nearest tentacle and swinging it down toward him.

Zenith shifted Theo to the crook of his left arm, pressing him close to his side. Once he was certain he had Theo in a stable position, he grabbed the tentacle with his right hand.

"Hey, wait!" Huffing and puffing, Mirage climbed onto the roof after him. "Are you forgetting about me?"

Zenith threw him a withering glance before hauling himself up onto the tentacle. He braced it with his knees to take some of the weight off his arm, and began inching his way upward.

He didn't look back, but a sudden tug at the tentacle beneath him suggested Mirage had grabbed on as well. Gritting his teeth, Zenith kept climbing.

It didn't take long before he reached the railing. Swinging himself over, he landed on the deck with an impact that shuddered through his armor.

"Sir Zenith!" an agog Fia shouted, running over to him. "You found Theo!"

Zenith nodded. He prepared to shift Theo to both arms again, only to hear a tide of banging and cursing from below. Peering over the railing, he saw Mirage still attempting to climb up the tentacle, kicking his feet uselessly against the hull of the skycraft.

As much as Zenith would've loved to let him struggle, he'd rather the demon not inconvenience Blue like this for much longer. So he grabbed the tentacle and gave it a tremendous yank, reeling up Mirage like a fish on a line.

As soon as Mirage was dangling above the deck, Zenith let go. Sputtering indignantly, Mirage crashed onto the metal in a tangle of limbs.

"Uh." Fia stared at him with wide eyes, then turned toward the bow of the craft. Zenith followed their gaze, his chest tightening when he saw Victor standing there. The wings were gone, but the blood staining his sword served as a stark reminder of his recent actions. Around the craft, the sky was deceptively calm, with not a hint of pursuers.

The others stood at a clear berth from Victor, facing him suspiciously. Including – Zenith's breath caught – his liege.

So she was safe. The others had found her. 'Then I failed,' some bitter voice whispered deep inside Zenith. 'I failed to save both her and Theo.'

Ashamed of himself, he willed the voice down. Now was not the time for such selfish thoughts – if ever.

Gripping Theo tighter, Zenith approached. Darian whipped toward him, her eyes wide. "Sir Zenith? Theo? And wait – "

Her gaze landed on Mirage. She took a deep breath, straightened herself, and snapped, "All right, can somebody explain just what the hell is going on here?"

"Isn't that simple?" Mirage said with an elegant shrug, though the effect was rather ruined by the exertion flushing his face red. "We helped you out, so why not spare us a thank you or two?"

"Right," Darian said, dry as sandpaper. "You helped us out of the goodness of your hearts."

Her suspicion, strangely enough, made Zenith feel a little better. Some foolish part of himself almost hoped she decided to kick Mirage and Victor off the craft this instant.

But it felt churlish to think this way. Like it or not, they were the ones who had saved Theo. 'Not me.'

Then Darian's gaze landed on the staff tucked under Mirage's arm. She took a shuddering step forward, hand on her rapier and every muscle quivering with fury.

"Why do you have that?"

"Ah, this?" Mirage glanced at the staff as if he'd only noticed it just now. "Right. You can have it back."

With that, he knelt down and settled the staff onto the deck. Despite the noise of battle raging all around, the click of metal upon metal seemed to echo through the air.

Darian didn't move an inch. "Really, now."

"Really." Using the tip of his boot, Mirage pushed the staff forward. "Are you going to take it or not? Oh, by the way, we also happened to rescue your little emo friend over there."

He nodded at Theo in Zenith's grip. Instinctively, Zenith pulled Theo closer to his chest. The wizard stirred a little, brow tightening, but otherwise remained fast asleep.

Just like that, Darian was looking right at him. "Is this true, Sir Zenith?"