There is still magic to be found. Even in the bleakest of places.<br><br>Hank Goodenough has spent his entire life in the smoggy streets of London trying to keep his head down and not to get noticed. Not an easy feat when you’re the tallest one in the room and have a brass funnel protruding from your head. When he finds himself laid off work once again, his dad wants to drag him away on a crazy quest. Before he can figure out how to get out of it, he finds himself on a steam-driven airship in search of Odin, the old Norse God, and is sharing a room with Captain Elazar Steel, a man strutting around on one high-heeled boot and one peg leg.<br><br>Steel doesn’t care that the winks, smiles, and small touches he and Hank share might get them hanged once they land on the ground again. He is determined to show Hank there is magic in the world and that there is no better place to be than on his balloon ship steering towards the Arctic Circle.

Eight Feet of Magic

Holding his breath, Hank waited to see if Elazar would do anything else. Their gazes met, and Hank leaned forward, just a little. Elazar angled his head, the air around them grew electric.


Then there was a bang, and the Christmas tree bounced on the floor. Smokey jumped from the fallen tree to the map table where he walked across the surface. Glaring at Hank, he then jumped down on the floor again and headed for Steel.


Steel got to his feet, patted the ugly creature for a few seconds, and turned back to Hank. “Get some sleep. I’ll check the sails and the steam.”


Hank watched him as he exited the cabin. His wooden leg and high-heeled boot crossed the room with far more grace than Hank could ever work up to. Smokey soundlessly followed him, leaving Hank alone with the smell of pine, the taste of chocolate, and a burning longing in his body.Chocolate, Rum and Northern Lights


Chapter 17