Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
“No. Absolutely not.”
Pip perched on her workbench, swinging her legs, as she faced her brother. Sitting on the workbench put her more level with his face so that she didn’t have to crane her neck to stare him down. “I’m going.”
The words twisted everything inside her from the pit of her stomach all the way into the burning in her throat. But she wasn’t going to back down. There was no way she was staying here, waiting and wondering, while Fieran went off into the depths of Mongavaria.
Even if the thought of going on a crazy, dangerous mission like this scared her like nothing else ever had.
Mak paced—stalked in fury, more like—across the space in front of her workbench. “You’re not a warrior. What are the generals thinking, sending you off into Mongavaria like this?”
“They needed a mechanic.” Pip shrugged and nudged one of her wrenches. At least she’d gotten permission to tell Mak some of the details, even if he couldn’t know all of it. It wasn’t like the Half-Breed Squadron and their mechanics wouldn’t notice when Pip, Fieran, and Rothilion left.
“Then send one of the airship mechanics along. For that matter, why isn’t an airship pilot going instead of Fieran?” Mak jabbed a hand in the direction of the mansion. “Surely that would make more sense than sending the two of you.”
“None of the airship pilots or mechanics have magic like Fieran’s or like mine.” Pip raised her hand and created a small sphere over her palm.
“If they want a mechanic with magic, then I should be the one to go.” Mak crossed his arms and glared at her.
“You know it isn’t the same.” Pip expanded her sphere. “Assuming we can neutralize those magic-stealing machines, Fieran and I are just about invincible when we’re together.”
“Then I’ll come too.” Mak took a step forward, standing squarely in front of her.
A part of her desperately wished he could. He was her big brother. Stepping into the unknown would be far less daunting with him at her side.
And yet it was time she forged this path on her own. For too long, she’d been stuck in a rut, not moving forward, not taking chances, because she’d been too scared to leave home.
She couldn’t go back to being the same girl who had gotten up the courage to go to Escarland for university, only to return home and work the same job she always had for several more decades because she hadn’t dared pursue her real dream.
She wanted a life at Fieran’s side, even if that meant fighting in the depths of Mongavaria. He was worth it because he would fight at her side just as hard as she would at his.
“You can’t just invite yourself along on this mission. Not this time.” Pip braced her hands on either side of herself on the workbench.
Not to mention, Mak wasn’t invulnerable to Prince Farrendel’s magic the way she and Fieran were. Anyone not impervious to his power would be a liability during whatever battle they might face to take the Ludin facility.
“Pip, I can’t—”
“No.” Pip gave his chest a shove with the flat of her hand.
“No, don’t go all protective big brother on me.
I know this is hard. I’m not particularly thrilled with the idea of marching into Mongavaria either.
But I have to do this. And I can’t go unless I know that you’ll be here, looking after the squadron. ”
As beyond terrified as she was by this mission, she couldn’t shake the deep conviction that she had to go. It wasn’t just because of Fieran either. She’d seen so much and done so much because of this war.
Somewhere out there in Mongavaria, there were people who needed to be rescued. Perhaps even a friend who needed her and Fieran. She couldn’t be a coward, not when her magic could make all the difference.
Mak’s shoulders slumped, his gaze dropping for the first time. “I never would have encouraged you to leave home if I thought this was where we’d end up.”
“It likely wouldn’t have made that much difference.” Pip shrugged, letting another sphere form on her palm. “My magic was bound to get the attention of the higher-ups one way or another. There is no one else who can do what I can.”
“No, there isn’t.” Mak finally uncrossed his arms before he stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. “Just stay safe, Pipsqueak.”
“I’ll do my best.” Pip embraced him back, holding tightly, her throat closing. “And you stay safe as well. The aerodrome will be a more dangerous place once all of us are gone and can’t shield it during attacks.”
“I’ll be fine.” Mak released her and took a step back. He stood there for a moment, an awkward silence falling between them.
Pip flapped a hand at him. “Go on. I don’t leave for a couple of days, and both of us have work to do.”
Mak sighed before he smiled, the expression still strained. He turned and strolled away, likely to find the first aeroplane on his checklist that was in need of repairs.
Fieran stepped into sight as he entered the barn, his swords strapped across his back. He halted by Mak, and the two of them exchanged a few words in a low tone too quiet for Pip to hear.
Not that she needed to hear it. Whatever he said, it was likely some version of Keep my sister safe or else.
Fieran nodded, clapped Mak on the shoulder, and strode past him, headed for Pip. When he reached the workbench, he shoved a few tools aside and boosted himself to sit next to her on the wooden surface. “Mak seems to have taken the news as well as could be expected.”
“Yeah. He’s worried, but he knows this is something I need to do.” Pip picked up one of her wrenches, turning it over to keep her hands busy.
Fieran sighed and nodded, as if he was struggling with the same thing. After a moment, he drew one of his swords, resting it across his lap as if he too needed something to fiddle with.
Yet as the silence lingered between them, Pip glanced up at him, searching his face. “No practice this morning?”
“No.” Fieran turned his sword over in his hands so that the flat was up, then the single, dulled blade. “They weren’t up for practice. Dacha needed time alone, and Adry is with Merrik.”
Understandable. Even though both Merrik and Adry would remain here, the burden of being Laesornysh would fall squarely on her shoulders once Prince Farrendel left.
Pip couldn’t imagine facing war quite like that.
Even on this mission, she wouldn’t be expected to fight.
She was going for her mechanical skills and ability to create defensive shields.
Pip leaned her head against Fieran’s shoulder, drawing on his warmth and strength. “Are you all right?”
Fieran released a long breath as he stared down at the sword in his hands. “Yeah. It’s just…going to be hard to leave the squadron behind.”
“Yes, it is.” She blinked at the pressure of that fast-approaching parting. She’d started this war with the flyboys. For some reason, she’d thought she’d end the war with them as well.
Perhaps they still would. Depending on how long it took them to return with the former prisoners, she and Fieran might be able to rejoin the squadron in time to be there when Prince Edmund and Prince Farrendel did whatever they planned to do to end the war.
After taking a deep breath, Fieran lifted the sword he was holding.
“Do you know one of the dwarves who could put a proper edge on my swords? They’re dwarven-made, but they’re dull-edged practice swords, barely more than the toys that my first wooden training swords were.
I think for this mission that I’m going to need my swords to be proper weapons. Like Dacha’s.”
In other words, he needed to fully become Laesornysh, an elven warrior who carried deadly blades capable of tasting blood.
Pip swallowed and nodded without lifting her head from his shoulder. “Yes, Draenelynn probably could, and if she can’t, her mentor is also here. She’s training to be a warrior bladesmith, someone highly valued by the dwarves.”
When she peeked up at him, he was grimacing. Probably at the thought of having to ask Rhohen’s girlfriend for a favor.
But after a moment, he held the sword out between them. “So…do I just…or should you…”
Pip laughed, straightened, and held out her hand. “I can ask her. Cousin-to-cousin.”
Fieran rested the sword across his lap and unbuckled the sheaths and remaining sword from his back. Once he shrugged free, he sheathed the sword and handed both of them to Pip.
Pip swallowed as she wrapped her fingers around his swords. There was a strange finality in the gesture. When he held those swords again, they would be lethal in a way they never had before.
He would be Laesornysh. His dacha’s son.
And she could only hope the Fieran she’d fallen in love with would remain beneath the warrior he would become.
As the gray after the sunset descended around the mansion, Pip sat on the front step of the mansion, staring at the line of trees, parked aeroplanes, and makeshift airfield that stretched before her.
What had she been thinking when she agreed to go on that mission into Mongavaria? She wasn’t a warrior. She’d nearly fallen apart on that small incursion to retrieve those machines. How could she possibly face a deadly secret mission into the very heart of the enemy empire?
This was crazy.
She knew exactly what she’d been thinking. That she couldn’t let Fieran go off alone. She couldn’t stay behind for weeks on end, wondering if he was still alive. More, she had to be at his side to ensure that he didn’t do something reckless and get himself killed since Merrik was staying behind.
Yet despite her show of determination with her brother, her stomach twisted into painful knots. How was she going to do this?
With the crunch of boots on the gravel, Fieran strolled along the line of aeroplanes before he halted next to her. He lowered himself to sit on the stone step next to her, close enough that their shoulders brushed. “Are you all right?”
“Just second-guessing a few life decisions.” Pip leaned against him, needing to be held close.