Klara poked her head out of the armoury at the sound of boots pounding down the passageway. Yeger stomped by, his face flushed, Nika and Maria hurried to catch up, concern clouding their features.

  “Hey!” Klara stepped from the armoury and strode after them. “Where the depths is going on?”

  “None of your business,” Yeger said over his shoulder.

  Maria looked back and mouthed, “Vloysh.”

  Yeger had been drinking. Klara sprinted forwards, squeezing past him and stopping, forcing him to halt or knock her over. For a second she thought he would take her out. Then he ground to a halt, face inches from her.

  Sovereign Sculptor, he reeks… “Yeger, enough.”

  “There are Alchemists in Lozvinsky,” Yeger said, his words slurred. “They’ll pay for what they did to Anatoly!”

  “Not every Alchemist is evil,” Klara said, remembering Reinhardt, the Machtvollian Alchemist she’d met at Borovsk. A woman intent on research and saving lives.

  “They support a guild who murders Sentinels,” Yeger said.

  “I think your brother would be disappointed in you if you kill innocents in his name.”

  Yeger’s face darkened to an ugly shade of purple. He jabbed a meaty finger into her collarbone. “You never knew him, so don’t speak as though you do.”

  “Yeger,” Klara said, forcing herself to calm, “you’re drunk. Sleep it off. Soon enough we’ll be after the people who are responsible for the death of everyone in Ledavsk.”

  Before Yeger could respond, a voice echoed down the corridor behind him, “Koskova!”

  The group turned from Klara as the pilot Pavel jogged up.

  “Koskova,” he said, out of breath, “a Warrior Guild squad is approaching. With an Alchemist. They don’t look happy.

  Klara pushed past Yeger and the rest of the squad. “What do they want?”

  Pavel raised an eyebrow. “How the depths should I know? But Alyona is getting is ready to fly just in case. We can take off in about five minutes. She said you better get out there stall them.”

  Great… Just what I need. Klara turned to the squad. “Wait here,” she said, fixing Yeger with a glare, then hurrying down to the hold. Footsteps sounded behind and she groaned. Of course they weren’t going to listen. Hopefully Yeger would hold his tongue.

  She reached the hold, the squad in tow, and marched down the rear ramp in time to greet the squad of masked Warrior Guild soldiers and a red-faced Alchemist. The Alchemist, who came up to Klara’s shoulder, looked her up and down. Mainly up. “Are you Klara Koskova?” he asked, his voice squeaky.

  “Who’s asking?” Klara asked.

  The Alchemist drew himself up to his full height, which added maybe another half inch. “Vitaly Shokhin, Alchemist Master of Krepost Lozvinsky.”

  “And what you want with Klara Koskova?”

  “That is business to be discussed with her, and her alone.” Shokhin narrowed his eyes.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Well, I am Klara Koskova, so discuss.”

  Shokhin glanced back at the Warrior Guild soldiers. “Arrest her.”

  The words had barely left his mouth when Klara heard the whisper of steel against leather behind her as her squad withdrew their weapons. She let her own hand fall in the hilt of her father’s blade, though left it sheathed.

  In answer, the Warriors also withdrew swords, and several hefted crossbows.

  “Now, now,” Shokhin said, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead as his gaze flickered between the Warriors and 24th squad. “There is no need for any bloodshed, the Alchemist Guild merely wishes to question you, Koskova.”

  “Then question,” Klara said, fighting to keep her voice steady. Sweat damped her neck beneath her collar and her hearts thudded in a chest. Five against nine. Not good, not without extracts. Come on, Alyona, get us ready to fly.

  Shokhin hesitated, his mind clearly racing as he tried to plot a peaceful outcome. “Lower your weapons,” Shokhin said to the Warrior Guild soldiers.

  They ignored him.

  “I said lower your weapons!” Shokhin shouted, rounding on them.

  Slowly, the soldiers lowered crossbows and swords, though kept their weapons unsheathed.

  What were they doing aiding an Alchemist? An avalanche of fear crashed into Klara. If the Warrior Guild was working with the Alchemists… what had Mikhail and Yuri just walked into?

  “All right,” Shokhin said, licking his lips. “To business. The Alchemist Guild in Lozvinsky has been warned to watch for your brother, Mikhail Koskov. You are probably unaware of this, but he fled the Kosgrad Alchemist Guild with some sensitive Guild secrets. If you turn him over now, I give you my word he will be treated far better than if he refuses to cooperate.”

  “I don’t know where he is,” Klara said. Not a lie. She knew his vague location, yes, but not exactly where he was.

  Shokhin’s eyes narrowed.

  “We know he’s been travelling with you on Vera’s Revenge. Remember, hiding him will just bring him more pain. We will find him.”

  Suddenly, a thunderous roar boomed across the airfield. Vera’s Revenge shuddered as its six engines burst to life.

  As if on cue, several things happened at once.

  The Warrior Guild soldiers brought their weapons up in a flash and charged.

  Shokhin went deathly pale, stumbling to the side and colliding with one soldier.

  Someone grabbed Klara by the shoulder and hauled her inside Vera’s Revenge.

  “Stop them!” Shokhin yelled, untangling himself from the soldier.

  Several sharp twangs sounded as crossbows fired.

  Klara winced as a bolt whistled past her ear, narrowly missing. She barely set foot in the gondola before the airship lurched into the sky, the crew cutting the tethers holding the ship down. She fell to the deck as someone slammed the hold door shut before any of the soldiers could jump on board. Crossbow bolts thudded against the door, blocked just-in-time.

  Vera’s Revenge continued to rise, and Klara stood, hurrying to one of the glass portholes and staring down at the Warriors and the Alchemist. Shokhin gesticulating wildly, pointing at Vera’s Revenge, then at the Warriors. A half smile twitched Klara’s lips as she watched the angry little man.

  “Klara…” Yeger said, no hint of intoxication left in his voice.

  Slowly she turned, his single word a shard of ice in her hearts.

  Maria lay on the deck, a crossbow bolt protruding her chest, buried up to the fletchings. Her breaths were short and pained, specks of blood flecked her lips. A stark contrast to her white face.

  “Someone get Golubski!” Nika bellowed.

  Klara could only watch as several of the crew sprinted off.

  “Should we take her to him?” Yeger asked.

  “I… I don’t know.” Klara shut her eyes and shook her head this couldn’t be happening, she couldn’t deal with this.

  But you have to, a small voice whispered. Drawing a deep breath, she opened her eyes. “Yes, we need to take Maria to Golubski. He has the equipment with him for surgery, it’ll be faster if we take her than if he has to gather everything and come here.”

  With a curt nod, Yeger gently lifted Maria, cradling her in his arms, and making sure her torso didn’t shift around the crossbow bolt. Without a word he carried her from the hold, Klara trailing behind, fear giving way to cold hatred with every step.