Read Online Starfinder: A Novel of the Skylords by John Marco - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: John Marco
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the distant Reach. He paused, staring at the endless sea of fog, sickened by a sudden sense of alarm.
“No,” he whispered. “They couldn’t have . . .”
Yet in his heart he knew the truth. Moth. Fiona. Bull-headed teenagers, both of them.
“Oh, you stupid, harebrained kids!”
Skyhigh made it back to his barracks just as the sun peeked over the city. His fellow Skyknights were already out of their bunks and making their way to the dining house for breakfast. Skyhigh, who had already dressed for duty, hoped to melt quietly into the group. Young squires dashed through the throngs, carrying messages or machine parts for the dragonflies. Two airships remained moored at the docking platforms, while the big, black Avatar stood apart from the rest, tied down with metal cables and surrounded by guards. Skyhigh avoided everyone as he slipped into the crowd.
Until he saw Major Hark.
A trio of men in dark suits were with him, listening as he spoke with wild, angry gestures. Skyhigh cursed his bad luck and turned away, heading toward the barracks instead.
Please don’t see me . . .
“Coralin!”
Skyhigh froze, afraid to look back. Rotten, bloody. . . .
When he turned around again Major Hark was coming toward him. The dark suited men fanned out around him. Skyhigh ran through his story in his head, just the way he’d practiced. He hadn’t seen Moth in days, he told himself. And Fiona? No idea.
“Something wrong, Major?” Skyhigh asked. An awkward smile swam on his face.
Major Hark looked him over. “Where you been?”
“Just going to get something to eat . . .”
“Skyhigh, these men work for the Governor,” said Hark. “They’ve been looking for you.”
“Yeah?” Skyhigh considered the men. Each had the air of Capital City about them, a kind of well-bred, well-dressed corruption. They were the men who’d searched Leroux’s apartment, he was sure.
“Captain Coralin, you need to come with us,” said one of them, stepping forward. He was a tall, serious fellow, brawny beneath his tailored suit. His eyes locked on Skyhigh like manacles.
“Skyhigh, it’s about the Governor’s granddaughter,” said Hark. “She’s gone missing. These men seem to think you know something about that.”
Skyhigh made his decision in an instant. “Well that’s just fine,” he drawled. “I’ve got a few things to say to the Governor myself.” Without a word to Hark, Skyhigh spun toward the center of the city, gesturing for the men to follow. “Hurry up. Let’s not keep the old man waiting.”
BLUEBELLS
FOR TWO HOURS MOTH and Fiona camped at the bottom of the mountain, huddled in their oversized coats and nibbling at the meat pies in their pockets as they waited for the sunrise. The trek from Calio had exhausted them both, slogging down a seldom traveled road to the foot of the mountain where the Reach lapped at the world like a giant ocean. There, in the shelter of an old oak tree, they rested and tried to keep warm, watching Lady Esme as she hopped along the rocks.
Then, like fireworks on a holiday, fingers of sunlight crawled through the Reach. Moth and Fiona gave their city one last look before entering the churning wall of fog.
Instantly, they vanished.
After barely three paces, Calio and the rest of the world disappeared behind them. Moth and Fiona gazed at their surroundings, wide-eyed at the white cloak that descended over them. Moth stretched out his hand, trying to catch a sparkling pinpoint of light. Like fireflies they swirled in the mists, blinking out of existence at the touch of his fingers. Lady Esme jumped up onto Moth’s shoulder.
Fiona raised her face to the sky, but the sky was gone. The canteens at her belt clanged like cowbells. They had taken everything they could carry with them, filling their pockets with matches and candles and food. Their long, rumpled coats trailed along the ground. Each wore a pair of boots too large for their feet.
“Which way?” asked Fiona, her head
“No,” he whispered. “They couldn’t have . . .”
Yet in his heart he knew the truth. Moth. Fiona. Bull-headed teenagers, both of them.
“Oh, you stupid, harebrained kids!”
Skyhigh made it back to his barracks just as the sun peeked over the city. His fellow Skyknights were already out of their bunks and making their way to the dining house for breakfast. Skyhigh, who had already dressed for duty, hoped to melt quietly into the group. Young squires dashed through the throngs, carrying messages or machine parts for the dragonflies. Two airships remained moored at the docking platforms, while the big, black Avatar stood apart from the rest, tied down with metal cables and surrounded by guards. Skyhigh avoided everyone as he slipped into the crowd.
Until he saw Major Hark.
A trio of men in dark suits were with him, listening as he spoke with wild, angry gestures. Skyhigh cursed his bad luck and turned away, heading toward the barracks instead.
Please don’t see me . . .
“Coralin!”
Skyhigh froze, afraid to look back. Rotten, bloody. . . .
When he turned around again Major Hark was coming toward him. The dark suited men fanned out around him. Skyhigh ran through his story in his head, just the way he’d practiced. He hadn’t seen Moth in days, he told himself. And Fiona? No idea.
“Something wrong, Major?” Skyhigh asked. An awkward smile swam on his face.
Major Hark looked him over. “Where you been?”
“Just going to get something to eat . . .”
“Skyhigh, these men work for the Governor,” said Hark. “They’ve been looking for you.”
“Yeah?” Skyhigh considered the men. Each had the air of Capital City about them, a kind of well-bred, well-dressed corruption. They were the men who’d searched Leroux’s apartment, he was sure.
“Captain Coralin, you need to come with us,” said one of them, stepping forward. He was a tall, serious fellow, brawny beneath his tailored suit. His eyes locked on Skyhigh like manacles.
“Skyhigh, it’s about the Governor’s granddaughter,” said Hark. “She’s gone missing. These men seem to think you know something about that.”
Skyhigh made his decision in an instant. “Well that’s just fine,” he drawled. “I’ve got a few things to say to the Governor myself.” Without a word to Hark, Skyhigh spun toward the center of the city, gesturing for the men to follow. “Hurry up. Let’s not keep the old man waiting.”
BLUEBELLS
FOR TWO HOURS MOTH and Fiona camped at the bottom of the mountain, huddled in their oversized coats and nibbling at the meat pies in their pockets as they waited for the sunrise. The trek from Calio had exhausted them both, slogging down a seldom traveled road to the foot of the mountain where the Reach lapped at the world like a giant ocean. There, in the shelter of an old oak tree, they rested and tried to keep warm, watching Lady Esme as she hopped along the rocks.
Then, like fireworks on a holiday, fingers of sunlight crawled through the Reach. Moth and Fiona gave their city one last look before entering the churning wall of fog.
Instantly, they vanished.
After barely three paces, Calio and the rest of the world disappeared behind them. Moth and Fiona gazed at their surroundings, wide-eyed at the white cloak that descended over them. Moth stretched out his hand, trying to catch a sparkling pinpoint of light. Like fireflies they swirled in the mists, blinking out of existence at the touch of his fingers. Lady Esme jumped up onto Moth’s shoulder.
Fiona raised her face to the sky, but the sky was gone. The canteens at her belt clanged like cowbells. They had taken everything they could carry with them, filling their pockets with matches and candles and food. Their long, rumpled coats trailed along the ground. Each wore a pair of boots too large for their feet.
“Which way?” asked Fiona, her head
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