Read Online The Airship Aurelia (The Aurelian Archives) by Courtney Grace Powers - Free Book Online Page B

base, keeps it safe. But sometimes that responsibility rains from the captain down onto someone else—a doctor, a mechanic, a navigator—and that's when they have to pick themselves up and do their part. That's all I'm asking of you. It doesn't mean you don't have a large part to play…it just means you're going to have to trust me. I don't think it's arrogant to admit I know what I'm good at and what I'm not. If I didn't think I could captain this mission, I wouldn't do it.” Leveling Hayden with a firm look, Reece asked, “Can you trust me on that?”
                  Swallowing, Hayden nodded. It had never been a question of trust; he trusted Reece with his life. But it'd be dishonest of him not to admit that Reece was a creature of instinct and impulse, of feeling. Hayden liked structure, he liked facts, he liked having foresight. But then, he wasn't captain.
                  “Good.” Reece suddenly grinned, drumming out a small beat on the edge of the table. He returned to sifting through his notes. “Then I see no reason you shouldn't be a part of the crew. I mean, if you can admit you want to be.”
                  Hayden looked inward, considering. “I do,” he finally admitted, feeling guilty again. This time no inward voice came to his defense…maybe because he should feel guilty.
                  “Another thing, Hayden. You've got to stop thinking something horrible is going to happen to us out there. It's bad for crew morale.”
                  Hayden nodded again.
                  All-too-familiar shouts abruptly cut into the pleasant silence, and a second later, Po and Nivy scampered into the room, looking shocked.
                  “Ariel?” Reece guessed as someone shrieked like a banshee in the near distance. He nodded as if answering himself, circled the table, and slid the door shut decisively.
     
                 

                 
    IV
     
    What the Birds Knew First
     
     
    Tomorrow. They were leaving tomorrow.
    Reece tucked his hands behind his head and watched dust motes stream through the streak of sunlight slipping between his cracked wooden shutters. Everything had come together seamlessly. Po said Aurelia was as ready to fly as she'd ever be without her missing pieces, Raft was paid, the ship was packed, and Hayden was coming along. If he wasn't the luckiest captain this side of the Epimetheus, he'd kiss Tutor Agnes square on the mouth.
    Hayden was already up and gone, visiting with his family. Sophie and Hugh had taken the news of his decision well; Reece had the feeling they, like him, saw Hayden as invaluable to this mission, whether or not he'd ever see it for himself.
    Yawning pleasantly, Reece rolled out of bed and landed in a pose in front of his mirror. Captain Reece Sheppard of The Aurelia . He looked like a lanky, messy-haired ginghoo not likely to be taken seriously by anybody. The only thing lending him any credence was the scar along his side, given to him the night of the masquerade. He touched the puckered skin with a frown, remembering the feeling of thinking he might die…regretting…
                  Someone knocked at the door, and Reece confusedly looked over his shoulder. It wasn't much past dawn.
                  “Who is it?” he croaked in his early-morning voice, picking up yesterday's shirt from the floor and forcing it over his head.
                  The door opened in answer; the duke entered, looking amused. Today he wore an olive suit with a banded collar and carried a pair of black leather gloves that he tucked behind his belt as he said, “Sleeping in?”
                  Reece gawked. “What are you doing here?” An awkward pause preceded his question. He never knew whether to call the duke Father or Sir, anymore.
                  “Well, I doubt you know this,” the duke began, crossing