Read Online The Aviator by Morgan Karpiel - Free Book Online

dirigible to descend rapidly toward the water.
    “You think you can stop this?” the man asked, grinning. “It is already done. We have only minutes left to live.”
    Nathan pursed his lips and stepped down onto the catwalk, moving toward the tanks. “Then you should allow me the honor of knowing who has murdered me.”
    “My name is not important. I am no one.”
    “A loyal subject of the Sultans.”
    “You say that as if they were all the same. They are not. They are as different as the jewels in God’s crown. Before you invaded our Northern deserts, they fought each other. Now they are united.”
    “And which of God’s jewels sent you?”
    The man paused and smiled at that, his face glowing with pride, his dark eyes wide. “His spies are everywhere, even in your capital. He knows your secrets, the plans of your Great Inventor. He bought them from an Earl, a cousin to your own king. He will use them to make great weapons, and ships like this.”
    “So why destroy this one? Why not just take it back to him?”
    “Because you must see everything you have built turn to dust. After tonight, you will have no more airships, no more station to supply them.”
    Nathan stopped short. “No more station?”
    Collision alarms whined from the passenger compartment. Canopy flares shot from under the gondola, sparking to life and lighting the ocean surface below. The young saboteur shifted nervously from foot to foot, his attention divided between the explosives and the glow filtering through open maintenance doors beneath him.
    “You set explosives at the station too?” Nathan asked.
    “You think I am the only one? They will kill everyone. Not a single person, or ship, will be left on your island. It is has begun already.”
    The words tumbled through his chest, jagged and ice cold. Gilda.
    The man glanced down at the explosive and brightened, raising his arms in thanks. “The fuse has burned. It is time.”
    Nathan clenched his teeth, fear and rage propelling him forward. He charged the catwalk, leaping over the rail to grab the man by the collar. They fell from the girder together. Nathan hit the edge of the maintenance door, the impact punching the air from his chest. He grasped for the metal, only to feel it slip away under his fingers, his body dropping into the darkness.
    A thundering concussion warped the air above him, releasing a blast of fire that set Heaven ablaze.

    A distant thud issued from the shoreline, followed by another. And closer, a crack and an explosion, flames dancing in the glass panes of the balcony doors. Gilda raised her head from the cradle of her arms, narrowing her gaze on the trembling goblets across the table’s surface.
    “Lady Sinclair!” a male voice yelled from outside the dining room, the brass door knobs jittering frantically. “Unlock the door. We’re under attack. We must get to the lawn!”
    Attack?
    Another blast hit the windows, shattering the glass in a hot flash of light. Gilda screamed, ducking and shielding her eyes as the balcony doors blew inward, the hard collapse of metal and wood thundering from the docks. Debris ripped through the balcony, torn aluminum tubing and pieces of railing cracking the frame, a shower of burnt rivets peppering the wood.
    Gilda lost her voice, staggering out of her chair and tripping on the hem of her dress. She pushed up against the wall, staring past the balcony railing to the docks outside. Ash floated like snow, fire searing the air as a row of airships lay cracked in the water, their framework burning above the waves. Men and horses ran from the glare, carts bright with flame, pilings, rails and cranes collapsed.
    “Oh God.” She put her fingers to her lips.
    “Lady Sinclair!” The voice at the door was back. “Lady Sinclair!”
    She shook her head, steadying herself through force of will. Pushing up from the wall, she headed for the door.
    Another crash issued from behind it.
    “No!” the voice yelled again. “Stay where you