Megan O'Keefe - Steal the Sky

It was a pretty nice burlap sack. Not the best hed had the pleasure ofinhabiting, not by a long shot, but it wasnt bad either. The jute wassmooth and woven tight, not letting in an inkling of light or location.It didnt chafe his cheeks either, which was a small comfort.

The chair he was tied to was of considerably lesser quality. Each timeDetan shifted his weight to keep the ropes from cutting off hiscirculation little splinters worked their way into his exposed arms anditched something fierce. Despite the unfinished wood, the chairs jointswere solid, and the knots on his ropes well tied, which was a shame.

Detan strained his ears, imagining that if he tried hard enough he couldwork out just where he was. No use, that. Walls muted the bustle ofAransas streets, and the bitter-char aromas of local delicacies wereblotted by the tight weave of the sack over his head. At least theburlap didnt stink of the fear sweat of those whod worn it before him.

Someone yanked the bag off and that was surprising, because he hadntheard anyone in the room for the last half-mark. Truth be told, he wasstarting to think theyd forgotten about him, which was a mighty blow tohis pride.

As he blinked in the light, the blurry face of his visitor resolved intoan assemblage of hard, almond-brown planes with sandy hair scraped backinto a tight, professional plait. Ripka. Funny, she looked taller thanthe last time hed seen her. He gave her a stupid grin, because he knewshe hated it.

Detan Honding. He liked the way she said his name, dropping eachsyllable in place as if she were discarding rotten fruit. Thought Itold you to stay well clear of Aransa.

I think youll find Ive been doing my very best to honor your request,watch captain. I am a paragon of lawfulness, a beacon for the truthful,a

Really? Then why did my men find you card-sharking in Blasted RockInn?

Card sharking? he asked in the most incredulous voice he could muster.I dont even know what that is. Whats a sha-ark? Sounds dangerous!

Ripka shook her head like a disappointed proctor and took a step back,tossing the bag to the ground. Detan was sorry to see such a fine sackabused so, but he took the chance to take in his surroundings. The roomwas simple, not a stick of furniture in it aside from his own chair andthe corner of a desk peeking out from around the eclipsing curve of thewatch captain.

By the color of the warm light, he guessed there werent any windowshiding behind him, just clean oil lamps. The floor was hard-packed dirt,the walls unyielding yellowstone. It was construction he recognized alltoo well, though hed never had the pleasure of seeing this particularroom before. He was in the Watchs station house, halfway up the levelsof the stepped city of Aransa. Could be worse. Could have been a cell.

Ripka sat behind what he supposed must be her desk. No books, notrinkets. Not the slightest hint of personality. Just a neat stack ofpapers with a polished pen laid beside it. Definitely Ripkas.

Keeping one stern eye on him, she pulled a folder from the stack ofpapers and splayed it open against the desk. Before it flipped open,Detan saw his family crest scribbled on the front in basic, hasty lines.Hed seen that folder only once before, the first time hed blownthrough Aransa, and it hadnt had anything nice to say about him then.He fought down a grimace, waiting while her eyes skimmed over all thedetails shed collected of his life. She sighed, drumming her fingers onthe desk as she spoke.

Lets see now. Last time you were here, Honding, you and your littlefriend Tibal unlawfully imprisoned Watcher Banch, distributed falsepayment, stole personal property from the family Erst, and disrupted thepeace of the entire fourth level.

All a terrible misunderstanding, I assure

She held up a fist to silence him.

I cant hold you on any of this. Banch and the Ersts have withdrawntheir complaints and your fake grains have long since disappeared. Butnone of that means I cant kick your sorry hide out of my city,understand? Youre the last person I need around here right now. I dontknow why you washed up on my sands, but Ill give you until the night toshove off again.

Id be happy to oblige, captain, but my fliers busted and itll be agood few turns before shes airworthy again. But dont you worry, Tibssworking on getting it fixed up right.

Still dragging around Tibal? Should have known, youve got that poorsod worshipping your shadow, and its going to get him killed someday.Whats wrong with the flier? And stop trying to work your ropes loose.

He froze and mustered up what he thought was a contrite grin. Judging bythe way Ripka glowered at him he was pretty sure she didnt take itright. No fault of his if she didnt have a sense of humor.

Punctured a buoyancy sack somewhere over the Fireline Ridge, lucky forus Im a mighty fine captain myself, otherwise wed be tits-up in theBlack Wash right about now.

Her fingers stopped drumming. Really. Fireline. Nothing but a bunch ofuppercrusts taking tours of the selium mines and dipping in at the SaltBaths over there. So just what in the sweet skies were you doing upthere?

A chill worked its way into his spine at her pointed glare, her pursedlips. Old instincts to flee burbled up in him, and for just a moment hissenses reached out. There was a small source of selium the gas thatelevated airships just behind Ripkas desk.

A tempting amount. Just small enough to cause a distraction, if he choseto use it. He gritted his teeth and pushed the urge aside. If he werecaught out for being a sel-sensitive, itd be back to the selium mineswith him or worse, into the hands of the whitecoats.

He forced a cheery grin. Certainly not impersonating a steward andselling false excursion tickets to the baths. That would be beneath me.

She groaned and dragged her fingers through her hair, mussing her plait.I want you out of my city, Honding, and a busted buoyancy sackshouldnt take moren a day to patch up. Can you do that?

That would be no trouble at all.

Wonderful.

If it were just the buoyancy sack.

Her fingers gripped the edge of her desk, knuckles going white. I couldthrow you in the Smokestack and no one in the whole of the Scorchedwould lift a finger to find out why.

But you wouldnt. Youre a good woman, Ripka Leshe. Its your biggestflaw.

Could be I make you my first step on a downward spiral.

Who put sand in your trousers, anyway? Everyones wound up around herelike the Smokestack is rearing to blow. Pits below, Ripka, your thugsdidnt even take my bribe.

Watch Captain Leshe, she corrected, but it was an automatic answer,lacking any real snap. You remember Warden Faud?

Course I do, that fellow is straight as a mast post. Told me if heever saw my sorry hide here again hed tan it and use the leather for anew sail. Reminds me of you, come to think on it.

Well, hes dead. Found him ballooned up on selium gas floating aroundthe ceiling of his sitting room. Good thing the shutters were pulled,otherwise I think he would have blown halfway to the Darkling Sea bynow.

Detan snorted. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, struggling to holddown a rising tide of laughter. Even Ripka had a bit of a curl to hermouth as she told the story. But still, she had admired the crazy oldwarden, and Detan suspected she might just consider carrying out themans wish of turning him into leather if he let loose with the laugh hewas swallowing.

He risked opening his eyes. How in the pits did it all stay in there?

Her face was a mask of professional decorum. The late warden had beensealed with guar sap. On all ends.

Still got him? I could use a new buoyancy sack.

Detan was too busy laughing until the tears flowed to see her coming.She swept the leg of his chair away and he went down with a grunt, buthe didnt care. It was just too much for him to let go. When he hadsubsided into burbling chuckles, Ripka cleared her throat. He felt alittle triumphant to see a bit of wet shining at the corner of her eye.