Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky, #3)(55)

He climbed into the Hovercraft, taking a final look across the crowds massed along the runway, hoping to see Aria and Roar.

“Keep going, Tider,” said the giant. He struck Perry between the shoulder blades, sending him stumbling into the Dragonwing.

Perry moved to the cockpit. Cinder slumped in one of the four seats, looking almost asleep. He’d been given warm clothes, and a gray cap fitted snugly over his head. Off the Dweller drugs, he already looked healthier than hours earlier.

Seeing Perry, relief flared in his eyes. “They told me you were coming. What took you so long?”

“Damn good question,” growled the giant. He pushed Perry into the seat beside Cinder.

A Dweller peered back from the pilot seat, his face beaded with sweat and drawn with fear—no doubt owing to the gun pointed at his head by the man in the adjacent seat.

“If it isn’t Peregrine of the Tides.” The man with the gun leered, showing a mouthful of brown teeth as he smiled. “You don’t look like all that much.”

“He isn’t,” said the giant.

“Heard you got your wings clipped,” said Brown Teeth, his pistol never leaving the pilot’s head.

As they laughed, Perry took in the situation, noticing the pilot’s hands were free. They’d have to be, for him to fly the Hover. Perry drew a breath, hoping to find something in his temper besides fear.

“I’m going to tie your feet,” said the giant. “If you try to kick me, I will put a bullet through your foot, and then I’ll start hurting you. Understand?”

“I understand,” Perry said, though he didn’t really.

When the giant knelt, he kicked.

The giant’s head whipped back, his teeth snapping. He fell in a massive heap, wedged in the aisle between the seats.

The pilot reacted quickly, shoving away the Horn’s pistol. The soldier lunged, and the two men fell on each other, a jumble of gray and black wrestling in the close space in front of the controls.

Perry stood, hunching in the low cabin.

“What are you going to do?” Cinder asked.

“I don’t know yet.” Perry didn’t see a knife or tool he could use to free his hands. His options limited, he turned back to the fight and waited. When he saw his opening, he drove his knee into the Horn soldier’s head.

The man slumped, staggered for a long second. Long enough for the pilot to scramble to the floor and grab the fallen pistol.

He swung the weapon from Perry to the Horn soldier. His lip bled freely, dripping onto his gray uniform, and fear iced his temper, sharp and white at the edges of Perry’s vision.

“Easy. Easy, Dweller.” Perry could almost hear the pilot’s struggle. Friend or foe? Enemy or ally?

“You’re their leader,” he said, through labored breaths.

For a second, Perry thought he was being mistaken for Sable. Then he realized he wasn’t. The pilot knew of him.

“That’s right. I’m going to help,” he said, keeping his voice steady. “But I need my hands. I need you to cut me loose. . . . Can you do that?”





[page]UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins Publishers

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31


ARIA


As Aria sprinted through the narrow corridors, she watched the Komodo unravel. Dwellers and Horns pushed past her in a frenzy, their panicked voices carrying to her ears. No one knew what was happening. Only one thing was clear: the Hovers were leaving, and everyone was desperate to reach them.

Except her.

She ran, darting past people, finally reaching her chamber. The door was open. She shot inside and stared at the empty bunks.

No Soren or Roar.

Aria cursed. Where were they? She dove back into the corridors. Rounding a corner, she almost ran smack into Roar.

He yanked her close, his voice soft but scolding. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“How did you get out?” she asked.

“Really?” Soren barely slowed to a jog. “You two can’t talk about this later?”

Roar reached behind his back and handed her a pistol. “Hess came for us,” he said, answering her question. “He’s planning something. He’s trying to put a stop to Sable.”

Soren took them to a heavy door, swinging it open. A cool gust swept over her as she darted outside, free of the Komodo at last.

Crowds milled by the fleet of Hovers. Guardians and Horns postured around each other, occupying the same field but standing separate, groups of gray and black. Their voices were low and warning, snarls before the bite. Funnels of Aether flashed in all directions, scoring bright lines down the night sky, but the Komodo sat under a pocket of less-threatening currents—for now.

“Where’s Perry?” she asked as they moved into the throng. She couldn’t see over the heads around her.

Roar scanned the field, shaking his head. “I don’t see him. He’s probably in a Hover already with Cinder. But I know who can tell us.”

Sable.

A sudden cry rose from the crowd, and the earth began to tremble, vibrating beneath her feet. She looked up, wondering if she’d misjudged the Aether. Blue and fire-red tempests swirled above, but she didn’t see any funnels forming.