Breaking Sky(94)

“Got to love a pushy woman,” he muttered into Chase’s ear as he took his seat beside her.

Sylph cocked a judging look at the way they sat close, hands entwined, but Chase didn’t care. All of it, even the Sylph-mocking, felt kind of great.

The helo took them to the lower half of Banks Island, to a large camouflaged-white hangar. They set down outside and jumped out. Kale used a variety of security codes to open the door, and they ducked out of the chilled wind. When Chase lifted her head, she wasn’t ready.

The hangar was full of Streakers.

Blue silver seemed to wink at her from every angle. “Holy hell.”

“Language, Harcourt,” Kale said.

“How many?” Tristan asked, his eyes huge.

“Sixty. The first batch. Fifty named for the states and ten for Canada’s provinces.” He waved his hand at the one stenciled with the name Texas, beside one bearing the incredibly long title Saskatchewan. “We’re halfway to finding young pilots to start training. This is where you three come in.”

Tristan and Chase exchanged looks.

Kale continued. “I know you won’t graduate for a few semesters, but we need to get these jets in the air immediately. We need you to help with their instruction.”

“Serious?” Chase almost fell over. “You want us to train Streaker pilots?”

“Help train them. You don’t get to mold them into your demerit-riddled image, Harcourt.” Kale squeezed her shoulder.

Tristan wore a cool sort of victory in his expression. “Sixty Streakers.”

“Sixty-three, including your birds.”

“You mean sixty-two, General,” Chase corrected. She had to remind people too often. Dragon was gone.

Kale pointed to the last Streaker in the row. “I know it’s been a while, Harcourt, but I think she’d be sore if you didn’t recognize her.”

Chase looked over the seamless silver metal and the sleek wings until she saw a recycled panel of metal on its side bearing a worn name:

DRAGON

“You rebuilt her.” Chase’s words were small.

“Of course we did. Well, I should say Adrien did.”

Chase ran to the jet, touching every beautiful inch. She kissed her and rested her cheek on the dented metal panel.

“You’re making me jealous,” Tristan deadpanned.

Chase kept her eyes on Dragon. “You should be jealous. She was my first love.”

“Well, she does remind me of you,” he said. “Impulsive, fast…with very cute ears.”

Chase checked to see that Kale’s back was turned before she grabbed Tristan’s uniform and brought him in for the kind of kiss that made him hold on to her hips.

“Give me a boost?” she asked.

“Course.” He grabbed her leg and propelled her up and into her seat. She looked around as her hands trailed every dial, button, and control until she found something new. A small brass plaque bearing Pippin’s name. Chase leaned back and closed her eyes. She traced the letters of his call sign and breathed.

? ? ?

Within a handful of hours, Chase was taxiing out of the secret hangar in Dragon.

Starling directed their takeoff through a strong headwind, chatting without stopping to breathe. She was shockingly good at that. “So then when Sylph saw that I hung her clothes in a tree, she stole all my underthings and put them in the rec room. Right on the pool table! Romeo was wearing a pair of my undies on his head by the time I found them.”

“Turnabout is fair play, Lin,” Chase said, trying to hide her laugh. “But I’d say you’re in the clubhouse now.” Chase pulled the Streaker up through the blue blanket of the heavens. They flew south in a blast, leaving Pegasus in Dragon’s wake.

Chase ducked below the clouds, feeling the strain evaporate as the thrill of flying took over. The sky opened, and the engines revved through her heart—willing and ready.

Phoenix darted above them in his flirting way.

Chase throttled forward.

The speed reached for her, connecting everything into one stretch of earth. One humanity. One wild pulse.

“Ah, Nyx,” Starling started, “where are we going so fast?”

“Everywhere,” she said through the mach rush.





      Thank you for reading!

At Sourcebooks we are always working on something new and exciting, and we don’t want you to miss out.

So sign up now to receive exclusive offers, bonus content, and always be the first to get the scoop on what’s new!

   SIGN UP NOW!





Acknowledgments


First and foremost, I thank my grandfather, father, and brother for their inspiring service in the U.S. Air Force. Their dedication and skill have left me honored to say that I come from a military family.

Many loving thanks to everyone at the Writing for Children & Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Additionally, I offer thanks and call signs to the following flyboy friends and family who gave their enthusiasm to this story: Kelly “Steam Queen” Barson Nick “Awesome Neighbor” Borders Winifred “Marathon” Conkling Mary “Mermaid” Cronin Anna “Princess” Drury Tina “Steve” Elliget Conor “Stinker” McCarthy Evan “Beager” McCarthy Mark “Poppy” McCarthy Joan “Dynamite” McCarthy Tara “Bat Mama” Nickerson Christian “Scholar Hot” Peterson Maverick “Winnie Pooh” Peterson Tirzah “Mac” Price