The morning of their departure dawned bright and crisp. The summer sun beat down on the couple as they marched through the bustling streets, carrying their belongings in satchels and bags strapped to their backs. Zerua held her coat closed, shivering. "This morning is unseasonably cold for this time of year."

Kaidan grinned. "It's a nice break from the nasty soup Argosian summers usually present."

Zerua shifted her packs higher up her back. "I suppose. But the summers here aren't much worse than Montelishra's, you know."

"They're worse than summers in Kateshvale in the mountains." He sighed. "I miss our little cabin. It's nice to be tucked away in the hills away from everything."

Zerua bumped him with her shoulder, laughing. "You always did like solitude."

He snickered. "As if you don't too."

"True."

The two of them fell into an amicable silence, weaving through the early morning crowds alongside each other. They burst out onto the thoroughfare to the air field. Zerua stopped on the edge of the field, and Kaidan bumped into her with a laugh. "Why the sudden stop?"

She pointed at the fields. Kaidan stared at it too.

The field had been gilded in gold with the morning sunshine. Flowers danced in the wind, their colors splashes of blue, yellow, and white against the gold and green grasses. The air ships bobbed a few feet off the ground, their hulls covered in the tiny blobs of hael. The hael remained still and unmoving as the sun sparkled off their oil-slick bodies. The light reflecting on them illuminated the brilliant blues, greens, pinks, and golds of the hael's gelatinous bodies.

Zerua turned to Kaidan with a smile. "Have you ever seen something more lovely, Kaidan?"

Kaidan grinned. "Absolutely!"

Zerua propped her hands on her wide hips with a raised brow. "Oh, really? What?" She waved a hand at the fields behind her. "The mountains certainly don't possess this sort of idyllic beauty."

A laugh bubbled out of Kaidan, and he stepped forward, resting his hands on her waist. "No, they don't. But I'm staring at something more lovely than a field."

A dainty blush painted her cheeks in shades of rose, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You flatterer. I'm certainly not."

Kaidan smirked, pressing his lips to her forehead. "You most definitely are. Now, if you're done gawking and protesting, shall we proceed to the ship? I'd hate for Dhiabhan to leave us behind for some other venture. He did seem persistent that we be there precisely when agreed."

Zerua rolled her eyes. "That man is too punctual for his own good."

"Oh, hush. He's an air captain. All of them are like that." Kaidan released her and threaded his fingers between hers. "Now, come on. You're just procrastinating and delaying the inevitable."

She wrinkled her nose and tugged him back into motion. "I'm not delaying or procrastinating. I've come to terms with the fact that we're flying with the Captain whether he's a sleazy sort or not."

Kaidan squeezed her hand. "You're such a worrier sometimes."

She shrugged, continuing the march toward Rith's Demise, which was bobbing in the breeze a few yards away.

Kaidan took the opportunity to admire the way the sun slid down her tresses, leaving splashes of darkness and glints of light throughout her hair. It rippled with each movement she made, and the wind danced through it on its way through the meadow.

His attention moved from his wife to the darkly clad figure striding across the air field. Captain Dhiabhan cut through the field, the grass and flowers brushing the tops of his boots and parting to let him through. His coattails flapped in the wind, and the sunshine cast his facial features into sharp relief as he drew closer.

"Kaidan. Madam." He bowed to them with a grin, his blue eyes dancing with excitement and mischief. "The ship awaits." He pulled his watch out of his pocket with a smirk. "And you are thirty seconds past the sixth hour. Do you always show up late?"

Zerua flushed, opening her mouth to speak, but Kaidan laid a hand on her arm. Not worth arguing over. She settled with a grumpy huff. Kaidan fixed the Captain with a flat stare. "No, Captain, we do not. My wife and I paused to admire the air field and the beauty of your ship."

Dhiabhan bellowed in laughter. "Did you now? Well, you chose the wrong ship to admire!" He slipped the watch back into his pocket, still chuckling over Kaidan's statement. "My ship—She's no beauty. But she's fast and fully-functional, so that's all I care about."

Kaidan coughed. Dhiabhan had to be the strangest air captain he'd ever interacted with. Though, if he was honest, he hadn't interacted with many. "Yes, well—We've never flown before, so it seemed elegant to us."

"If this amazes you, wait until we get up in the air," Dhiabhan said.

Zerua's lips curved into a genuine smile. "I'm sure it's more beautiful up there. I've heard a few stories."

Dhiabhan shot her a sly smile. "Have you? Well, we'll see if we can't show you a thing or two you haven't heard of."

Kaidan pressed his palm against the small of Zerua's back. I really don't like the look he has on his face. What's he up to? "Well, since we were already thirty seconds late, Captain, shall we board the ship?"

Dhiabhan's smile thinned. "Yes, of course." He held out his hand. "But not without the payment first."

Kaidan nodded and dug about in his side satchel for his money pouch. He pulled it out and opened it, counting the coins into Dhiabhan's outstretched hand. "There. Twenty platiniums as agreed."

Dhiabhan's fingers snapped shut around the coins like the jaws of an animal snapping up its prey. "Indeed. This way." He turned and strode toward the ship's boarding plank.

Kaidan and Zerua followed. Zerua eyed the board dubiously before placing a foot onto it and testing her weight on the board. It shivered but held.

"It won't collapse beneath you, my lady." Dhiabhan leaned on the ship's rail with a smirk. "I assure you that the board can handle your slight frame even with the added weight of your bags."

Zerua shot him a withering glare, and Kaidan snickered, glad he wasn't on the receiving end of her irritation. Dhiabhan, for his part, seemed unaffected by his lady passenger's irate stare. When it became clear that he wouldn't apologize, Zerua shook her head and stalked up the plank.

This is going to be an interesting flight. Kaidan stifled a grin. Those two are probably going to be at each other's throats the whole time. He hiked his luggage further up his back and started up the plank. It groaned under his weight, but he made it onto the ship without an issue.

Dhiabhan clambered up onto the broad wooden rail of the ship. "Ifan, haul up the gangplank, would you?"

A swarthy, dark-haired Mericusian jumped to obey the order. He grabbed hold of the gangplank, and the tattoos on his arms blazed. Then he lifted the heavy, splintered plank as if it weighed no more than a small child. Grinning at Dhiabhan, he thunked the board down along the rail.

Zerua snickered at the little display. "Well, clearly Dhiabhan hired him for a reason."

Dhiabhan glided up beside them with a snort. "Ifan? Yes, I hired him because my second-in-command is a useful fellow to have around. Knows almost as much about air ships as I do."

Ifan saluted to Dhiabhan and then sketched a bow in Zerua's direction. "Mi'lady, I am at your service for the remainder of your journey with us. Anything you need, just ask and Ifan will get it for you."

Zerua's laughter died in her throat. "Uh, yes. Thank you, Ifan. That's—It's a generous offer, I'm sure."

"One we will gladly take you up on." Kaidan bowed to Ifan with a smile. "You seem a capable fellow. We're glad to know that our safety is in such strong, skilled hands."

"And we're glad to have you aboard. You and your money, of course." Ifan crossed his arms with a bellow of laughter. His tattoos winked at them, silent reminders of his hidden strength and his status as a Tier-3 Phyden Inherent. The Phydens—those with powers that took a more physical form—were the only ones with tiers to their abilities. The varying tiers of power were determined by what could be done by the Inherent wielding it.

Kaidan's own power fell under the Tier-3 abilities, but it wasn't common to find one of his own. He pursed his lips and watched the man quietly. Their two abilities were worlds apart, though both required an infinite amount of precision and care as was usually the case with Tier-3's. Only the Tier-4's—the highest tier known on Alcardia—had to exert more control in using their abilities.

Ifan assessed him as well, staring at the black lines peeping out from under Kaidan's sleeves. "You're Tier-3 Phyden too?"

Kaidan cleared his throat, crossing his arms. Not often someone pegs me on that one. How did he know when I keep the markings mostly covered? He bit his lip and nodded.

Ifan grinned and held out a hand. "Well then! Not often I meet one of my own kind."

That was fair enough, Kaidan supposed. He took Ifan's outstretched hand with a firm grip of his own. "Likewise."

Dhiabhan watched the exchange, his blue eyes narrowed. "Ifan, help me unfurl the sails and get those louts' lazy rears into gear?"

Ifan blinked and shot his captain a hard look. Then he bowed his head. "Of course, Captain."

Left to themselves, Zerua and Kaidan wandered the length of the deck, dodging around sailors who snapped into gear at the barked orders from Dhiabhan and Ifan. The ship bucked against its moorings, eager to take to the sky where it belonged. A lilting tune floated on the air as the sails unfurled, and the wind thrummed over the deck.

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Zerua clung to the ship's railing and leaned over the edge to look at the meadow below. The wind picked up speed, and the ship yanked harder at the anchor. There was a sharp snap, and then the entire ship sprang into the air with a whine.

Kaidan wrapped his arms around Zerua's waist, and the two of them watched the ground become smaller and smaller as they pulled up in a steep climb. As the incline on the deck became steeper, Dhiabhan approached them with rope harnesses. "Lash yourselves in place at the rail." He pointed to the iron loops along the sides of the ship. "That way you can stay upright and in one place."

Zerua took the length of rope handed to her and tied it to the loops and around her waist. She frowned. "Doesn't seem like this will really keep us from slipping. What if we lose our footing?"

Dhiabhan laughed. "Don't. But if you need them, there's slots at your feet to brace your calves so you don't slide."

Kaidan promptly anchored himself with the brace slots and the rope. He eyed Dhiabhan, who was standing upright and unconcerned as the ship continued to bank and rise. "Aren't you going to tie yourself down too?"

Dhiabhan shrugged. "No."

Zerua bit her lip and dug her toes into the slots, wedging herself in securely. "But won't you fall overboard?"

"No." Dhiabhan winked at her. "Don't worry about me, little lady. I'll be fine. Perks of being the captain."

Kaidan shrugged and turned to Zerua. "We should take the time to look over the journal."

The captain leaned on the railing, crossing his arms in front of him. Wind tore at his dark hair and yanked it free of his ponytail. "I would wait to do that until we've settled. The wind's going to pick up for maybe ten minutes here as the Endenes on board shape the air to cradle the ship at the right altitude."

"I suppose we could wait then." Kaidan leaned his arms on the railing, eyeing Dhiabhan's confident cross-legged posture and easy smile. He can't have two abilities, so how is he going to stay upright if the ship's slant gets worse? He kept an eye on Dhiabhan, determined to figure out the man's secret.

Ifan approached them and lashed himself in on the other side of Zerua. He flashed Kaidan a friendly smile and steadied himself against the rail as the ship's deck-slant increased further. Still, Dhiabhan stood there unmoving. Kaidan frowned. "How are you still standing, Captain? If we weren't lashed in, we'd be sliding all over."

Ifan roared with laughter. "He's got tricks up his sleeve, that's how. Dhiabhan likes to soar with the wind, and he's figured out a way to do it too."

Zerua coughed lightly. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

The wind had increased its whistling gale, and the four of them now had to raise their voices to be heard. Ifan's inviting smile widened into a mischievous grin. "Hey, Captain! You want to help the lady understand?"

Dhiabhan laughed and bowed with a flourish and perfect posture despite the ship's current slant of nearly thirty-five degrees. "I'm at your service, madam. Allow me to demonstrate!" With a flamboyant salute, he clambered up onto the rail.

Zerua gasped. "What are you doing? You're going to—"

Dhiabhan spread his arms wide, flashed her a grin, and then dropped over the edge into the growing bank of clouds around the ship. Zerua leaned far over the edge, a scream dying in her throat. Kaidan also searched the clouds for the captain, his heart pounding against his ribcage in sharp, staccato beats.

"Ah, don't worry about him, mi'lady. He's fine. Look there." Ifan pointed to a shape zooming in and out of focus among the clouds near the ship.

Zerua and Kaidan leaned forward, squinting at the shape. It grew closer and closer, and then the clouds around it dissipated, and Captain Dhiabhan hovered in the air a few feet from the ship, unmoved by the strong wind current the ship was generating. "Like Ifan said. I like to fly with the wind."

Zerua's fingers splayed against her collarbone, and her lips parted. "Y-you certainly do."

Dhiabhan levitated until he was back on deck then dropped the last few feet to the planking as the ship straightened and leveled with a shudder. A boyish grin adorned his face, looking out of place on the usually reserved man.

Kaidan slumped against the railing and took off his rope. Zerua did the same and sagged into him.

"I think we've given them enough of a fright, Ifan. We should leave them to themselves." He bowed to Zerua with a grin. "Enjoy the sights, madam. They're unlike any other you'll find back on solid ground."

Zerua straightened, her spine stiffening. "I'm sure. Much like the sight of a fool man jumping overboard."

Dhiabhan shrugged with a smirk playing on his lips then turned and walked away. Ifan shot her an apologetic smile before hurrying to catch up.

***

The day and a half of travel passed in a blur. Zerua was in a constant state of excitement as they came across various aerial lifeforms. Kaidan watched her from his spot by the helm the second afternoon as Captain Dhiabhan maneuvered the ship through the skies over the tangled jungles of Faelkish. Sunlight danced over her dark hair and she leaned on a rail, examining one of the telfies that had come to bounce on the winds around the ship. The winged creature had a tubular body and a long tongue for catching the sky worms that floated along near the ship's hull to feed off the byproducts produced by the hael living there. It squealed at Zerua and did an aerial tumble as she reached out with a bubbling laugh.

Dhiabhan glanced over at her, an easy smile on his lips. "Your wife is impressed by such small things."

Kaidan shrugged, splaying his fingers across the pages of the diary in his lap to keep the wind from snatching away his notes and his spot. "She's easy to please despite her quick mind. Rare combination if you ask me."

The captain chuckled. "It is indeed."

Dhiabhan's slave girl joined Zerua at the rail, and the two women began tossing dried chunks of eel to the telfie. The telfie's colors changed from its usual purple-grey to a bright orange yellow, and it snapped up the tidbits with a pleased nicker. The creature flapped its wings, coming closer and resting on the rail between the two women. Butting its large head against Zerua, it begged for more. She reached out and pet the down-covered beast with a grin.

"They're such big babies." Dhiabhan craned his neck to look at the telfie. "Always begging for attention and food when we fly this way. They've gotten to know the ship by now because Ru feeds them every time we come through here."

"Rubhian?" Kaidan snapped the journal shut with a grin. "Seems your pretty waif has a large heart."

The captain shot him a hard stare. "She's not a waif. She's mine, and you ought to show some respect."

Kaidan shrugged. "As you say, Captain."

Dhiabhan glowered at the sunny skyline. "And I thought Aleshtanians were the ones who treated their women with the most disrespect."

Kaidan shoved the journal into his satchel and made his way over to the rail in front of the wheel. Leaning his back against it, he crossed his arms and sucked in a deep breath of the crisp air. "You know I was in jest. I know she means a great deal to you. Though—" Kaidan tapped his chin. "I'm not sure how an Aleshtanian came to have such a high regard for women or decency in general."

Dhiabhan bestowed Kaidan with one of his signature lopsided grins. The man had loosened up as soon as they were in the air, and Kaidan had found him to be agreeable for the most part if a little rakish. "What? Amending your opinion that I'm an awful person?"

Kaidan grinned. "No. I just see the good qualities too now."

"Oh, is that so?" Dhiabhan threw his weight against the wheel, turning the ship to the left. "Do elaborate."

"I don't think so. No need to feed your ego further, Captain." Kaidan closed his eyes and tilted his head back. "How did you turn out so decently for an Aleshtanian anyway?"

Dhiabhan cleared his throat and didn't answer.

Kaidan opened his eyes to find Dhiabhan staring into the distance with a guarded expression on his face and a fierce gleam in his blue eyes. Dhiabhan's fingers tightened on the wheel, and he shook his head. "Some stories are better off untold, Kaidan. Forget about asking again. I'll not share that tale with you." He glanced over at Rubhian. "Be content that I'm not the man I once was and leave it."

Kaidan opened his mouth to speak, but the lookout cut him off with a loud cry. "Land below, Captain! Faeridhia is three miles out."

"Thank you, Chirsel." Dhiabhan turned his attention back to the horizon, and the easy grin was back on his face. "This is where we part then. I'm not taking my ship closer than two miles from that cursed city."

Kaidan rubbed his temples. "Wonderful. I'll get Zerua and help her gather the stuff then." He shoved away from the rail and headed toward his wife, who was still doting on the telfie.

The telfie stared up at him with warm brown eyes as he came up beside the two women. Rhubian bowed to him and quickly took her leave. Kaidan leaned his arms on the rail beside the telfie, his mind whirring on all the things they'd need to do to get their bearings once Dhiabhan dropped them off. Something slick and wet ran over his cheek, startling him from his reverie.

He jerked back and slapped a hand to his slobber-covered cheek just as the telfie let out a high-pitched scree of delight. His heart pounded against his ribcage, and he forced himself to take a deep breath before wiping the slobber from his cheek with his tunic. Next to him, Zerua stifled her laughter and rubbed the telfie's fur-covered head between the two horn-like nubs over its eyes. He glared at the two of them, trying to calm his racing pulse.

The telfie whined, flapping its wings with a whir before it dove for Zerua's shoulder and hid in her hair. "Oh, look what you've done! You scared her."

"Her?" Kaidan scratched his head. "That wee thing nearly frightened me to death, woman, and you're concerned about it being scared?"

Zerua smirked. "Why not? Now, what are you here to tell me?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, yes. The Captain says that he'll not go nearer than two miles to Faeridhia. So we need to gather our things and prepare to disembark."

Zerua craned her neck to look over the side. "How are we going to land?"

"Uh—" Kaidan cleared his throat. "We aren't. There's nowhere to land, so we'll climb down using a rope ladder, and they'll lower our things down to the ground."

She put her hands on her hips, gaining a muffled squeak from the telfie. "I don't trust them not to steal—"

Kaidan raised a brow. "Zer, they won't steal our stuff. I'll stay up here to help them get it down in one piece, and you'll go down to the ground first."

She tapped her foot against the weathered planks of the ship's deck. "Kaidan Tadegan, you mean to tell me you're going to stay up here by yourself without backup? They'd just overpower you."

Kaidan laughed and pulled her into him, pressing his mouth to her jaw. The telfie shifted and nipped at his ear, causing him to jerk back. Glaring at the creature, he rubbed his ear. Zerua threw her head back and laughed at him. "They won't overpower me. We both know—"

"Ifan is a tier-3 phyden too, Kai."

"And he's one of the most trustworthy men on board." Kaidan took her hands in his, eyeing the telfie who released a lilting trill and wound its tubular body around Zerua's shoulders while staring at him. "Come on. Help me collect everything."

***

Dhiabhan leaned out over the rail beside Kaidan, and the two of them eased the bundles down. Zerua grabbed hold of the large bundles and steadied them as the men lowered them the few remaining feet to the ground. When they'd settled, she removed the ropes and gave the two of them a wave. Kaidan tugged his rope up, the fibers biting into his calloused palms as he coiled the returning rope at his feet.

With their things on the ground and his wife standing with them, Kaidan knew it was time to debark. He turned to Dhiabhan with a quiet smile. He lifted a hand and placed his fist over his heart in his people's sign of respect and goodwill. It was a farewell only used among friends, and he hoped the captain would understand the gesture because it spoke more than words could.

Dhiabhan's brows rose. "You do me an honor, Kaidan Tadegan."

Kaidan bowed his head. "You're a better man than they gave you credit for being, Dhiabhan. I thank you for your services, and you have my utmost respect."

"And you mine." Dhiabhan pressed his fist to his heart and then touched the tips of his fingers to his forehead, using the Montelishrian gesture to indicate that Kaidan was a friend not to be forgotten.

Kaidan grinned. "Glad to know I won't be forgotten, Captain."

Dhiabhan bellowed with laughter and clapped him on the back. "Who can forget a gangly archaeologist with a suicide wish?"

Kaidan shot him a glare, but his smile fought its way back onto the corners of his mouth, softening the glower. He clambered over the rail and swung onto the rope ladder swaying from the ship's side. Rith's Demise hovered in the sky as he descended to stand beside Zerua. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his side as they stood in the humid jungle and stared up at the ship overhead.

The last thing Kaidan saw before Rith's Demise sprang back into the heights was Dhiabhan's buoyant smile and jaunty salute. Then the two of them were alone in the middle of the Faelkishian jungle. The telfie, which had been sleeping tangled in Zerua's clothing and hair, woke with a yawn and stared after the disappearing ship too. Then it released a quiet mewl and untangled itself from Zerua's hair to perch on her right shoulder.

When the creature eyed him with its tongue darting out hesitantly toward his neck, Kaidan dropped his grip on Zerua's waist and backed off with a scowl. "Stupid animal! Why didn't it go with the ship?"

Zerua grinned and flounced over to their things. "She likes you, Kaidan. Why else?"

"Idiotic flying vermin," he muttered, sneering down at the telfie.

It hopped off Zerua's shoulder, its fur changing to a dark orange. Hissing, it stalked over to him and wound itself between his feet, nipping at his boots. The animal's tiny fangs didn't pierce the leather, but Kaidan bent over, trying to shoo it away before it ruined his only pair of sturdy leather boots. "Stop that!"

The telfie spread its wings and wound its long tongue around his ankle, spreading the stench of eel and rotten meat over his boots along with slobber that was certain to eat away at the leather. Kaidan yelped and shook his leg, trying to dislodge the persistent mammal. "Would you please let me go?"

The telfie ruffled its feathered wings and snapped its tongue back into its mouth with a satisfied chortle. Then it pranced back to Zerua, leaving him to find some broad leaves to clean his boots up. He shot the sneaky creature a glare and wiped the slobber off his left boot. To his dismay, the spit had already worn away the outer layer of cured leather and polish, leaving a strangely colored streak around his ankle. This is going to be a very, very long trip.