‘How is this a good idea?’ Maggie said.

‘It’s not. It’s a very bad idea.’ In the moonlight Jupiter saw the worry on her face. ‘But it’ll be fine.’

‘I’m scared of heights.’

‘Just as well it is dark then.’ Jupiter grinned at her.

‘It is not. The moon is full. I can see perfectly clearly how far it is to fall from this roof.’

‘Just hold on to the rope.’ Jupiter looked back along the rope’s length to where they had come from the open window. ‘You’ll be fine.’

‘And this roof is on a tall building, at the edge of a cliff, on the top of a mountain. There’s a lot further to fall.’

‘Yeah. If you try really hard. But I can see those lights coming fast along The Way now. There’s more than one of them for sure.’ Jupiter turned back to help her down the sloped roof. ‘But it’s impossible for the Air Lord’s man to know we’re here at the wayhouse.’

‘Or that we’d be crazy enough to creep out on the top of a roof, in the wee small hours of the night, in order to make everyone downstairs in the dining hall think we’re still upstairs asleep in bed. Except don’t count on them being confused for long.’ Maggie had stopped, now she pointed. ‘Look.’

Jupiter saw a bobbing light and the squawk of a dhomqari running away from the wayhouse back along the way. They would meet the approaching lights of their pursuers in less than five minutes.

Maggie inched down the roof a little faster. ‘Someone wants to hurry them up. The Air Lord’s men will know we’re here then.’

The wooden roof shakes gave a decent grip to Jupiter’s sailing boots, and the neoprene of his wetsuit pants helped his knee stay firm too. He had put his jacket back on so his strange otherlander ‘skinsuit’ would be less obvious.

But Maggie was right to be concerned. The quilted clothing she had got from Ruka kept her warm, but made for a more precarious position. It slipped and bunched up. He moved beside her, and together they eased down the slope of the roof to where the roof curved up and over a roof dormer window.

‘I really-really, really don’t like this,’ Maggie said.

Jupiter heard the fear in her voice. ‘This is the only way. Those thugs downstairs would never have let us leave the dining hall. Letting them think we went to sleep unawares made the best sense.’

‘I know. We’re in this together.’ Maggie held onto Jupiter’s shoulder to take the final steps to the angle in the roof where it was flatter. ‘Always have been really.’

‘We didn’t really know it at first. But…’

‘I knew it. You brought me out of my daydream when you found me on that desert island. You made all this real. I would not have survived without you.’

‘Yeah. But then… without me you would not be on the top of a roof, at the top of a cliff, on the top of this mountain, trying to escape some alien teenage bullies before the Air Lord’s thugs catch me.’

‘Yes. It’s all your fault. Definitely.’ Maggie positioned herself on the apex of the curve. She gripped the rope in one hand, and the edge of the roof in the other. ‘Where are the others? Wish they would hurry up. My hands are freezing.’

Tamm and Pariqhamtu had jumped down from the window and made it to the ground almost faster than it would have taken Jupiter to run down the stairs. Breeze had followed too. The arboreal nature of the manisaurs made it easy for them. It put human’s primate heritage to shame.

But now Tamm pulled himself up and over the edge of the roof. He tugged on a rope and The Jupiter bobbed into view. Pariqhamtu spun the kheel. Breeze ran back and forth over the deck, and when The Jupiter was level with the roof, jumped the gap, scaled the slope, and jumped on Jupiter.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

No like… Bad them… Why…

‘Hey, Breeze. Shh. Don’t make such a racket.’ Jupiter pulled Breeze into a squeezing hug to calm the imp down.’

My job… I spin… Not them…

‘I know. I’ll tell them next time. But not now.’ Jupiter had already reached for the outrigger as it bumped gently up the roof towards him. Maggie got onboard as Jupiter held the outrigger float close.

She had just settled in position behind the mast, when a commotion erupted in the courtyard next to the barn. Someone had discovered the dhomqari that Tamm had hired from Vilakmat. The animals made a mewling cry and stamped about on the packed dirt.

Jupiter peered over. The sinthavi manisaur youths had taken hold of the pair. But then another trio of dhomqari rushed into the courtyard and scattered the beasts and the draft beasts set up a mewling cry of protest and alarm. Three manisaurs struggle to control their mounts.

‘The Air Lord’s men,’ said Jupiter. ‘They’re here.’

The commotion woke other wayhouse guests and brought exclamations of alarm. Glow-globes came on, windows opened.

‘We’ve got to get off this roof and away from here,’ Maggie said.

‘Can’t.’ Jupiter said in frustration. ‘Not until we can get a tow from the dhomqari Tamm stole or I can get The Jupiter’s mast and sail up again.’

‘Can’t we just float off and away down the slope?’

‘We could…’ Jupiter trailed off as he looked below to the group of three manisaurs on dhomqari - moasaurs. One them had a red sash across their chest. As they slipped from the backs of the moasaurs they staggered, as if they had exhausted themselves. The moasaurs mewled and squatted too.

‘Yeah. Ee could try to float away on the wind. Except,’ Jupiter said. ‘We’d be just blown all over the place.’

‘We need new mounts,’ a tall old manisaur called out. ‘Where is the house master?’

Jupiter motioned for Tamm to pull The Jupiter out of sight, but Pariqhamtu had forgotten to spin the kheel and it began to topple backwards. Pariqhamtu squawked in alarm, but Breeze leapt from the roof, onto The Jupiter where he dived to the kheel. The imp spun the kheel up just in time as Tamm pulled the outrigger onto the top of the dormer roof. The outrigger bumped in the movements of Breeze’s spinning, but it was out of view and safe from falling.

Not good… Pari-pari… I help…

‘Breeze! Hush.’ Jupiter motioned for everyone to stay out of sight. And he listened now to what happened below.

‘At this hour?’ Came the voice of an annoyed human guest. ‘You should have a care. It’s the middle of the night. We’ve a long day tomorrow.’

‘Who looks for mounts?’ Vilakmat said. ‘I am vanathkara — assistant to the vaka of this sentinel.’

Jupiter eased his way to the edge to look over. Tamm joined him while Maggie, Breeze and Pariqhamtu stayed on the outrigger.

‘You still call this qhayuvaka — a sentinel?’ One of the arriving manisaurs said with surprise.

‘But of course it is,’ said his tall companion with the sash. ‘A proud wayhouse. With a long tradition. My father spoke highly of it.’

Jupiter stared at the group. There was something…

Just then one of the sinthavi — youths rushed into the courtyard on a dhomqari that panted with exertion.

‘Take them,’the sinthava said. ’They’re fugitives.’

‘What are you talking about sinthava?’ The old manisaur spoke with authority. ’You are unhinged.’

‘No. I met their pursuers. They are just a short way behind.’ The manisaur youth was joined by three of his friends. ‘Take them.’

‘You will not.’ Vilakmat said. ‘This is a place of sanctuary and safety for all travelers.’ He turned to the arrivals. ‘Come lord. I will give you refreshment.’

‘Fresh mounts is what we need good vaka. We must travel on. I am expected further south tomorrow.’

‘You see. They flee the authorities.’ The youths grabbed at the moasaurs reins to keep them from running.

‘They may have mounts.’ Vilakmat said. ‘If they are pursued, as you say, then let them be taken on the road.’

Jupiter looked along The Way. Sure enough the bobbing lights were close now.

‘Then let us take these beasts,’ said the old manisaur. ‘They look fresh.’

‘They are already hired.’ Vilakmat confronted the youths and he and his men took the moasaurs promised to Tamm.

‘At this hour?’ The old manisaur said and looked about searching for others ready to travel.

‘It seems more people than you wish to speed on their way.’ Vilakmat had secured the moasaurs and he men took the flagged out tired beasts to the barn.

‘We will take the fresh mounts.’ The old manisaur showed some payment to Vilakmat. ‘Here is the price of the hire.’

Tamm gripped Jupiter’s arm. ‘They’re taking our dhomqari. We have to stop them.’

Vilakmat looked around, and almost looked up but Jupiter saw him catch himself.

‘Very well.’

‘Dahkara,’ Tamm hissed close to his ear. ‘We will be caught without draft animals.’

Jupiter stared at the manisaurs transferring their saddles to the draft moasaurs that just minutes before would have taken them quietly away from the wayhouse. As he watched he must have made some small noise, or it was just ill luck, for one of the manisaurs looked up and saw him. In the light of the glow-globe Jupiter read the flash of their aura.

‘Liruq - The Stone.’ It was clear. The old manisaur recognized him. And in that moment so did Jupiter.

‘Berg!’