Wind tossed his hair, and there was a dampness in it that suggested of a rain. The deck trembled from the gust buffeting it, the magic-reinforced woods creaking, but the hulls held. For now, anyway.

Nox grimaced. He didn’t expect riding a skyship would be this uncomfortable. Every shake made him think the ship would fall apart from its seams, spilling them into the endless expanse of the sky. Worse yet, his clothes were damp, and there was nothing to see but gray expanse below.

None of the sailors seemed to share his unease. On the contrary, they bustled along the deck in a flurry of activity, adjusting the side masts to better catch the wind, tightening ropes, sliding down ladders. Even Erian looked unbothered at the prow, scanning the horizon with a serene face Nox had seen only a few times.

“Wind Wielders,” someone muttered next to him.

Nox glanced at his side. The boy wore the red uniform of the second years, his thin hands gripping the railings tightly. He wasn’t from Nox’s class, though. “This is your first time in a skyship?” Nox asked.

“No.” The boy’s face had a tinged of green. “But this is my second time vomiting on this trip.”

And he did vomit, spilling the contents of his stomach over the edges. Nox edged away from him. He was glad that he was downwind; he didn’t to go back to his room smelling like he had swam in the sewers.

“Are you okay?” he asked when the second year finished.

The boy wiped his mouth with a cloth and shook his head, then bolted for the stairs leading to the decks below.

After a moment of contemplation, Nox followed the poor boy’s example. There wasn’t much to see anyway, and they wouldn’t arrive at the Wind Isles until tomorrow.

He climbed down the ladder and made his way along the empty hall toward the room he shared with Erian. To the left was Ireela and Reina’s, the door opened by an inch to let a sliver of light slip out.

“—like him?”

Nox paused with his hand on the doorknob and turned to the squires’ door. Letting your door open was a sure way to get eavesdropped on, but the girls probably didn’t know.

He raised his hand to knock, intending on admonishing them. But Reina’s next words froze him.

“Yes,” the girl said softly, almost too soft to hear if not for Nox’s sharp hearing. It was wrong, but he somehow leaned closer to listen.

There was a brief silence. Then Ireela spoke. “Why don’t you tell him?”

“I can’t.” Reina’s voice trembled. “I would just hurt him.”

Nox recoiled and spun around back to his room. He somehow knew who was Reina referring to, and it was a confession he shouldn’t have heard.

Is there a problem? Estella asked.

No. What are you doing? Nox twisted the doorknob in his room.

Just some finishing touches on the activities. You?

He strode to his bunk and started shedding his shirt. About to sleep. I can’t stand it on the deck.

Most don’t on their first trip. Rest well. We should be there by dawn.

With that, Nox settled for a long wait.

***

The skyship burst through a thin cloud, and once again Nox found himself on the deck, a woolen cloak wrapped around him to ward off dawn’s chill. Around him, his schoolmates crowded, eager to see the fabled Wind Isles.

In the predawn darkness, the floating islands weren’t visible save for tiny pinpricks of light that outline a small port town. But soon the eastern sky brightened in a shower of gold and pink, and the shadows melted, revealing their destination.

A wave of soft gasps and excited murmurs swept over the deck. The islands loomed before them like scattered hills and mountains, black as the abyss, suspended over empty air. In the center was the largest, almost half the circumference of the archipelago and twice as tall as the academy, its craggy cliff face pockmarked with holes of varying size.

Caves. Perhaps even monster nests.

Nox squinted. There were broken towers and crumbling battlements in the central island, remnants of an ancient fortress. The other islands had ruins as well, and from what Nox had read, they extended far below the surface.

Excitement bubbled among the students, and even Headmaster Garion stared with interest as the skyship drew closer to the port spanning the cliff line of the foremost islands. An Explorers’ Association outpost.

Stolen story; please report.

Nox turned to Estella. “How many islands are there?” He counted eight in the front, but there were definitely more he couldn’t see.

“Thirty-three. Half of them are barely larger than a hill though, so we won’t be exploring those.”

The skyship drifted closer, angling toward one of the piers that extended a good hundred feet into open air. A crowd was already gathered at the dock, watching the hull drew near. There was one other ship moored, smaller and sleeker.

On the deck of Faven’s skyship, the sailors bustled with activity in preparation of docking. “Let’s head down,” Estella said.

It took the better part of the morning before they could disembark. As Nox stepped onto the gangplank, he tried his best not to look down and hurried along the pier.

The headmaster was already talking with the head of the outpost, chatting animatedly over the clamor of activity in the dock where supplies were being unloaded. Estella stood to his side, shaking hands and smiling politely.

Did I ever tell you how I hate pleasantries after traveling for three days straight? she said in Nox’s mind.

Nox smiled. It’s part of your job, both as a princess and a teacher.

Yes. It’s all my fault, she grumbled.

As she focused on her arduous task, Nox waited for Ireela to join him. The girl was huffing when she ran to his side, both hands straining to carry their bags.

Nox frowned. “Why are you carrying those? I told you to let the crew take care of them.”

She shook her head. “There are already cases of missing bags, Master.”

He nodded at that. It was easy to lose belongings on a trip like this. “All right.” He snatched his bag from her left hand. “But I’m taking this.”

“I’m your Squire! I should be carrying that!” Her hand reached out. Nox stepped aside with a chuckle.

“No. I will carry my own bag, you carry yours. End of discussion.”

He ignored her protests for the rest of the way to their accommodation. Ireela stopped eventually, grumbling about bullheaded masters.

***

The outpost was less than a year old, so there weren’t a lot of establishments. But the Explorers Association made it sure they could sleep comfortably. The three-story inn they were going to stay in stood on a rise. Its walls were solid hardened wood, painted a dull brown like cocoa beans. The slate roof sloped at a sharp angle, giving it the appearance of an arrowhead.

They were led inside. Their footsteps clacked against the stained floor as they walked along the empty dining hall. The tables and chairs were already set up, but the lack of patrons was disconcerting and drove home that the town was in the middle of nowhere.

“Now I prefer the inn at the Forsaken Forest,” Erian muttered behind Nox.

Nox felt the same. But they couldn’t really complain. It was better than sleeping on the skyship.

Lunch was still being prepared, so one of the staffs gave them a tour of the quarters. Teachers and students were separated by wings, which were then split into genders and school years. As always, the Knights and their Squires’ rooms were only next to each other.

Each room was bare to the bones, with only two beds pressed up against one wall, a small side table between them, and a closet that could barely fit the clothes and essentials of one student. They would have to just stuff their bags inside it and take out anything they needed.

Nox dropped his bag then strode toward the only window, which faced the central island. It was actually spinning, rotating from east to west at leisure speed. But it was anchored to a fix point, like all the islands were.

“Who do you think created these?” Erian asked.

Shrugging, Nox left the window and sat on his bed. “Some say elves. Others believe these were the works of Celestials.”

“Or a powerful Mage,” his friend said.

“That too.” Nox paused, gathering his thoughts. “Have you and Reina got your mapping route yet?”

“Yes. We’ll be exploring Eskra island together with Esmeir and Polima. You?”

Nox glanced at the central island once more. “Miarun. We’re with Galos and Torma.”

Erian scratched his chin with a frown. “Just four of you? That’s too few.”

Nox snorted. “Tell me about it.” He had protested as much to Estella, but she wasn’t the one who finalized the schedules and activities. “Guess you guys could join once you’re done.”

Lunch was enjoyable, and the outpost provided them with the best meal they could prepare. After savoring the roast mutton and grilled corn, Nox sought Ireela.

He knocked at the room she shared with Reina. “Ireela, can I come in?”

“Yes, Master!”

Nox opened the door. Ireela was sitting on her bed, reading a book with a handful of scattered notes on the mattress. She looked up at him with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry. It’s a mess here.” She gestured around. Only then did Nox notice that the other bed—Reina’s—was dumped with their belongings.

“Why didn’t you put those in the closet?” he asked.

His Squire wrinkled her nose. “It smells bad in there.”

Nox took a whiff. True enough, the room had a sour stench. Should have brought a perfume, he thought. “Do you need a transfer? I can request it.”

“Oh, no! Master, it’s fine. We’ll be here for only two days anyway.”

“All right. Where’s Reina?”

“Probably with Sir Erian. She said she’s meeting up with him.”

He didn’t bother pressing her for more information. Erian had left the dining hall as soon as he finished eating, with vague reasons of checking out the town. But it wasn’t Nox’s place to know what Erian and his Squire were doing.

At least they were working together now.

After several minutes of small talk, Nox left.

He headed for the east wing reserved just for the Headmaster and teachers. Are you busy?

Estella’s response came in an instant, but something was wrong with it. —ot… uch… Yo…?

Nox hurried. I’m heading to you. Where are you?

—oom 157…. s ther… mthing wrong?

He found the room easily. Without knocking, he opened he door.

Estella blinked. She sat on her bed, a sheaf of paper in hand. She stared at him quizzically. “What’s wrong, love?” she asked.

Nox looked around the room. It was as bare as the students’. Can you hear my thoughts?

Loudly and clearly. Why? What is it?

He furrowed his brows. “Your thoughts were jumbled on my way here.”

Her eyes sharpened with intensity. She lowered the papers on a side table, looking thoughtful. “Magical interference? But I can sense and hear you just fine.”

“Is there anyone in the Academy who could Resonate?” Nox closed the door and sat next to her.

“There are a few. But they aren’t here.”

He sighed. “I was hoping we could ask them if they are experiencing the same thing.”

She patted him on the shoulder. “It’s going to be fine. We won’t be here longer than two days. Besides, I’ll still be able to sense you when you begin the exploration. If something happens, even if you can’t hear me, just shout with your mind.”

Despite Estella’s reassuring words, Nox slept with a troubled mind.