I scowled at Eshaan and pushed his hand off my head. The wounded expression he gave me immediately made me feel like I’d kicked a puppy.

“Sorry, Eshaan. I didn’t mean…” I sighed. “I’m just… wishing I saw a different path.”

“So, we’re still heading to Hecate, right?” asked Lakshmi. “You know, just in case you wanted to change direction.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Would you let me? You were quite serious about paying our debt to Eideth.”

Lakshmi shrugged a little. “I dunno. So far, your crazy predictions seem to be… not terrible. You know, compared to the options.”

I blinked, surprised, then leaned down and hugged Lakshmi from behind.

“Hey, hey! Watch it! Piloting here!” She protested.

I squeezed her quickly with a smile then let go. “Thank you, Lakshmi, that was really sweet of you to say.”

It might have been my imagination, but I thought I detected a faint hint of a blush on her cheeks as I let go.

I pointed out the window and struck a pose I thought Eshaan might take. “Onward! To Hecate!”

“Actually it’s a bit more that way.” Lakshmi pushed my arm slightly to the right.

“Right!” I said. “Onward! In that direction, not the other which clearly was totally wrong!”

Only Eshaan laughed, but somehow that was enough of a victory for me.

The rebuilt Sparrowhawk was fast. Soriya had lured me into another game of Tarok, and by the time we’d finished a full round (which she was handily winning) Lakshmi had called back to let us know we would be approaching Hecate’s airdocks soon.

It was a strange feeling, knowing the game rules because I’d played them all my life, and yet a part of me had never touched the cards before. It wasn’t unwelcome though, and a part of me was rather satisfied to have yet another answer to “what adventuring parties did with themselves when not battling monsters”. It wasn’t an unpleasant discovery, and a part of me was hoping that next time, I could maybe beat Soriya.

“I should teach you some of the games of the desert.” Daniyel rumbled, folding his cards on the table. “I would, at least, stand a chance there.”

“What kind of games do you play?” I asked him curiously.

“They are played with dice, largely. Occasionally a deck of cards, but I have not seen a Salazar Deck in the Empire.”

“Are they gambling games then?”

Daniyel smiled. “What game is not gambling, mistress Lily?”

I scowled. “Lots of games aren’t gambling!”

Daniyel’s smile was bright white in his dark face. “Then do you never trust to luck in your hand? Do you never push an unlikely outcome?”

I blinked. “Well… if that’s what you mean by gambling…”

Daniyel shrugged minutely. “Money does not need to change hands for a task to involve a gamble.”

Soriya lightly bapped Daniyel’s hand with the pack of cards. “We’re supposed to be having fun, Daniyel, not making ominous pronouncements!” She said seriously.

Daniyel smiled quietly. “I shall remember that the next time you insist that the Witch of Breezewood sees the darkened corners of the world.”

Soriya scowled back. “Now that’s just not fair, using my own words against me.” She turned to me and gave me a look. “Now see what you’ve done? You’ve gone and turned him against me!” She mock complained.

I smiled smugly. “I can’t help it if a trained warrior can recognize a winning strategy when he sees one.”

Daniyel let out a soft chuckle, which made Soriya throw her hands in the air. “Fine! I can see I’m defeated here. The dark witch shall skulk off!”

Lakshmi called back “Not yet you won’t, I need another hand on the engines!”

Soriya groaned. “Ask your boyfriend!”

Camaxtli frowned lightly in puzzlement. “Lakshmi and I have no relationship, why do you insist-”

His protest was cut off as Soriya grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the engine room. “Less talking, more mechanicing!”

There was companionable silence for a while, and then Lakshmi said “Lilyanna? Could I ask you something?”

“Sure Lakshmi, of course! Anything you like!”

I caught that slight flush to her cheeks again. “It’s kind of… personal. Could you come up here?”

I frowned lightly in puzzlement as I made my way into the cockpit, and settled on a seat beside her.

I tipped my head to the side and said “Alright, I’m here. What’s the issue?”

Lakshmi looked behind us to make sure no one was in ear shot, then said in a slightly hushed voice “It’s about Camaxtli. You and Soriya keep saying he’s my boyfriend. Is this… seer stuff? Cause I don’t feel that way about him! I don’t like the idea that I’m just… fated to fall in love with him or something! Don’t I have a choice?!”

I sat back against the seat, taken aback by her comments. I had been so sure that she was already falling for him!

“Well…” I slowly said. “It is seer stuff… but not everything we see is inevitable, no. If you truly don’t feel anything for him…” I stopped then asked “really? You don’t feel anything for him?”

Lakshmi colored slightly. “Well purely as research material, he’s fascinating, of course. And I won’t deny that whoever designed his appearance really knows how to put a man together!”

She smiled shyly, and I laughed in agreement.

“Yes, that’s true enough.” I said. “But… well, I don’t know Lakshmi. We don’t see… I’m not laying a fate on you, what I… expect… I suppose? Is that you’ll fall for him from similar interests and his growing humanity.”

Lakshmi snorted. “Not a chance of that then, that thing hasn’t shown a shred of humanity or emotion!”

I blinked, and slowly started to smile. So. She is falling for him. I thought.

“Oh? I’d say he’s had several emotions already. And the poor boy has been stunted most of his life, he’s still feeling his way around them.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Lakshmi shook her head in irritation. “Then they must be invisible! Infuriating man!” She burst out. I hurriedly covered my mouth to hide a broad smile.

“Well if you’re not interested, then there’s no doom that awaits you. Just don’t date him.”

Camaxtli’s voice drifted from a speaker tube on the console. “We are ready to proceed with the calibration you requested, Lakshmi.”

Lakshmi leaned forward “Then do it, bucket brain! I told you to go ahead once you’d set up!” She turned to me with an expression of frustration written on her face. “See what I mean?! He’s all… constantly asking me permission to do things! It reminds me of the palace, in all the worst ways!”

“Ahh.” I said softly, understanding dawning. “Have you considered asking him not to?”

Lakshmi frowned. “Nobody else needs to be told!”

I shrugged and weighed my palms. “He’s not anybody else, he’s Camaxtli. A little explanation might go a longer way than just grousing vaguely at him.”

“Ugh, no thanks!” Lakshmi gritted out. “Every time I try to talk to him he’s all ‘Emotions are so inefficient!’ and ‘your primitive culture cannot comprehend my greatness!’”

I laughed again, her imitation did sound remarkably accurate.

“We learn by doing, Lakshmi. Camaxtli hasn’t had any practice in ‘doing’ emotions. Give him a chance. Growing pains can be difficult.”

Lakshmi scowled at me suspiciously. “You’re not trying to fix me up with him, are you!?”

I giggled. “Well, I think you’d make a very cute couple, I won’t deny that, but no, Lakshmi. All I’m doing is trying to get Camaxtli to come out of his shell a little, and part of that is… just learning how to human. Sometimes, we all need a little help with that.”

Lakshmi continued to scowl at me. “Well I don’t need your help, or the help of your prophecy or the help from any so called destiny! I am my own person and will find my own way!”

I smiled at her and gave her a sharp salute. “Aye aye captain Lakshmi, ma’am!” I figured it would be about two weeks before she was asking for dating advice. And if that didn’t take the cake… asking a clueless country girl dating an ex-solider and sometime thief fisherman.

I pointed out the canopy window again at the approaching mountains. “So that’s Galgados?”

“What? No! That’s the Windhome range, Galgados is on the other side! We had to go up and around, flying right over the Empire would… be bad!”

I blinked, trying to picture the map mother had shown me, then gave up, rummaging in my pouches for mother’s journal. I flipped a few pages then let out an ‘aah’ of understanding. “Yes, I see. Ok. So, we fly over the peak, and be docking in Hecate soon?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I nodded. “Ok. I’ll go read mother’s journal and see what she has to say about Hecate.”

And while I’m at it… lets see… I thought as I walked back into the main cabin. I flipped through the journal, and grimaced. There it is. A large chunk of the journal had pages torn out of it. I sighed. Mystery on mystery, but… Nope, nothing from Nanwe. So it’s not a 100% cheat item, I suppose. I closed the journal and closed my eyes, tapping the journal against my forehead. Mother… what are you hiding? Who has these pages? Did you really think… I sighed, and opened my eyes. This is just getting me nowhere, I needed to look up Galgados. I opened the book again, and flipped through the journal. Ah! Yes, she was in Hecate! So we do have a cheat code! Hm! Ancient ruins unexplored under the city? Now this looks promising… and she even has a limited map!

I smiled happily, and closed the journal, putting it back into my travel pouch. Thank you, mother.

“You look happy.” Eshaan said.

I blinked, looking up at him in surprise. “Do I? I was just thinking about mother.”

Eshaan tipped his head to the side. “Not sad thoughts, or you wouldn’t be smiling?”

I smiled back at him. “No, not sad thoughts.” I patted my pouch. “Her journal is going to help us again, just like it did in the sewers.”

Eshaan grimaced. “If she’s sending us into the sewers again, I’m not so sure that’s help, Lily!”

I laughed. “I think she did explore the sewers, but if I’m right, it’s just going to be an abandoned Imperial dig site.”

Eshaan immediately perked up. “It is!? Are you sure it’s abandoned? I didn’t get much of a chance to look at… anything in the Tol Jaegren dig!”

I tapped my lips thoughtfully. “Hmm… well, I’m almost certain it’s abandoned? I mean, rogue mecha, deep cavern things, maybe some looters, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be an active dig site!”

Eshaan was quiet for a moment, then said “You know, Lily. Sometimes you’re kind of scary.”

I blinked in surprise and confusion. “I don’t mean to be scary? What’s scary about me?”

Eshaan tapped my nose lightly. “See, this is what I mean. You don’t even realize how scary you are. You’re proposing exploring a dig site infested with monsters that would scare some of the toughest troopers in squads I’ve served, as well as rogue machinery that would send most of the scholars assigned to us screaming into the barracks.”

I blinked again. “But Eshaan… we can handle all of that? I don’t understand why your trooper friends would be so scared of a dig expedition!”

Eshaan grinned wryly. “Because most of them are level 10, Lily.”

My mouth fell open in surprise, and I gaped a bit like a fish. Finally, I said “They are?!” in disbelief.

Eshaan laughed a little. “Sure. If I was still working with the Commander, I’d probably be promoted to Elite status by now. Even the princess-“ He tsked and shook his head. “-I mean, Captain Lakshmi. An engineer who can whip an entire ­airship together in just a week?! She’d be pulled into imperial service so fast…” he shrugged. “It’s hardly real to me either.” He smiled and reached over to squeeze my hand. “But it’s why I have faith in you. You’re clearly trying your best for others, and you don’t even realize how powerful you are. Looking back… the commander, he was never really pushing us to be our best for us. He wanted us to be good for himself.”

I smiled hesitantly. “Well… I would much rather have lived…” I shook my head, choked off by the lump in my throat.

I would rather have lived my old life. And failing that I would have rather lived a quiet life in an idyllic fantasy town. But I suppose… for what its’ worth… this isn’t a bad outcome. Or at least, I’m sure trying to make sure it’s not a bad outcome!

I swallowed, and shook my head. “Well!” I said brightly. “We’re docking soon, so I guess we’ll find out then.”

I blinked, suddenly hit by a thought. “Uh.” I stood up quickly and scooted over to the cockpit. “Lakshmi? How… I mean, in air pirate… oh honeysuckle, would Galgados confiscate the Sparrowhawk if the Empire demanded it?!”

Lakshmi whipped her head around and her eyes got wide as she stared at me. “What on earth…!? They wouldn’t dare!” She spluttered.

I gritted my teeth. “Lakshmi, your ships in proximity to me tend to have very unfortunate ends! I do not want the Sparrowhawk 2 to wind up confiscated, stolen, or blown up! I would like to stop the trend at three ships, and not make it four!” I said hurriedly.

Lakshmi scowled, and turned back to the controls, frowning fiercely in thought. Finally, she said “I don’t… I don’t think so? I mean…” She bit her lower lip, and muttered under her breath “But I didn’t think they’d start a war over you either.”

I pressed my lips together. “Then what are our options? The Sparrowhawk… the way you built her, there’s nothing else like her, we can’t exactly disguise her!”

Lakshmi pounded her fist on the console. “I knew installing a cloaking system would have been a good idea, but noooooo~ Camaxtli thinks it’s just silly.” She trailed off, then looked back at me.

“Is this a seer prophecy?” She asked grimly. “Is this going to happen?”

I blinked, and then giggled with stress. “Well… no! Actually! This is just me thinking… I don’t know how determined the church is, or how powerful the Empire is in Galgados!”

Lakshmi ground her teeth together, then said. “No. If it’s not a seer prophecy, then everything will be fine. The empire doesn’t have-“ She cut off as a flickering flash of light came into view on a mountain peak in the distance.

“That’s the harbor lighthouse. The port is just a few minutes away. Go sit down, I need to dock.”

I looked at the distant lighthouse beacon flickering on the mountain peak, rapidly growing closer with the speed of our approach. I could feel the indecision in myself, my hand twisting in the fabric of my robes again, and then I felt something like a little shove from my other memories, and a feeling like turning gears in the world.

Lakshmi suddenly pulled back on the throttle, and turned the steering yoke hard over, angling us towards the lighthouse.

I grabbed the headrest of one of the chairs to steady myself as the ship listed slightly.

“Lakshmi, what-?”

“I don’t think it’ll happen, but you don’t know, and I can see you’re about to tear another hole in your dress worrying. So I’m doing what a real sky pirate would do. I’m going to land in a hidden cove.”

I blinked, feeling my eyes mist up a little at how she was willing to trust my worry.

“I’m not doing this for you!” She snapped, still focused on the yoke, and I hurriedly slapped my hand over my mouth to stifle a hysterical choked laugh giggle at the redhead Tsundere suddenly manifested in front of me. “I’m just being practical! I don’t like the idea of the Sparrowhawk 2 exploding, just because you were near her!”

If every plot outcome is bad, then change the story. I thought wildly, a slightly manic smile on my lips. I toyed with and discarded the possibility of lying to Lakshmi. My history with trying to lie as Lily was… comical, really.

I reached down and squeezed Lakshmi’s shoulder. “Then thank you for being clever and cunning, as a proper sky pirate would be.” I said. “After all, dangerous politics and high tech is not where a village girl from the boonies belongs.” I said with fervent agreement.

The Sparrowhawk flickered it’s lightscribe to the tiny dock just outside the lighthouse on the cliffs, and we were soon enroute to dock at the astonished lighthouse keeper’s back yard.