“Tellie, it’s Wayne. I hope you and Tegan and Flora are safe. Percy and I are okay.” I scuffed my boot, “Percy’s going to Londinium, and I’m about to purchase a ticket to New Amsterdam, in America. Anyway, I just want you to know that I’ll miss you, and sneaking out to play alem, and all that. Send me a message every once in a while, will ya? I miss you. Oh, time’s up-” I stopped talking to the bird, and muttered to myself, “This silly rationing of minutes! I can’t ever finish a thought under a time constraint!”

At Egron City Airport, airships of all shapes and sizes lined up right next to one another. The smell of fuel filled the air, and workers hustled to prepare for the ship’s take off and landings.

“I guess this is it,” I said, and turned to face Percy. We shook hands. “I’ll always remember you, until the day I die.”

Still in the middle of shaking my hand, Percy pulled me in for a one-armed hug. “You fox! I knew you would be all sentimental. I’ll send you a messenger albatross every week.”

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“Across the Atlanticus? That’ll get expensive. I’m going to send you a good, old-fashioned letter until I strike it rich. Then I’ll send you albatrosses.” I spoke loudly, to hide the sound of the lump in my throat. “I just wish we could tell Shaphan that we’re okay.”

“I think he’ll be okay.” Percy replied. I would’ve replied, but a whistle blew, and a voice came through a megaphone: “New Amsterdam! All aboard!”

“That’s me! Here, I don’t think they’ll let me take this sword. Will you take it?” I said, and handed it to him.

“Sure.” He slipped the dull blade through his belt and covered it with his jacket.

“Catch you later,” I told him.

“Yeah, catch you later.” Percy replied sadly. After I turned, I scrubbed a stray tear with my sleeve.

As I walked up the gangplank, I started to see Percy as a real friend, instead of a traitor with an antique sword.