Page 66 of Poison Nights & Twilight Alchemy

“From far and wide across every sea. Aldrich was drawn to the power of magic, collected it. He could take from any creature who held it in their blood,” Marguerite said.

The trees surrounding the island in the lake had already begun to show signs of life, as if their stone had been ice and it was melting from them, revealing green leaves in the glow of the fire’s light.

The fortress loomed above them as they passed between a row of pillars, opening to a wide clearing, where a massive object stood—a ship, but not a ship at all. Painted in a deep sapphire, its hull decorated in gold, silver, and ivory, various-sized spikes protruded from its sails, its deck.

The airship.

Its keel appeared to belong to any other ship that could cross the seas, but instead of masts and sails, its port and stern were fashioned as if great iron balloons had landed upon them, gears and clockwork gadgets covering their sides, stars painted on their blue surfaces.

“Welcome to theVelvet Noir.” Marguerite threw a door along the ship’s forward deck wide and led them inside what proved to be a luxurious home, broad windows on every wall, where Dulce could only imagine the spectacular views of sunsets over the vast land beneath them. It was like a dream.

Marguerite indicated two large sofas before an ample table of rose pink stone. “Eat. Rest. The magic inside the ship will give you anything your heart desires.”

“Anything?” Reed drawled.

“Perhaps notanything. But any destination. Any item of clothing, fire or water. Any food and drink.” She adjusted Percy in her arms. “The washroom and bedroom suite are just through there. I suggest you don’t tinker with the airship in any way.”

“Thank you, Marguerite.” Dulce hardly knew what to say—a part of her was grateful the witch was rid of Aldrich, while another part knew she’d brought misery upon herself by forcing a wicked sorcerer to father a child. But now, perhaps she could find her own way in the world, be given a new beginning.

Dulce took Marguerite’s hand in hers, and the witch’s eyes filled with tears as she looked down at her son. “I hope the memory of his past won’t linger in his mind forever. He’s still young.”

“Shower him with love,” Dulce replied. “I’m certain he will grow to inspire affection in all who meet him.”

“I vow to teach him to wield his magic for good.”

“Please visit us,” she offered. “I can teach Percy some alchemy tricks, and you and I could remember Mother together.”

“Perhaps. When I’m worthy of rejoining society.” Marguerite sighed. “Now, let me show you how to manage theVelvet Noir.”

She informed them that it would be only twelve short hours before they reached their destination while she showed Reed how to decipher the numbers along one windowpane.

As the witch turned to leave, Dulce remembered something. “Wait!” she called. “May I ask a favor of you?”

“Only for you will I dabble in favors without cost.”

“Will you make certain there’s no bounty on Reed’s head with the Duke or anyone else?”

Marguerite smiled brightly. “Easily done.” Before parting ways, she added, “I may even fix a few more things.”

Dulce hardly noticed the moment the airship rose from the ground, but as the night through the windows along the easterly side of the ship painted the sky in glorious dark blues and wispy clouds, she realized they floated high above the land.

She sank into a chair across from Reed, her exhaustion finally catching up with her. As she lifted a cup of tea to her lips, she found him smiling at her.

“This is an experience I wasn’t expecting.” Reed winked.

“Quite the story to tell.” The tea’s chamomile flavor perfectly held a hint of honey and vanilla.

They simply spoke what they wished to eat, and the food appeared before them. Reed was quite entertained by this notion, demanding all sorts of strange combinations—bletted medlar with auroch and dried whale blubber—though they thoroughly enjoyed a hot meal of fresh vegetables and bread still warm from the oven, as they bantered about the memories they’d shared during their journey.

The night wore on, and Dulce opened the window to the moon’s silvery glow illuminating the landscape below while they glided over it. She stared at it all through a spyglass, purely ensnared by the world from this height. No longer was the land blighted by stone and desert, but rather bursting in emerald greens, herds of animals surging toward glistening rivers. A colony of fruit batsdescended toward the foliage to fill their appetites.

Dulce thought of Moonglade and what would come next for her. She would simply get the marriage between her and Cornelius annulled, seeing as they never consummated it. The town would continue to believe he disappeared, but now out of madness for poisoning his bride.

“Are you going to stare out the window the entire ride home?” Reed asked, his voice echoing from the other side of the room.

With a smile, Dulce closed the window and peered at him. He lay on the bed, his boots tucked neatly beside a cabinet, his dark eyes shining mischievously beneath his adorably disheveled ivory hair.

She placed the spyglass on the table, and the corners of her lips lifted. “That bed does look rather tempting. Especially with the handsome man lying in it.”

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