Page 26 of Lightningborn

Her room was small but cozy, and though the innkeeper seemed a bit curious as to why a twelve-year-old girl was paying for a room all by herself, he didn’t seem to recognize her as the princess of Gallecia. The next morning, she was up with the sunrise, saddling Cloud and flapping off as the sun climbed over the horizon.

She had left Farcliff behind and was headed for the next closest island when, below her, the Maelstrom began to surge.

Lightning flickered, and a strand of purple suddenly snaked up from the clouds, passing uncomfortably close. Gem gasped, and Cloud let out a bugle of alarm, swerving to the side. The clouds were starting to darken, swirling ominously like whirlpools, and gusts of wind began tugging at them savagely.

“Cloud!” Gem cried as the Maelstrom boiled and a huge wall of clouds began rising from its depths. “Up! Get higher!”

The white dragon responded instantly, flapping his wings and soaring higher into the air. They rose into the sky, but the storm seemed to follow, lightning streaking out and turning everything purple-white. Overhead, gray clouds were forming, blotting out the sky. Gem couldn’t see anything but swirling clouds above and below, with lightning flickering between them.

A blast of wind caught Cloud, sending him swerving toward a fogbank. Gem cried out, grabbing his mane and the saddle horn in both hands, hunching low in the saddle as the dragon struggled to right himself. Lightning flashed, streaking down so close Gem felt the white-hot energy against her skin.

A shadow fell over her. She glanced up to see a huge shape descending through the storm. Long and dark, it got bigger and bigger, until the clouds parted and the hull of a massive ship appeared. With a squeak, Gem swerved Cloud out of the way, watching as the sky ship drew alongside her, sails flapping in the wind.

Heart pounding, Gem stared at the ship. It was a little smaller than many merchant vessels in the capital, and much smaller than her father’s sky ship, theRoyal Bastion. It was long and sleek, built for speed and maneuverability, and had several cannon ports along the side. But the most intriguing thing was that a pair of long, narrow sails extended out from the sides of the hull like giant wings. They moved like wings as well, seeming to propel the vessel through the air as if it were a massive dragon.

Gem gazed up at the mast, at the sails billowing in the gusts, and saw what she feared. The image of a skull and crossbones, emblazoned against a field of black, stared out from the center of the sail, making her stomach drop.

A pirate ship!

“Hey! Dragon rider!”

A voice came to Gem over the howling wind, making her start and gaze around wildly. A figure stood on the bow of the sky ship, both hands on the wheel, staring right at her. The figure wore a long purple-and-black coat that was trimmed in gold, and a curved saber hung at her side. Bright crimson hair billowed beneath a captain’s hat that somehow resisted flying off in the gale.

“What are you doing way out here, dragon rider?” the pirate woman called. “Are you lost? This isn’t great weather to be flying around in!” A strand of purple light sizzled overhead, making Gem flinch. The pirate woman shook her head and raised a gloved hand. “Come aboard before you both get struck by lightning. Your beast is small enough to fit in the cargo hold for now.”

Despite the lightning and shrieking wind, Gem hesitated. These were pirates! Real pirates, not fictional hero pirates like the ones in Lighthouse’s books. Sir Bartello himself had fought a battle with sky pirates right before he was stranded. Pirates were criminals and cutthroats, and could not be trusted.

But then a spear of lightning sizzled down, and Cloud gave a bellow of alarm as it barely missed his wing tip, leaving the smell of ozone behind it. Gem winced. Pirates or no, it was dangerous to keep flying, not just for her, but also for Cloud. The last thing she wanted was for her dragon to get hurt. She would risk facing a crew of shady, untrustworthy pirates if it meant Cloud would be safe.

“Come on, boy,” she said, and turned the dragon toward the sky ship. “Let’s get out of the storm, at least.”

She could feel his exhaustion. The dragon was panting and his body trembled, but he wheeled around, gave his wings a flap, and soared in the direction of the vessel.

As they flew over the railings, Gem saw more people on the deck of the ship, scurrying back and forth, securing lines, and tying down ropes. The crimson-haired woman at the wheel pointed and shouted, and the sailors rushed to follow orders. Cloud soared over the deck and touched down hard, landing with a jolt that would’ve thrown Gem over his neck had she not been prepared for it. He was more tired than she had realized, and guilt gnawed at her as she straightened in the saddle, patting his shoulder.

“It’s okay, boy. We’re okay. We’re safe now.” Glancing up, she saw two rough-looking men stomping toward her across the deck, and her stomach clenched. “I think.”

Sensing her fear, Cloud stirred. Rising to his feet, the dragon lowered his head, opened his wings, and let out a low growl that echoed over the storm. The two figures stopped instantly, and one of them dropped a hand to the curved sword at his waist.

“Jack! Soras! Stand down!”

The men jumped, then stepped aside as the crimson-haired woman strode up, a dark scowl on her lips. “What are you doing, antagonizing a dragon rider, you fools?” she snapped. “If that beast breathes flame and sets my ship on fire, I’ll have both your heads. Get back to your stations and do something useful before I toss the pair of you overboard!”

“Yes, Captain!”

The pirates scattered. The woman watched them go for a moment, then turned to look at Gem and Cloud. Cloud let out another warning rumble, baring his fangs, and the woman raised a hand.

“Easy there, dragon. Don’t make me ask your rider to leave; you don’t want to go back into this weather.” Her gaze shifted to Gem, one corner of her lip turning up. “I would ask you to keep your beast under control,” she warned. “This is my ship, and I invited you aboard, but I will be extremely irritated if your dragon bites someone. Or worse, sets my ship on fire. Please calm your beast before we all do something we might regret.”

“Cloud,” Gem said, and quickly slid from the saddle. “Shh, it’s okay,” she soothed, rubbing his neck as he glanced back at her. “Everything’s fine. You’re a good boy; you can relax.”

The dragon gave a questioning trill, but he calmed, folding his wings to his back and covering his fangs. The pirate woman nodded. “Good. Take your dragon to the cargo hold while you wait out the storm. There should be plenty of room for a smallish beast like that one.” She pointed a gloved hand to the large, square hole in the center of the deck. Gem knew from her experience on other ships that it led belowdecks to the cargo hold. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” the captain went on, “I need to get back to the wheel before Tuhga steers us into a tornado, but I’ll come check on you when we’re through the storm. Again, please don’t let the dragon set anything on fire. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” Gem answered, still feeling slightly dazed at the turn of events.Lighthouse, she thought,you would probably love this. Real sky pirates, and Gem had landed smack-dab in the middle of their ship. Still, this woman was helping her, so she felt it was important to be polite. “Thank you, Captain…?”

“Cutlass” was the brisk reply as the pirate woman smiled and touched a finger to her hat. “Captain Cutlass. Not my real name, of course, but it’s what everyone in the Fringe calls me. Welcome aboard theQueen’s Blade.”

CHAPTER

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