Page 36 of Storm to Victory
“This cockpit isn’t designed for two people.” Pip tucked her arms tighter to her sides as she tried not to elbow him in the stomach.
“But we fit.” Fieran nudged one of her knees slightly more out of his way so that he could get a better grip on the control column.
The aeroplane vibrated as the engine spun up, already rolling forward since the wheels weren’t chocked.
Fieran tugged a flight cap into his head before he handed her a second one. “Sorry. You won’t be able to plug into the radio since there is only one spot. But this will keep your ears warm.”
This might be a reckless whim, but Fieran had put some thought into this at least. She tugged the cap onto her head, then pulled on the set of goggles he handed her. “No other flight gear?”
“I think we’ll stay warm enough, wedged as we are in the cockpit.” Fieran waggled his eyebrows at her, his grin lopsided. “Besides, we won’t be up that long.”
Fieran steered the aeroplane out of the line of trees and waved to one of the ground crew who was standing by. As theaeroplane rolled to the end of the airfield, two rows of elven lights flared to life on either side, marking where the airstrip lay.
Pip gripped the front of his uniform shirt and tried not to squeal as the aeroplane gained momentum, shaking and shuddering and bouncing. They were hurtling so fast, the wind blasting against her face in a way that made it hard to breathe.
Then the world grew light, and Pip was shoved against Fieran. The aeroplane’s wings caught the wind, and then the ground was falling away.
Pip couldn’t stop her squeal this time. It was far too disconcerting to watch the ground disappear while she wasn’t even belted into this rickety aeroplane.
And, yes, it felt rickety, even if she was the mechanic in charge of maintaining it.
The aeroplane muscled its way higher into the sky, the propeller whipping the air, the engine humming with power.
“Look up.” Fieran all but shouted into her ear to be heard over the noise of wind, engine, and propeller.
She tilted her head back and gaped upward at the dome of early evening stars arching overhead.
As the aeroplane leveled out, she relaxed, easing her grip on Fieran’s shirt. Held within his arms, she felt safe despite her somewhat precarious position perched on his lap.
The stars glowed overhead while the lights of the mansion and the headquarters town speckled the land below. In the distance, more lights reflected off the distant Hydalla River as boats traveled the waters and towns bustled next to its banks.
Pip peered over the side, taking in the dark landscape spreading far below. She’d flown once before on that training trip on an airship, but this was far more visceral. The airship was a fortress, but the aeroplane was strangely lonely. Just the two of them in a small contraption with the huge world and even larger sky all around.
She could see why Fieran loved this so much. The lone warrior fighting in the sky would appeal to him.
Pip rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m scared.”
“Of flying?” Fieran wrapped an arm around her waist, piloting the aeroplane with only one hand.
“No.” She half-turned as best she could so that she could wrap both arms around him. “I’m scared of the mission. About what’s going to happen to the squadron while we’re gone. I’m scared that this war will never end, and I’ll have to watch it slowly consume everything and everyone I care about.”
“We aren’t going to let that happen.” Fieran’s arm tightened around her, holding her close even as he eased the aeroplane into a gentle turn. “We’re going to go on that mission. We’ll rescue Pretty Face and any other prisoners held at that facility. My dacha and Uncle Edmund will end the war. And the two of us will have the peace to keeping falling in love.”
That sounded good to her. Especially when Fieran gently pressed a kiss to the top of her hair.
She would have tipped her head up to kiss him, but she didn’t want to distract him while he was flying.
Peace. It sounded like such an elusive dream, even though they’d been at peace not that long ago. This war hadn’t even been happening for a full year, and yet it felt like it was all she’d ever known.
But that wasn’t true. She’d gotten a taste of what peace could feel like while Fieran had been recovering at Aldon and during that meal when she’d introduced Fieran to her parents.
Was it time to let herself dream of what the future could look like after the war?
Chapter
Eleven
Fieran strolled between the groups of elves and humans as they lounged about the parlor and foyer of the mansion. He occasionally stopped by one of the groups to talk before moving on, never staying for too long.
