Page 113 of Storm to Victory
“Flying with Laesornysh again!”
The flyboys, flygirls, and elven pilots stampeded along the wharf, headed for the tram that would take them up the bluffs toward the sprawling hangars and airfield complex.
As they ran past, Stickyfingers slapped Pretty Face’s back. “I’ll fly you in one of the two-seaters.”
“And you can ride with me, if you want to come.” Lije motioned to Aaruk, who seemed a bit bewildered to find himself towed along in the tide of flyboys.
Pip hurried to join them. “I’ll check the aeroplanes over. I need to make sure their maintenance is up to my standards.”
“Hey, what are you implying? I was one of those maintaining them.” Mak fell into step with her, giving her a teasingly hurt look.
“I’m sure whatever you did is acceptable.” Pip bumped Mak’s shoulder before she waved to Tryndar as she strolled past.
“I’ll come too.” Louise dashed past Fieran to fall in step on Pip’s other side. “I knew my place was at the AMPC, but it would be nice to get a glimpse of what it was like in the field.”
“I suppose I’d better supervise.” Adry trailed after Pip, Mak, and Louise, gathering Ellie and Kari as she went. “And once the two of you get back from flying, the three of us can have a tea party. Maybe we can even convince Merrik to join us.”
“Yes!” both younger girls yelled at once as they each grabbed one of Merrik’s hands and dragged him along.
Still grinning so widely his face hurt, Fieran turned in that direction as well, shifting Tryndar so that his brother was perched on his shoulders.
Within short order, Fieran had Tryndar buckled in on his lap in his aeroplane as it rolled forward, headed for the airfield. He’d even managed to get official clearance to take his squadron up on a flight, although Colonel Dentley was unaware that three children and a civilian ogre would be going along.
Tryndar had a much-too-large flight cap pulled over his head while the band of the goggles he wore had been tied in the back to make them small enough to fit his head. Fieran wore his ownflight cap and goggles, and he’d tucked Tryndar partially into his flight jacket to keep him warm enough.
Turning the aeroplane’s nose to line up on the airfield, Fieran glanced over his shoulder at where Merrik had positioned the two-seater in the wingman position. Ellie and Kari were crammed side-by-side in the back seat, buckled in together and also wearing spare sets of goggles and flight caps.
Merrik waved, his teeth showing in a wide grin.
Fieran grinned back and faced forward as he sent the aeroplane hurtling down the airfield.
Tryndar shrieked and cackled, his silver-blond hair flapping free and into Fieran’s face.
As the aeroplane grew light, Fieran pulled back on the control stick, and the aeroplane rose into the sky. Just behind them, Merrik’s aeroplane soared as well, taking up that familiar position at Fieran’s tail.
When the aeroplane gained more altitude, Fieran sent it into a gentle curve, tipping it on its wing. On the airfield, the rest of the squadron was taking off two by two, rising into the sky to join him and Merrik.
By the hangar, Pip, Mak, Adry, Louise, Dacha, Mama, Uncle Iyrinder, and Aunt Patience had lined up, shading their eyes as they peered upward.
Fieran tapped Tryndar’s shoulder and pointed. “Look. They’re watching. Wave.”
Tryndar leaned in that direction and waved. Fieran matched his gesture, not sure if those on the ground would be able to see it from that far away.
Yet moments later, the whole line of those watching waved back.
As he returned his hands to the control stick, Tryndar placed his smaller hands over Fieran’s, as if he wanted to help fly.
Another glance around showed that the squadron was assembling behind him. Rothilion with Aylia as his wingelf. Stickyfingers in a two-seater with Pretty Face in the rear seat. Lije, with Aaruk in the second seat of his two-seater, and Tiny. All the other men and women, both elf and human, who had formed the Half-Breed Squadron.
Fieran gave a whoop and laughed at the sheer rush sweeping through him.
The war might be over, but he still had his aeroplane. He had his squadron. And he had the bright blue sky stretching before him. Nothing was going to hold him back.
Fieran saton the edge of the wooden platform beside his tent at Fort Defense, the setting sun warm against the back of his neck, the eastern horizon lit with the blue glow of the new Wall he, Dacha, Adry, Louise, and Rhohen created after flooding Mongavaria with their magic. Perhaps, once the official peace treaty was signed and the tensions finally eased, the Wall would retreat into the ground, as it had been in Fieran’s childhood.
With a sigh, Merrik slowly lowered himself to sit on the platform next to Fieran.
A long, comfortable silence settled between them, filled with the steady hum of large vehicles, distant voices, and tromping boots. All the familiar sounds of an army base.
