Page 35 of Storm to Victory
She knew exactly what she’d been thinking. That she couldn’t let Fieran go off alone. She couldn’t stay behind for weeks on end, wondering if he was still alive. More, she had to be at his side to ensure that he didn’t do something reckless and get himself killed since Merrik was staying behind.
Yet despite her show of determination with her brother, her stomach twisted into painful knots. How was she going to do this?
With the crunch of boots on the gravel, Fieran strolled along the line of aeroplanes before he halted next to her. He lowered himself to sit on the stone step next to her, close enough that their shoulders brushed. “Are you all right?”
“Just second-guessing a few life decisions.” Pip leaned against him, needing to be held close.
Fieran wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer. “You don’t have to go. My dacha and uncles won’t force you if you decide you don’t want to do this.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and searched her heart for long moments. Did she want to back out? Just tell everyone that it was too much. That she just wasn’t brave enough.
It was so tempting. The words hovered on the tip of her tongue, a sense of relief filling her at the thought of not going.
With the last shreds of her courage, she swallowed back the words. When she finally spoke, she whispered, “But you’re still going, aren’t you?”
Fieran hesitated before he released a long breath. “Yes. If this could destroy those machines before any more of my family is put at risk, then I have to go. And if Pretty Face is there…”
“Then we can’t leave him there.” Pip clenched her fists in her lap, even as some of the knots in her stomach loosened.
Losing Pretty Face had hit their group of friends hard. If there was a chance he was still alive, that she and Fieran could rescue him, then they’d have to take it.
“No, we can’t.” Fieran tightened his arm around her shoulders for a moment.
“Then that’s it. I’m going.” The words were flat as they came out of her mouth, but a sense of peace, far sharper than the relief of a moment ago, washed through her.
Staying here would be the easy thing. But if this war had taught her anything, it was that she had to face the hard things in life.
“In that case…” Fieran released his grip on her shoulder, stood, and held out his hand. “Come on. We’re going to fly.”
“What?” She stared at his hand, trying to comprehend his words.
“The first time you fly in an aeroplane shouldn’t be on this mission.” Fieran waggled his fingers, his hand still between them. “I’m going to take you on a flight tonight.”
Even as she placed her hand in his, she shook her head. “Do you have permission to do this?”
“I’m a major. I gave myself permission.” Fieran grinned as he hauled her to her feet.
Pip shook her head and fell into step with him as they strode down the gravel drive toward the shapes of the aeroplanes parked at the edge of the dark airfield.
But as they halted beside one of them, the fading light fell on the elf ear surrounded by hair-flames and blue bolts of magic.
“Uh, Fieran.” Pip gripped his arm and gestured to the aeroplane. “That’s your aeroplane. Not one of the two-seaters.”
“Well,somemechanic grounded the two-seaters in order to make sure they had a full refit before their upcoming mission.” Fieran bumped into her, raising his eyebrows as he glanced down at her.
Oh, right. That would be her.
“But there’s only one seat.” Pip pointed at the aeroplane ahead of them.
“Then it’s a good thing you’re nicely travel-sized.” Fieran grinned before he grabbed the chocks holding the wheels in place, setting them to one side. He leapt onto the toe step, swung into the cockpit with easy movements, and settled into his seat, still grinning. “Come on.”
This might be the craziest thing she’d ever done. Pip gripped one of the wing struts and stuck her toe in the step, her knee halfway to her chin. With a heave, she boosted herself up.
Fieran gripped her hand to steady her as she scrambled, stumbled, and tumbled into the cockpit. For a moment, the two of them were all awkward limbs as they tried to find a way to sit so that Fieran could still reach the rudder bar and the control stick.
She eventually found herself sitting on his lap with her legs tucked to one side of his. She hadn’t snuggled quite this much with him since those moments after they’d learned his cousin Myles had been killed. Both of his arms were looped around her as he flicked the switch to turn on the engine.
The whining whir of the propeller and the hum of the engine filled the air, breaking the stillness of the night.
