Page 39 of Storm to Victory
Merrik slumped even more, his hands in his pockets. “I do not know if I am enough. If I am whole enough. I have barely learned to walk again. I do not know if I can be what the squadron needs me to be. What Adry will need me to be.”
Fieran rested his hand on Merrik’s shoulder again, but for a long moment, he didn’t speak. This wasn’t a time for quick, thoughtless words but for thinking everything through before he opened his mouth. “You will be strong for the squadron, and the squadron will be strong for you. You won’t be doing this alone.”
Merrik released a shuddering breath, but he raised his head, his shoulders straightening.
“You will have a hard-fought battle ahead of you. But you will protect my sister and the squadron, and they will protect you.” Fieran gave Merrik a slight slap on the back. “You will be a great captain. I’m only sad that I won’t be here to see it.”
If he was here, then Merrik would never have this opportunity to step forward. Without being prompted, Merrik likely wouldn’t put himself into such a leadership position.
But he would be good at it. Excellent, even.
“Linshi.” After a moment, Merrik’s smile returned, even if it still had a melancholy tilt.
Together, the two of them kept a peaceful vigil, even as the night grew deeper and the stars burned brighter overhead.
Chapter
Twelve
Fieran sat in the second seat of the aeroplane, tapping his fingers against his legs since he didn’t have anything to do with his hands. He held two large packs of supplies on his lap while his swords—now lethally sharpened by Pip’s cousin—rested across his back.
Darkness closed around the aeroplane, the chill even more pronounced this high up. Fieran wore his flight jacket, cap, and goggles, but he had to wiggle his toes in his regular army boots to keep them warm, despite the wool socks he wore. He would need the stiffer soles of his regular boots rather than the soft leather flight boots, which would lack traction.
Merrik sat in the front pilot seat, guiding the aeroplane through the sky by the instruments lit with a blue elven light.
Across the sky, more faint blue lights marked where the rest of the squadron flew, lights that would be covered if the squadron spotted enemy aeroplanes.
In the darkness, Fieran couldn’t see the other two-seaters where Pip, Dacha, and Uncle Edmund were riding, those aeroplanes piloted by Lije, Aylia, and Stickyfingers.
Merrik’s head moved as he checked the instruments. His voice echoed in Fieran’s ears through the radio built into hiscap. “Half-Breed, we are five miles out. Prepare to go into battle formation.”
Fieran was now tapping his fingers and his feet. It was strange to sit here without a control column in his hand or a rudder bar at his feet, simply a passenger while someone else commanded his squadron.
At least that someone else was Merrik. He had no doubt that Merrik would take care of the squadron and command it well.
Fieran leaned forward and pulled the receiver sewn into the flaps of his flight cap away from his face so that the radio wouldn’t pick up his next words. He reached out and gripped Merrik’s shoulder. “Merrik, I…”
For a moment, his words failed him, a lump clogging his throat. What could he say at this moment?
In some ways, he and Merrik had already said everything that needed to be said before they’d ever climbed into the aeroplane for this mission. Fieran had said his goodbyes to Mak, Lije, Stickyfingers, Aylia, Tiny, and the rest of the squadron. What else was there to say?
Merrik half-turned in his seat, his face mostly hidden behind the goggles and his flight cap. He gave a nod, as if he didn’t think any more words were needed.
Perhaps they weren’t.
But Fieran couldn’t help but speak them anyway. He squeezed Merrik’s shoulder. “Take care of my sister.”
Merrik gripped the control column in one hand as he pulled the flap of his flight cap away from his mouth as well, raising his voice to be heard over the rush of the wind and hum of the engine. “You know I will.”
“Yes, but she will need you more than ever, now that she will be fighting alone.” Fieran couldn’t put as much meaning into his voice since he had to shout. But perhaps Merrik would hearwhat he wasn’t saying anyway. The way he was stepping back, acknowledging the place that belonged to Merrik in Adry’s life.
“Not entirely alone. She will have Rhohen.” The flight cap didn’t hide Merrik’s lopsided smile.
“Don’t remind me.” If Fieran thought about the fact that Adry would be fighting this war with only Rhohen as magical backup, he might demand that Merrik turn this aeroplane around.
Merrik nodded again, more solemnly this time. “I’ll take care of her.”
“And take care of the squadron.” Fieran gave Merrik’s shoulder a slight shake. “Be the legendary leader I know you can be.”
