Free The Unwilling Aviator (Book 4) by Heidi Willard

senile castor. "Have you lost all your wisdom? What mad plan can you have that needs this man?"
    "In due time. First we must carry away our treasure and hide it away before someone mistakes him for a victim of kidnapping rather than our guest," Ned insisted.
    "We are kidnapping him!" Pat argued.
    "Ya might need help with him. He looks heavy," someone quipped. The three turned to the head of the alley and found Canto with Percy and Ruth standing behind him.
    Ned smiled. "Heavier than one would guess for an aviator."
    "We can't do this!" Pat protested.
    Canto glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "Ya got a better idea?"
    "We don't even know Ned's idea," she pointed out. Everyone turned to stare at Ned.
    "I am curious to know what is going on in that head of yours," Percy agreed with her.
    Ned straightened and cleared his throat. "If you insist-"
    "We demand," Pat corrected him.
    "My ingenious plan is to keep this poor man out of danger while one of us impersonates him, enters the tournament, and wins it. Then we will release him," Ned explained to them. "His name will be honored, and he will win fame and glory. We will have our stone, and then destroy it. It's a win-win situation for us all."
    Pat crossed her arms and nodded her head to Ruth. "Have you even thought how Ruth is going to impersonate a man? Women can't go up," she reminded him.
    Ned chuckled. "She isn't going to impersonate this man. She is going to impersonate a squire and direct the kite while Fred flies above her as the aviator."
    Fred's head whipped up and he struggled to his feet. "No. Nonononono. I'm not going up in one of those things," he refused. He pointed at Percy. "Make him do it."
    Ned chuckled and shook his head. "He isn't as light as you, and in these machines weight is very important. The lighter the passengers the more maneuverable the kite."
    Pat dropped her arms to her side, and one hand fell on the butt of her sword. "This is madness! None of us knows anything about these kites and-"
    "I would like to try this," Ruth spoke up. All eyes turned to the meek gargoyle girl. She blushed and looked to the ground. "If Fred doesn't mind." Everyone swiveled their heads to Fred.
    He cringed, but the pleading look from Ruth made him meekly nod his head. "I guess we can give it a try," he reluctantly agreed.
    "Very brave of you, my boy," Ned commented. He patted the boy on the ground. Fred lost his muddy footing on the slick ground and his legs slipped out from under him. He crashed to the ground chin-first and sank into the muck. Ned chuckled, grabbed the young man by the back of the collar and helped him up. "You must be a bit more careful there, my apprentice. You are a very important part of this plan and we wouldn't want you hurt." Fred clutched onto the side of the inn and scowled at his master. Ned ignored the look and turned to Canto and Percy. "If you gentlemen would assist us then we may get out new companion safely upstairs through the back stairs."
    Pat frowned. "How do you know there is a backstairs?" she asked him.
    "You didn't think I was waiting here in the dark all this time merely to knock this poor fellow out?" Ned returned.
    "I could believe such a thing," she grumbled.
    "It so happens I inspected the area thoroughly, and since there are no more objections let us carry our friend back into the inn," Ned insisted.
    Canto and Percy hefted the man's arms across their shoulders and followed Ned down the alley and around the right-hand corner. There was a single, decrepit back door with a half dozen steps leading up to the entrance. Ned opened that to reveal a rear hallway with a narrow stairwell to their right and a doorway farther down that led to the kitchen. They slunk inside, up the narrow stairs, and popped onto the second floor beside Percy and Canto's room. The pair dragged their captive around the corner into their room while the other four followed them inside. Ned closed the door and turned around to see Ruth grab a chair for their