Free The Unwilling Aviator (Book 4) by Heidi Willard Page B

Canto asked him.
    "A short while ago. It's located on the opposite end of the valley to the stone," Ned told him.
    Percy smiled. "That makes this adventure rather boring. Now we need only win the stone for ourselves."
    "Or steal it if Ned's plan to kill his apprentice doesn't work," Pat added.
    Ned straightened and coughed. "Well, it's not fool proof, but we have begun other adventures with worse fortunes."
    "That's enough talking for one night, and not nearly enough drinking," Canto protested. He looked to Percy. "Yer with me, and the rest of ya can follow."
    Percy smirked. "Wanting the pleasure of my company?" he wondered.
    "Nope. Wanting somebody to cover my back in case we get lucky and find ourselves in a fight, now let's get going," Canto replied. The dwarf strode out of the room.
    Percy shrugged and turned to the others. "He is so eloquent with words that it seems I have no choice. Anyone care to join me?"
    Pat shook her head. "I'll help Ruth find a way up the cliffs and see her off."
    "There are stairs in the northern most point of the city. They lead up to the cliffs where the aviators spread their wings," Ned told her.
    Percy bowed at the waist. "Then I wish you good hunting, and hopefully we all survive the night." He hurried after Canto.
    Ned turned to Fred. "This will be the perfect opportunity for you to see the cliffs yourself, young aviator. No one but the stray tourist visits them at night."
    Fred cringed. "I'd rather stay-"
    "We would appreciate your company," Ruth interrupted him. He looked to her and she smiled in return.
    Fred sighed and nodded. "When do we leave?"
    "Right now. Ruth needs all the time she can get to practice," Pat spoke up.

CHAPTER 11
     
    A few minutes later Pat, Fred, and Ruth stepped outside the inn and listened to the noises of the stone city. There were loud arguments, drunken singing, brawls, and that was just from the inn behind them.
    Ruth looked to her two companions. "Who should lead us? I am afraid I am very lost in such a sprawling city."
    "We just need to head north, so we'll follow the streets until we reach the stairs. It shouldn't be too hard," Pat pointed out.
    While those three wound their way through the countless city blocks, Canto and Percy were already a half a city away exploring the nightlife. The streets were lined with torches strapped to poles above the heads of the crowds. There were not quite as many people as earlier in the day, but their boisterousness made up for the fewer voices. Drunken men and women staggered through the streets with their arms slung over one another's shoulders and singing off-tune. In the distance dogs howled in tune with the drunks, and between them no respectable person caught a wink of sleep.
    Percy walked behind the experienced dwarf and looked around at the lit buildings with their doorways filled with beautiful women tempting them like mermaids to their seas of drink. Men jostled each other for the attentions of the women, and fights broke out so often that on every corner was a twinner at the ready to resolve disputes.
    Percy leaned down to Canto's ear. "What adventure were we hoping to find?" he asked the dwarf.
    "What fun is it if ya look for adventure? The adventure has to come to ya to be a real one," Canto countered.
    "We may find more than we can handle here," Percy argued.
    "Bah," Canto replied. His eyes fell on a large drinking establishment with a half dozen women standing on either side of the swinging doors. A grin slipped onto his whiskered face. "Let's start adventuring in there," he suggested, and marched over to that bar.
    Percy sighed and shook his head, but followed behind his mentor in fun. Canto took a moment to admire the products outside, and then the pair walked through the doors into the smoke-filled establishment. A long bar sat at the far end of the left-hand wall and was crowded with society's castoffs, including dark-cloaked assassin types, pimps, gamblers, politicians, and slave traders. Between the