Free Emilie and the Sky World by Martha Wells

the newspapers were probably going to anyway, but–” Her voice strangled in her throat when a young man clattered down the steps, prodded by Seth.
    It was Efrain.
     
     

Chapter Four
    Emilie stared. “You…” she began, and couldn’t seem to get any further.
    Miss Marlende clapped a hand over her eyes. “Oh, for the…”
    Seth stepped off the stairs, watching Efrain warily. “Emilie, you know this kid?”
    Apparently seeing that Emilie’s jaw was locked with rage, Daniel answered, “He’s her brother.” He added grimly, “He came to the airyard with another relative who was trying to force her to leave.”
    Cobbier eyed Efrain without favor. He was an older man, short and stocky, with sparse hair and dark brown skin and a normally good-humored expression. He had been with Dr Marlende the longest. “This isn’t a joke, son. This is an important job we’re doing, and we don’t have time for shenanigans.”
    Efrain lifted his chin stubbornly. “You have my sister onboard. I’m couldn’t leave her here unchaperoned.”
    The rage obstruction in Emilie’s throat finally gave way at that. She said, in a particularly acid tone she hadn’t known she possessed, “ Unchaperoned ? Miss Marlende is right here, with her mother, Professor Abindon. I am better chaperoned than I ever was at home.”
    From Efrain’s expression, she might have punched him in the stomach. He said, “Oh. Uncle Yeric didn’t mention that.”
    “Of course he didn’t, because he’s a horse’s ass. And these are all respectable men, not the sort of people you and Uncle Yeric evidently keep company with.”
    Efrain glared. “That’s ridiculous! And it’s not what I–”
    Miss Marlende began, “Emilie! And young man, you–”
    “How is the fuel mix working?” Lord Engal strode in. “Are you taking notes? Who is checking the gauges?” He looked around at them all. “Well? What’s the…” He noticed Efrain and frowned. “He’s new. Are you new? Who are you? Is Dr Marlende raiding the primary schools for students now?”
    Efrain opened his mouth but couldn’t seem to answer. Seth said, “He’s Emilie’s brother, my lord. He stowed away without her knowledge.”
    Lord Engal stared for a moment, then shook his head in exasperation. He turned to Emilie. “So it runs in the family, does it?”
    “Apparently,” she admitted grudgingly. “I won’t do it again now that I know what it’s like from the other end.”
    Lord Engal didn’t appear to know how to respond to that. He finally said, “Well, see that you don’t.” He turned and walked back out of the cabin.
    Efrain watched him go, bewildered. “So… he’s not going to do anything about me?”
    “He’s not in charge of this expedition. My father, Dr Marlende is,” Miss Marlende explained. She sighed. “And it’s not as if there’s anything we can do with you.”
    “We could toss him off the ship,” Emilie said darkly. “That’s what Lord Engal wanted to do to me aboard the Sovereign .”
    Lord Engal strode back in. “I never said that, you ungrateful child. We are a civilized society; we do not throw people out of moving vehicles of any sort.” He eyed Efrain without favor. “You’ll just have to find something useful to do while you’re here.” He turned and went out again.
    Efrain lifted his chin, apparently emboldened by the fact that no one was shouting at him. “You could take me and Emilie back to the ground.”
    That was the last straw on an already badly strained donkey’s back, as far as Emilie was concerned. She took what she was fairly certain was a menacing step forward. “I wasn’t joking about throwing him off the ship. He’s endangering the whole expedition.”
    Efrain glared at her. “You wouldn’t.”
    Miss Marlende caught the collar of Emilie’s jacket and pulled her back. “She might if suitably provoked, but I’m afraid I’ll have to forbid it. And we can’t take you back. We have to enter the aether current at