Free Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon Page A

the kettle on and start lunch and you can sit by the oven and warm up. I don’t know what that boy was thinking, taking you topside so close to the Secondary. You could have been blown right off the deck! Honestly, I wonder where his brain is sometimes,’ she huffed, shaking her head to herself as she led Cat through to the kitchen.
    â€˜But it was so pretty, Alice, the storms were incredible! I’ve never seen a storm that close up before,’ Cat replied, a dreamy smile lighting her face. Alice took a long look at her as she filled the kettle, then laughed.
    â€˜That’s another one hooked,’ she remarked. ‘You’ll never stay on land for longer than a week from now on. That’s what my Harry is like – the longest he stayed in one place was when he was courting me, and even then he whisked me away after three and a half weeks.’
    â€˜Sounds awfully romantic,’ said Cat.
    Alice grinned at her, a reminiscent look in her eyes.
    â€˜It was. Especially considering he hardly has a romantic bone in his body. That’s something you should remember, poppet, for when you’re older. The best way to a woman’s heart is romance, plain and simple.’
    Cat ducked her head to hide a grin.
    â€˜What are you making?’ she asked as Alice began to pull supplies from cupboards.
    â€˜Beef and tomato sandwiches.’
    â€˜Sounds brilliant! I love tomatoes.’ Cat’s words earned her an odd look.
    â€˜You’ve had them before?’
    Cat was perplexed by the question, then remembered that most common people would never have had tomatoes. Even her father had only ever got them off the black market.
    â€˜Uh, just once,’ she said hastily. She’d have to be more careful. ‘Friend of mine was in the black market. Is there anything I can do to help?’ she queried, hoping to move on swiftly.
    â€˜You can slice the bread for me, if you like. I must say, I’m not used to boys knowing their way around the kitchen. I’ve tried to teach the others, but they’re so hopeless it’s best they stay well away.’ Alice slid the loaf of bread over to Cat.
    Just as she was getting started, the kettle began to whistle, and Alice turned to make three mugs of tea. She set two of them on a tray.
    â€˜There you are, dear, take that up to Harry and Ben in the control room. Be careful on the ladder,’ she added with a pointed look.
    Cat nodded, and taking the small tray she hurried from the kitchen.
    It took longer than she would have liked to figure out how to climb the ladder without spilling the drinks, but she managed it, eventually.
    â€˜Tea,’ she announced, drawing the attention of both men.
    â€˜Fantastic. Thanks, lad. Any idea when lunch will be ready?’ Harry asked, downing half his cup in one go.
    â€˜Alice was just putting sandwiches together when I left. How far are we from Siberene now?’ she queried.
    â€˜About sixty miles,’ Ben answered. ‘So we should be there in an hour or two. Tell Alice I’ll pass on lunch today, will you? I can’t leave the wheel. We’re only a little way into the Secondary.’
    They left the pilot to his work and as Harry shut the door behind him, he chuckled.
    â€˜I bet two coppers that Matt takes his lunch up as soon as he hears Ben’s not coming down.’
    â€˜Even I know that’s a fool’s bet,’ Cat retorted, earning a hearty laugh and a clap on the shoulder.
    â€˜You learn fast, lad. Then again, a blind man could see those two are joined at the hip,’ Harry conceded, hoisting himself down the ladder after Cat. ‘Actually, I wanted to talk to you. How do you feel about pickpockets?’
    Cat stared at him, confused by the random question.
    â€˜They’re not the worst people in the world,’ she answered slowly, remembering how she’d let that boy steal her father’s watch. ‘Why?’
    â€˜It’s