Free A Tale of Two Airships (Take to the Skies Book 2) by Katherine McIntyre

squeezed the chair tight and let loose a grin. “Huddle around folks, because I’ve got a plan.”

Chapter Seven
     
     
    While the rest of my crew snored through the night, I caught a couple blinks before I sat by the window, watching the sun creep through the blinds. Isabella and Jack had squeezed onto the couch, each taking one corner at first, though as the night wore on, Isabella’s long legs dangled further and further off the couch until her boots hit the floor. Spade leaned against the loveseat, his head drooping forward in slumber. Mordecai laid down on the cushy blankets Viola had spared for us, and though he’d stayed up with me for awhile, after a time he’d drifted off.
    When I skated high on adrenaline in the middle of a fight or running for my life, I’d been able to stave off the worries—just stay in the present. However, in the solitude of the night, those jitters had coursed through my veins and kept sleep at bay. This fear didn’t spring from the bounty we were to embark upon once folks roused themselves, no—the unknown shifted the shadows in my mind. And the searing brand in my heart left when Geoff and the rest of the crew were stolen away. Aboard my girl, I was undefeatable, but take her away from me, and I became as human as anyone else.
    I scratched at my arms, but it didn’t do anything to strike away my fear. A creak from the stairwell drew my attention as Viola made her way down the steps. Even first thing in the morning, the woman managed to pull off poised and composed. She’d already pinned her hair back, and her face had a freshly washed glow. Though a cream blouse and twill skirt was on the simpler side, her pressed and clean attire still struck an elegant note. All of which made me more aware of my state of unwashed and unkempt. My aviator cap did a fair job at hiding the worst of the frizz, but my tangled curls threatened to overtake my cheeks at a moment’s notice.
    “Couldn’t sleep?” she asked upon approach.
    I leaned against the wall before crossing my arms. “Captains don’t sleep. We survive on the tears of our crew and excessive worries.” Though it came out as a joke, the statement dried bitter in my mouth. After all, since I’d become Captain, that had been what laid out for me—I’d risen in tragedy, and we’d been a buck short ever since. The first tendrils of dawn’s cool light filtered in as the heat hadn’t reminded the earth of day yet.
    “Well, you don’t join up with the best bounty hunters in this county and get shoddy work. If you’re worried the bounty will go sour, it must be from deficiencies on your end.” Viola’s knowing tone set my blood ablaze.
    “My crew will pull their weight, don’t you worry,” I started, louder than intended. A small smile rose to her face with the ensuing realization I’d been played like a fiddle. This woman could dance circles around hotheads for days.
    “Dear, you’re too honest for your own good.” She shook her head, amusement written all over her features. With a couple short strides, she entered her kitchen and began to put a kettle on for tea.
    “When you dabble with folks of questionable morals, you cling to yours more fiercely.” I joined her in the kitchen, not wanting our chatter to wake the crew. “We’ve handled so many traitors and turnabouts that I understand more than most the value of an honest man.”
    “An honest thief?” she questioned, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
    “This world of ours is far from perfect.” I shrugged, jamming my hands into my pockets. “When most folks have to pilfer and steal to get by, you start having less and less sympathy for those high and mighty guys hoarding all the gold for themselves.” I eyed her apartment, all the elegant flourishes like the hanging lamps in the center of the kitchen with their black wrought metalwork or the black lacquer countertops with roses carved into the edging. “Makes me question why you’d ever want to be like