Free Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull

bear.
    “It’s about time!” the man boomed. “No more sending our top shaper away on elongafied excursions. Did you see Carnag?”
    “No. Saw some refugees. Reports have it well into Sambria, near Riverton.”
    “I keep hearing the most outlandish stories. If it heads this way, we’ll help it off the Brink. The trading went well?”
    “Very well,” Durny said. “I even acquired some new blood.”
    “Are they vending slaves in Mariston these days?”
    “We crossed the path of a caravan.”
    “You only bought one?”
    “I’d used up most of my cash fund, but he’s an interesting candidate. Fresh from Earth.”
    The man on the throne shifted his attention to Cole. “How’d you end up here?”
    “Slavers kidnapped my friends,” Cole explained. “I wanted to help them.”
    “You came through on your own?” Durny asked.
    Cole decided there probably wasn’t much reason to hide that detail anymore. “Yeah. I followed them through. I wanted to rescue my friends. You can guess how well it went.”
    “You got nabbed.” The man on the throne chuckled, slapping his thigh. “Steep price to pay for helping your mates. Unfortuitous. Well, if a bondmark is your fate, you’ve landed at the right place.”
    “Ansel didn’t mention you came here voluntarily,” Durny said.
    “I didn’t tell him,” Cole replied.
    Durny nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at the man on the throne. “The lad doesn’t mind an edge.”
    “I would hope not,” the man blustered. “You have a name?”
    “I’m Cole.”
    “Adam Jones. I’m the greedy bone-picker who runs this operation. I answer to ‘Your Majesty,’ ‘Your Excellentness,’ and ‘Adam.’ We’ll call you Cole until you earn something better.” Adam looked at Durny. “Did you explain the way of things here?”
    “The boy needed to learn his new station,” Durny said.
    “Ah, sensible—new slave and whatnot.” Adam focused back on Cole. “A slave won’t find a deal like working as a Sky Raider in most corners of the Outskirts. I was once a slave too. Most of us were. You won’t get typical treatment here. Not from us.” His eyes grew serious. “You’re lucky. You only had the littlemost taste of slave life. Be glad you’ll never really know what you’re missing.”
    Cole nodded.
    “You’re new, so you’ll have to pay your dues, take some ribbing, perform some distasteful chores. But you won’t always be the greenest recruit at Skyport. The more seniority you gain, the better it gets. You can even earn your freedom. The catch? You might die tomorrow.”
    Cole had been feeling better until that final statement. “Really?”
    “Sky Raiders risk their lives on every mission,” Adamsaid. “For the first season or two, you’ll serve as a scout, risking your neck more than anyone. Being careful, smart, and quick can help you survive. Still, part of it is the luck of the draw. We lost a good young scout last week.”
    “Who?” Durny asked.
    “Fiddler.”
    Durny made a pained expression. “Too bad.”
    “Lively boy of fourteen,” Adam continued. “He’d almost earned his way out of scout service. Takes fifty missions. He was four short. Fiddler came up against something no man could have outrun. His death showed the crew that an unfightable predator occupied the castle. His sacrifice saved lives. It’s noble work. We always need more scouts.” Adam winked. “And now we have one.”
    Cole felt sick with dread. Heights were one thing. Monstrous predators like the stuffed superbear in the corner were another. “Do I have to?”
    Adam laughed heartily. “What a question! Nobody would volunteer as a scout. You’re a slave until you work it off. This is how you start. There are no other choices. Last long enough, and someday you could become a partner, wealthy and comfortable. Until then, you’ll do your part to embiggen the organization.”
    Cole nodded grimly, trying not to let his terror show. “What are my chances?”
    Adam looked at