Masters of the Sky

Chapter 32 Intervention

Celia sat at her desk in her captain's cabin. She didn't have to be here, as the annual Raised Cities Confederation gala was starting in an hour, and she was already dressed up, so there was nothing here for her to do.

And yet, she couldn't help but come here. She slid her hand on the wooden desktop. It wasn't smooth but covered in little dents and chip-offs. This table, as so many other things onboard Percy and the ship itself, was salvaged. Theo found it in some decrepit warehouse and gave it to some acquaintance who brought it back to its immaculate shape. Gabriel joked that he could buy her a brand-new desk without defects, but she refused. She smiled wistfully. This desk was scarred and flawed, just like her. In a way, they were perfect for each other.

Celia rested her head on the back of the chair, looking at the wooden ceiling. This was her place, on this ship, in this cabin, with a fancy hat on her head. She never had any doubts about that. But now, she was so busy with other things that she barely had time to come here. She had lived with Gabriel in a guest apartment near the governor's manor for the past two weeks. It was more practical since they were so busy attending the parties and convincing the most important people in Iron Shore that the expansion across the mountains was the way to save them all.

She would lie if she said she was not enjoying this situation. Spending all this time with Gabriel was exhilarating. Waking up next to him every morning, watching him through the day as he cast his charming spell on people, learning the meaning behind every staged smile and gesture, and discovering that there was a smile he shared only with her alone. They worked together perfectly. He was the face and the leader who pulled people to join their cause, while she was the hands, ensuring there would be a safe passage for them to cross when the time came and getting rid of any obstacles.

But sometimes, when she was lying awake at night in a soft, comfy bed, held in Gabriel's warm embrace, her mind couldn't find its peace. The question kept nagging her: had she done all this to realise her dream of freedom? Or did she get so caught up in the gleaming new life and important new persona of the governor's privateer that she lost her way?

A knock on the door startled her back from her reverie. She frowned, as she did not expect anyone to be left on Percy this late in the evening, as she was safely docked in the part of the harbour reserved for the government ships. "Come in."

Celia's brows raised as the door opened, and Theo, Abner, Lyra and Zed came in, their faces solemn.

"Boss!" Sir Prancer screeched, jumped off Theo's arm, and landed on Celia's shoulder, tickling her cheek with his feathers. He bobbed his head. "Crackers?"

Celia laughed and scratched the parrot's head. "Sorry, buddy. I have no crackers on me today." She waved toward her elegant, pocketless corset.

"Bad Boss!" Sir Prancer shouted, deeply offended, and flew away, landing on a shelf.

She turned to look at her friends, who all stood in front of her desk with their lips tightly closed. She raised a brow. "What? If you have something to say, out with it, I don't have all day, you know."

"Why? Do you have another party to attend?" Theo asked bitter tones sipping into his voice.

"Well, yes, indeed I have. The most important one thus far, but you should all be aware of that since we've discussed it already."

"See, the problem is...." Abner chipped in, pulling on his moustache. "We lost track of your social schedule. Since all you do lately is go to this party or that."

Celia crossed her arms. "Do you think I go there to play? To drink myself silly and eat fancy food? We've already established that I work to get us more funds─"