Dragon Airways Read Free

reprieve from gravity's persistent embrace.
    —Barabas DeGuiere, dragon rider
     
    * * *
     
    Riette had planned for this. Talk of trouble had been dribbling in for months, mostly centering on those who were special or different. Such people were simply disappearing. She'd had to plan for every eventuality and do everything for Emmet until there was nothing left for her. It had been the nature of her life for some time, but she remained determined to keep her brother safe. It was the last thing her mother had asked of her, and she could not let her down. The very idea left her awash in guilt, and the current circumstances didn't help. Shadows moved and shifted. Even on a normal night, it was dangerous to walk the dark side streets and mist-filled alleys of Sparrowport. Here strangers poured in with every ship, balloon, and now airplanes. It was as if time had accelerated and every day brought new machines and inventions—perhaps too much change too fast.
    While Riette had planned for this, she was far from truly prepared. A few supplies and a meager stash of coin were all she'd been able to set aside in the event someone came looking for them. Now she wished she'd done a great deal more. Emmet had always been different, and it was a matter of time until the Zjhon came looking for him.
    Across the land, news spread of pariahs and outcasts disappearing. No one had done a thing to protect these people or even to investigate what had befallen those who disappeared. Some families had been relieved, a burden removed from their lives, and this made Riette angry, partly because she detested the idea and partly because she longed for that same relief. The last part made her feel dirty and weak. Her mother would not have approved. Squeezing Emmet's hand, she pulled him along through the night, using her knowledge of the streets to get them closer to the port proper and the landing strips without attracting notice. The swishing of her skirts was enough for someone to follow them in the darkness, and Emmet's occasional outbursts made it impossible for them to hide in the shadows as so many did. She could feel their eyes upon her and Emmet, peering through the mists and measuring them. Many had gone into those mists, never to be seen again. Riette quickened her pace in spite of her sturdy leather boots making her footsteps echo in the relative silence.
    A shift in the wind brought the pungent tang of the shoreline and the faint rumble of breakers. The mists parted, revealing an old dock rat watching them. Wearing things her mother would not have used for rags, the man was more desperate than most, which made him absolutely terrifying. Like an alley cat stalking port mice, he watched. Riette quickened her step even more and squeezed Emmet's hand tighter. It was a mistake. He'd been silent until that moment but then let out a squeak and pulled his hand away.
    Stopping, he pointed to the dock rat. "He's dirty."
    Even with a heavy pack already over one shoulder and a few things she just couldn't bear to leave behind clutched to her chest, Riette bent and scooped Emmet from the cobbled stones. Shuffling sounds from behind told Riette all she needed to know and she fled. Running along shiny, mist-slicked cobblestone was inadvisable under the best circumstances, but Riette knew what fate would befall her and her brother if they dawdled.
    An angry shout cut the stillness. Boots rang against stone—too many boots from multiple directions. Dark shadows danced and moved even as first light threatened to clear the mists altogether. Though it hampered their movements, Riette would have much preferred to remain hidden within the fog. It wouldn't take long, though, she knew. Soon Sparrowport would come to life, sending the dock rats scurrying into the remaining shadows, disappearing along with the night. Her home—their home—would wake. In spite of desperate effort, she could move only so far so fast. The noises from behind ceased along with the