𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃
Brynn and her friends have just pulled off an impossible heist-just to be put back in the middle of a war. And with so many things on the line, there's no guarantee that they'll make it out alive, especially Brynn. But s...
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Lucky Crows
Kaz, Zoya, Brynn, and Nikolai traveled to the bay by oxcart. Jesper had told them there were new motorized trucks that had appeared among some of the wealthier merchant families, but they were useless in the narrow streets of the city. Besides, they wanted to be as quiet and inconspicuous as possible.
As soon as they arrived at the cliffs Kaz had proposed for their meetup with the Cormorant, Zoya felt something was off. In the distance, she could see the lights of the naval base twinkling through the fog. But here on the cluff tops, there was an eerie quality to the mist rolling in, and her dragon's mind stirred as if recognizing danger. She could only hope that ancient intelligence would stay quiet. She couldn't afford the emotional cost of the dragon's eye opening, not when they had a mission to complete.
Far below, the beach was little more than a sliver of sand, bright and slender as a crescent moon. Waves broke against thickets of white rocks, jagged, hulking phantoms gathered at the shore as if to stand vigil. They're guarding this place, Zoya thought. No boat was meant to find safe harbor here. And we're not meant to be here either. If the beach outside the naval base was anything like this, Zoya could see why no one attempted to approach from the water. The wind howled over the cliffs, a mournful chorus.
"Going to be tough to bring the airship over the base and have it hover," said Kaz. "There's no way we'll be able to get cargo up and down the lines."
Zoya lifted a hand, settling warmth and calm around them as the wind stilled. "That won't be a problem once I'm aboard."
"Be as subtle as you can," instructed Nikolai. "We don't want the guards realizing they're in the eye of a storm."
"Somehow I'll manage it."
Hoofbeats signaled the arrival of two riders.
"We have a problem," said Jesper, sliding from his horse with ease. Wylan dismounted slowly, clearly less accustomed to the task. "They've locked down the goods."
"How?" asked Kaz and Brynn at the same time, as if they had the same mind.
"They're some kind of new metal shell they've installed, protects cargo from the elements." Wylan and Jesper didn't seem to notice how the two always seemed to be on the same page.
Zoya frowned. "Titanium doesn't rust."
"But there's other cargo in the yard on base," said Kaz.
"Iron," added Brynn. "Potential lumber that will rot if it gets wet. They used to just secure everything with tarps, but I guess the military is getting more particular."
"This wasn't part of the intelligence you gathered?" Zoya asked, her temper rising.
"It must have been installed in the last three weeks. And when you rush a job, you don't get to complain when the job goes wrong."
