I walk out into the shipyard, the sunlight streaming down onto my cheeks. I'm wearing more practical boots this time, men's boots with thick soles and a grip at the bottom. I have trousers again, but they're tailored to fit a bit better. My blouse fits nicely, my jacket is my own, and the goggles I wear don't fall into my face.
Madison waves to me from the deck of one of the airships. He's got a new coat, one that isn't singed to bits. He has a strange contraption on his face- one goggle and one lenseless frame for his mechanical eye. "Hello there, Sophie!"
"Hey, Mads," I call, grinning. "Got everything ready?"
"Yup." He smirks. "We bought fireproof balloons for the ship and everything."
"Ahoy!" Vallagher swings from a rope on the balloons. He has a new tophat, tied on with a cheerful purple scarf. Everything about him looks cheerful, in fact- brightened by his ecstatic smile. His eyes are sparkling with delight.
"Hi there." I wave, then take the hand Madison offers and climb onto the deck.
There's a girl bent over, tinkering with the ship's motor. Her face is scarred, her hands wrapped in fabric, but she's smiling. Her hair has been cropped short, and hangs in a dark curtain that frames her small face.
"Sophie!" Cinda drops her hammer when she sees me, and I don't even mind the oil stain that she leaves on my new coat. These are the dangers of befriending a mechanic. "You ready to learn to fly this thing?"
I'll come back, Mother, I promise. You won't lose me. I square my shoulders, pull down my goggles, and grin. "Ready as I'll ever be."
YOU ARE READING
Lady Ironheart
Historical FictionSophia- 3181 Aldsborough Way. Bring no one. We have much to discuss- and I have your key. Lady Sophia Alderice is perfectly normal, thank you very much- or at least, she likes to consider herself so. Every morning, she must wind her mechanical h...
