SKY OF PAPER: AN ASIAN STEAMPUNK FANTASY

CHAPTER 29

"No, I won't go." It was Mai.

She stood up suddenly and shoved her way through the performers until she was at her brother‘s side and clutched his arm tightly, begging for his help. "Please, don't let them take me up there. I don't want to go. I won't go. I won't."

The governor did not seem to notice the disturbance at first, but when he realized the confused murmurs from his beloved guests, he turned his attention to the stage. A great frown filled his face when he saw Mai screaming like a misbehaving child.

"What’s happening? Why is that girl ruining my party?" The governor looked to his captain, then to his fellow officials for answers. But they all remained in silent bewilderment.

Madame Quoli came out from the stage.

She took Mai by the shoulders and shook some sense into her. It was difficult to make out what she was saying, but judging by the frustrated look on her face, I supposed she was telling her the same frank words she would be telling me if I had become just as unruly.

The governor was still standing on the table when Miss Nishio approached him. She gave a deep, apologetic bow. Even with Quoli doing all she could to bring calm to the girl, Mai was still crying out, as if she were in pain. After a few moments, her brother snagged her away from Quoli and held her close, allowing her to sob in his arms.

"Honestly, screaming like that for no reason," Kassashimei whispered. "And at a party no less. Do you think she's crazy?"

"I don't know," I answered. "But I‘d never seen her so terrified. Something must be wrong."

"Please accept my deepest apologies," Miss Nishio said, bowing again, then looked up at the governor. "But if you would recall the contract that we negotiated, I believe we agreed that the ship would never leave the water while there’s a performance."

"Is that what this ruckus is about?" the governor replied with an annoyed sneer.

"Yes. One of my performers has a dreadful fear of heights. She’s terrified of flying."

"A chienkuu ko who’s afraid of heights?"

At first, I imagined that the governor found all of this strangely humorous. But then he threw his wine glass onto the deck. A few gasps littered the crowd. The man hopped off the table and approached Miss Nishio with an unforgiving, serious look.

"The agreement was that you would fly my ship and entertain my guests. Now I demand that both happen; not one, or the other, but both at once."

"Again, I am sorry." Miss Nishio seemed deeply humbled. But I knew her enough to understand that she was faking her humility. She was a woman that took contracts just as seriously as the governor cared for his guests. Though she didn‘t show it, I knew that she was just as angry that he had betrayed their agreement. "Please allow me to take her off the ship, then I would be more than happy to command my children to take the vessel as high as you please-"

"No," he interrupted. " She does not leave. If you want your money, she is to remain here and cease making such a awful show of herself."

He got onto the table again and started cheering the energy back into his guests.

"Now, who wants to see more fireworks?" He said vibrantly as a waiter studiously handed him another wine glass.

The mood in the crowd seemed to brighten. Immediately, there were smiles, and glasses held up in acknowledgement.

Miss Nishio was upset.

She summoned Meng to her side.

"Get Lai and Mai, we're leaving," she ordered.