“And stay out!”

  Maeryn scowled as she was summarily banished from yet another inn. This was the third time in an hour. It almost seemed scripted at this point. She would walk in and request lodgings for two nights for her and her two companions. The innkeeper would smile their customer service smile, and ask for her name and city of origin for their records. And inevitably, when Maeryn admitted she was from Geova, the innkeeper’s smiles would vanish and she would be treated to a rant. And then finally, the innkeeper would glare at her and utterly refuse service.

  At least the rants were a little different between them. Even if they were all based on rumors and racism, it at least kept her from having the worst sort of deja vu.

  The first had challenged Maeryn to prove that her Elders weren’t trying to deplete all the mana to force the Zephyrian sky-cities to the ground and expose them to the Mist. The second had been like the vendor she’d spoken with before, accusing her of trying to find or fabricate evidence to justify a Geovan-Zephyrian war, and wouldn’t listen to a word of Maeryn’s rebuttal. And the last? She’d just stated outright that Geovans were “filthy little earth-grubbers who wouldn’t appreciate the quality” of her inn.

  The insult still burned brightly in Maeryn’s chest, and flickers of fire danced around her fingers as she glared hotly at the inn. It’d be so easy to just take some of the dregs of mana in the air, form a fireball, and really give that racist tin-for-brains a reason to dislike her. One little spell and she could absolutely ruin that stubborn pyrite princess’s day.

  Reluctantly, Maeryn’s closed her fist, swallowing her anger and quenching the flame that came so readily to her. She couldn’t afford to get everyone kicked off Cloudreach. It still rankled fiercely, though.

  “No, that’s stupid. She’s stupid. This whole thing is stupid. And if I cause any trouble, then the mission goes up in flames. Instead of her stupid racist inn.” Maeryn grumpily kicked a pebble as she plopped herself down on a nearby bench. “Depths take it!” she swore, her anger getting the better of her. “I came here to solve the freaking problem, and I’m being blamed for it? I’m sixteen! I wasn’t even old enough to make my own breakfast when the mana depletion really got going, and these people think it’s okay to take their frustrations out on me?! Just because I’m not one of them?!”

  Her voice echoed slightly in the empty street, the intensity of her outburst leaving her breathless. Maeryn buried her face in her hands, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. This wasn’t helping. She needed a plan, not a tantrum.

  “I could pretend to be a Zephyrian, maybe… say I’m from Airspire or something. No, no, then they’ll make small talk and ask about it, and I’ll get caught up in a web of lies. And that won’t help at all.” Maeryn shook her head. “Randomly wandering from inn to inn isn’t getting me anywhere. I need a foot in the door. But how?”

  “Psst!”

  Maeryn blinked and looked around. She didn’t see anyone nearby… was she hearing things?

  “Over here.” Maeryn looked over her shoulder, and caught sight of a boy, maybe about her age, looking right at her from a narrow alley formed between two restaurants. The shadows cast by Cloudreach’s top layer and the neighboring buildings made it difficult to see much about the boy at all: just a dark blue hood and a half-smile crossing his face.

  “C’mon over. I think maybe we can help each other out, but we should have that conversation away from listening ears, don’tcha think?”

  Something about his voice and half-smile gave Maeryn the impression that the boy was honest about looking for an opportunity just as much as she was… enough so that she stood, feeling a flicker of hope tempered with suspicion. This could be just what she needed, but she wasn’t about to let her guard down either.

  “Alright…” she cautiously agreed, and followed the mysterious boy into the alley. They walked in silence for a minute, retreating deeper into the alley, and Maeryn’s eyes slowly adjusted to the lower light enough for her to see more about the boy.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  The hood over his head was actually part of a cloak that reached down to the boy’s knees. From what Maeryn had seen of the people here, cloaks were apparently in style, though, so that didn’t tell her much. The boots the boy wore, however, told a different tale. They were well-worn, and now that she was paying closer attention, Maeryn realized that the boy’s footsteps were very light and quiet - not quite silent, but quiet enough that she would have easily missed the sound if she wasn’t listening for it.

  Was he a pickpocket, perhaps?

  Maeryn kept her observations to herself, continuing to observe what she could of the boy as they turned a corner to go behind one of the buildings facing the street. It was only marginally darker there than in the alleyway, but apparently they’d reached the boy’s intended destination, as he stopped and - almost dramatically - spun in place and sat down on a nearby crate.

  “Right then! You’re a brave one, following me back here. I could’ve had friends ready to jump you or anything. Or maybe you’re just desperate?” Not giving her time to reply, the boy shrugged. “Either way suits me fine. I take it you’re willing to hear me out?”

  “If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have followed you,” Maeryn pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

  “True, true.” The boy rested his elbows on his knees, lacing his fingers together and resting his chin upon them. “The deal’s simple, in the end. You’ve got an airship. I want off this wind-forsaken rock. I help you get your business done here, and you take me… well, anywhere’s fine, really.”

  Huh. Maeryn blinked. “That’s… remarkably straightforward of you. I kind of expected to have to play some kind of word game or something as we felt each other out.”

  The boy gave a lighthearted chuckle. “There’s a time and a place for that, but this ain’t it. You’re not gonna be here for long, and honestly? It’s refreshing to be upfront. I’ve got something you need, you’ve got something I need, and I think we both know that this is a simple trade that leaves us both with what we want.”

  “You know what? I can respect that.” Maeryn nodded. “I’m certainly not in a position to turn down help. I look forward to working with you…”

  “Terrance.” The boy finally lowered his hood, properly revealing his green eyes and bright blond hair. “And you’re Maeryn d’Vert. It’s good to see someone with some sense around here.”

  Maeryn studied him for a moment, then extended her hand. “Likewise, Terrance. Let’s make this work.”

  Terrance shook her hand with a firm grip, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. “Alright then, Maeryn. First things first, though. What exactly are you trying to achieve here on Cloudreach? If there’s a way we can get this done faster, I’m happy to lend my talents, such as they are.”

  “Do you want the whole story or the quick and dirty version?”

  Terrance visibly considered it. “Quick and dirty for now, but I’d like the whole story once we’re settled in an inn.”

  Maeryn nodded in agreement. “Right then. We’re looking for three things: any research on the Mist, any research on the mana depletion, and anyone crazy enough to join us in an attempt to stop it. Oh, and supplies for an extended mission.”

  Terrance opened his mouth, closed it, then held up a finger. “Right. Looking forward to the whole story, then. I’m assuming you’ve got someone talking to the researchers down on Tempest Terrace?”

  “Yeah, Dan’s on that, and Frankie’s getting supplies.”

  The boy nodded. “Here’s the thing. Research on the Mist is one thing, but the researchers working on mana depletion won’t be at Tempest Terrace. Too many explosions, too much chance of an accident.” Terrance frowned and shook his head. “All researchers with any real mana sensitivity were taken out of the public eye years ago. Word on the breeze is that the bigwigs put them in a lab somewhere, though nobody ever agrees on where.”

  Maeryn closed her eyes, counting to five in her head. It was just one more obstacle in her way, but she’d known that this wouldn’t be easy. At least Terrance was giving her some incredibly valuable information. “Okay, well, assuming that they’re still on Cloudreach, they still need the basic necessities: food, water, shelter. And if they’re doing research, they’ll need supplies for that.”

  “I see where you’re going. Track the supply movements, find the researchers.” Terrance nodded. “I can look into that tonight. Don’t ask me how, though.”

  Maeryn bit her tongue. She very much wanted to know how Terrance would get the job done, but in this case, the results were far more important than the methods. Having an ally familiar with the illegal side of things could make things a lot easier, at least for now. “Got it. Now, how’re you planning to get us into an inn?”

  “Oh, Maeryn…” Terrance smiled coyly. “Now that would be telling.”