Gulping, she looked at her boots. “I’m not good at it. I couldn’t even get the engine to tell me her secrets.”
“This is less complex. I need you to come up top and deflect cannon balls. I’ll defend you with the gatling gun so you may work.” Impatience stirred within him—they had to move. Now.
“I … ” She shook her head and swallowed hard. “Let me ask Winky to watch the engines and I’ll be right up.”
“Hurry,” he hissed.
When he emerged up top, the biting cold sliced through his shirt, chilling him to the bone. It was too late to get a coat. He’d have to make due.
Holding onto the icy rails, Kevighn made his way to Asa. “Asa, I’ll take over—you go man the front guns.”
With a grateful nod, the large man undid the belt and rope anchoring him to the ship and unceremoniously gestured to the large gun mounted on a tripod and affixed to the stern. “Thanks.”
Asa disappeared into the ship without another word. Kevighn spied Winky up in the crow’s nest with a spyglass. Pink and orange tinged the sky.
“Winky!” Kevighn cupped his hands hoping his voice carried. “Noli needs your help with the engines.”
Winky scrambled down the pole with surprising agility for a little old man. Straightening his striped hat, he peered at Kevighn through his spectacles. “Did you say Noli needs help?”
Kevighn nodded. “Down below. She’s looking for you.”
“Of course.” He scurried below, leaving Kevighn alone.
The cannon ships loomed in the distance, air patrol flags flying high. These were simple brown military vessels, not much more than a tiny cabin with cannons on all sides hanging from a singular hydrogen-filled balloon.
They were meant for two things—chasing ships and shooting them down. Soon they’d be in firing range. Kevighn blew on his gloveless fingers to warm them, praying she came up soon.
Magnolia emerged wearing a fancy cape, a bonnet, and kidskin gloves with little pearls. Her fine clothing looked out of place but it probably was warm.
“I don’t know what to do.” Her gaze fixated on the two cannon ships in the distance on the starboard side.
“Cannon balls are metal. What you need to do is deflect them.” He readied the gatling gun, filling the clip with bullets from a nearby trunk of ammo, the trunk bolted to the deck for that specific purpose.
Her face screwed up in confusion. “How?”
Kevighn fingered a long, smooth bullet, then dropped it in the clip. “Tell it to move, deflect it with magic, do whatever you need to do. You could even send it back and hit their ship. You just have to keep them from hitting us or we’re all dead.”
“Dead?” she squeaked, paling until she matched her dainty white gloves.
“Dead.” He hated to scare her, but it was the truth. There’d be time to comfort her later.
For a moment her expression went blank and she went eerily still, like a breathing statue. Her eyes opened and for a moment he wondered which girl would speak.
“I think we can do it.” His Magnolia gazed at the looming craft with fearful eyes.
A warning shot boomed from one of the two ships. At least they were both starboard. It would make her job easier.
“Stand wherever you need to and tie yourself to the rail.” He handed her the rope. “Hurry.”
She took the rope and ran starboard side.
He finished loading the gun and prepared to protect her. A gatling gun was no match for a cannon, but by the Bright Lady, he’d do what he needed to do—even if it meant setting fire to the cannon ships. If only he were better at fireballs.
Shivering from the biting cold, as the wind whipped at her cape and hair, Noli tied herself to the railing.
What do we have to do again? the sprite asked.
They’ll shoot a metal ball at us. We can’t let it hit our ship. Internally, Noli shook as the full weight of what she needed to do pressed down on her—especially since she had to rely on the sprite.
But what do we do with it?
Noli remembered what Kevighn said. We can send it away or back to them.
Oh, like Mintonette! The sprite rippled with excited.
What? Noli made sure the knot was good and tight, fingers stiff with cold through her gloves. The sun peeked over the horizon, the sky streaked with color.
When we play Mintonette with Breena and Nissa, we lob the ball over the net and we can’t use our hands, only magic and the ball can’t touch our side of the ground. Only this time the net is invisible and there’s no ground, just ships. Yes, I can do this. I’m good at Mintonette.
Noli was about to protest when she realized the sprite was good at Mintonette. So good, she’d let her play the idiotic court game with the high queen’s sprite courtiers in her stead whenever they visited the palace.
Please, let me have the body, I can do this, the sprite insisted. You’re supposed to let me have more turns. I’ll give it back, promise.
Despite the sprite’s prowess, Noli had reservations about letting her take over. It was getting increasingly difficult to wrest the body back. The metal balls can’t hit the ship, if they do, we’re dead—that means no more balls, parties, or fun ever.
I get points if I hit their ship, right?
Of course, Noli invented. One point for every time you make the ball they send hit them instead of us. Ten points if you blow up their ship.
Ten points? She squealed in delight.
Yes. But you have to give the body back when we’re done. Understood?
I promise. I’ll win. I’m so good at this.
Noli relinquished the body as the ship released the first cannonball at them with a deafening boom. Now.
The sprite held out their hand and frowned in concentration, making the ball veer to the right, missing them, but not returning to strike to the other ship.
Oh, I missed, the sprite pouted.
As long as it misses us we’re fine, Noli soothed, heart racing. So much rested on the sprite, who wasn’t always reliable.
But I wanted a point.
Two more cannon balls streaked across the sky, one from each cannon, the booms from the discharge so loud they seemed to rattle her down to her very core. You have two more tries, Noli told her.
The spite lobbed the first back at the cannon ship, barely missing their deck, but the second nearly hit the Vixen’s Revenge.
Good job, keep focused, you nearly hit one, you’ll get that point next time, I’m sure. Noli knew from experience scolding would only frustrate her. A frustrated sprite wouldn’t be able to get the job done. The cannons fired two more.
Take that, the sprite yelled as she lobbed the first cannon ball back in an arc that hit a ship squarely in the balloon, causing it to dissolve into a ball of fire. Ten points, she squealed, dancing a little, ten points.
Don’t miss this one, Noli cried as the second one careened right at them.
Oh no! The spite deflected this one, again just barely.
Careful. Noli watched the one ship sink toward the ground in a ball of fire, parachutes popping open as men abandoned ship. The other ship threw ropes and deployed men on hoverboards to help their fallen comrades.
Another cannonball hurled toward them.