TENET: 107
Encourage the children to try new things.
- Dr. H. VynFleet, 132 Tenets of Childcare & Maintenance
APRIL
April looked up, unbelieving.
D’agryx was practically wrenching her arm out of the socket, but she didn’t care.
Either she was experiencing shock-induced hallucinations, or Khall Rivvor had just launched himself off the roof of a building to land on the top of the airship.
“Daddy,” Bo screamed.
At least she hadn’t been hallucinating.
April tried not to let herself worry about how Khall was going to get down from the balloon and onto the deck, and instead focused on the fact that against all odds, he was here.
Sun gods, keep him safe…
“What the everliving shit…?” D’agryx snarled.
“There’s a guy on the roof,” one of his henchmen said, as if no one had noticed.
D’agryx let go of April and strode over to the other lackey, who was at the controls.
“Swerve this thing,” he hissed. “Shake him off, you idiot.”
“With all due respect, sir, that’s not how this works,” the henchman said. “Think of it like a big boat, with rudders, moving through water.”
“I don’t want a damned documentary,” D’agryx shouted. “I want him off my getaway ship. Now.”
But it was too late. Something was already swinging down from above.
April hit the deck just in time to avoid being struck down like a bowling pin.
Khall flew through the air, feet first, knocking D’agryx into the henchman he was arguing with.
D’agryx was knocked out cold, his bald head hitting the deck with a satisfying crack. The other man flew back into the controls with a crunch, then tumbled forward, tripping over his employer. The third man helped him up, and they made their way to a storage locker, leaving Vlax D’agryx face down on the deck, unmoving. April couldn’t tell if he was even still alive, and she found that she didn’t much care one way or the other.
From her periphery, April saw the two henchmen grab emergency ring parachutes and jump off the side of the airship. But her attention was focused on crawling to the other side of the deck, where the girls huddled, Minerva’s arms wrapped around her little sister.
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
Minerva nodded.
Bo just stared at her with wide eyes.
“This thing is going to crash,” Khall’s voice was clear and strong. “I need to get it away from the park and pedestrians. Please find the parachutes get the girls and yourself out of here.”
That crunch she’d heard must have been the man breaking something in the controls with the force of his impact.
“No,” Bo whispered.
“It’s going to be okay,” April told her quietly, then regretted it. This child had lost her mother already. She deserved the truth. “Come on. I saw where the parachutes were.”
As she dragged the girls toward the emergency bin, Khall was fighting with the controls. But they were too far gone for him to do much.