Emilie & the Hollow World - By Martha Wells Page 0,83

an acknowledged expert. Dr. Marlende only said, kindly, “As long as you've brought the supplies I had to send Kenar and my poor friend Jerom for. I was completely wrong about the resonance needed for the quickaether sustainers, and it contaminated the replacements I had brought along before we realized what the problem was.”

Emilie missed the rest, as Kenar arrived and caught her in a hug that lifted her off her feet. His voice rough with emotion, he said, “Thank you for rescuing Rani, Emilie.”

“I wish we'd been able to rescue Miss Marlende, but we were too late,” Emilie said, breathless as he set her back down. “And they shot at us, a lot.” She looked up at him and asked hesitantly, “Did they tell you about Beinar?”

“Yes, they told me.” He squeezed her shoulders and she could see the sadness in his eyes. “He was a very good friend.”

They waited through the morning. Dr. Marlende and Daniel went aboard the Sovereign to get the materials needed to fix the airship's aetheric engine, and to consult with Dr. Barshion and Mr. Abendle. The Cirathi spent the time checking over their ship, making minor repairs, and getting it ready for their long voyage home. “I think we have worn out our welcome in these waters,” Rani said. They were in the galley cabin, and Emilie was helping her sort out which foodstuffs had gone bad and which could be saved. “We'll go back and report to our guild, and tell everyone else to think twice before they come here.”

“I'm never going to see you or Kenar again,” Emilie said, only realizing after the words were out how forlorn she sounded. She poked dispiritedly at a bag of meal that had something growing in it. “I mean, even if there are other expeditions, they probably won't let me come. I'm only here accidentally, after all.”

“Ah, Emilie,” Rani said, putting down a jar and turning to regard her. “We will never forget you. Will you forget us?”

“No, never,” Emilie said, her voice thick.

“Then that will have to be enough,” Rani said, and hugged her again.

Someone called out from the deck, and they ran out to see the distant shape of an airship approaching from antidarkward. “He did come,” Emilie said, feeling a certain tightness in her chest ease. They would get Miss Marlende back. “He didn't lie about that, at least.”

Rani nodded thoughtfully. “Now we just need to figure out what he is lying about.”

Lord Ivers brought his airship in toward the far end of the island, lowered it until it was about twenty feet above the ground, then dropped a chain ladder.

Emilie waited on the beach with Lord Engal, Dr. Marlende, Rani, Kenar, and Dr. Barshion, along with Oswin and Daniel and half a dozen armed sailors. Most of the Cirathi were aboard the Lathi, and there were armed sailors on the deck of the Sovereign, just in case Lord Ivers made some sort of attempt on either ship.

Now that both craft were here for comparison, Emilie could see Lord Ivers' airship was a little larger than Dr. Marlende's, and its two-story cabin was certainly more impressive. But the wind off the sea was strong, and the airship was having to fight it, its propellers spinning rapidly as the pilot made hurried adjustments. “They aren't going to anchor,” Oswin pointed out.

“No, but I wouldn't either, in his position,” Dr. Marlende said. “One of the hazards of a course of betrayal and aggression is that one can never trust others. You know they have more than enough cause to betray you in turn.”

Rani folded her arms, frustrated. “Which was the point I was trying to make when I suggested we simply set upon him and extract your daughter.”

“If we could have figured out an effective way to do it,” Lord Engal muttered, “I would have embraced your suggestion whole-heartedly.”

The airship steadied finally and a lone figure began to climb down the chain ladder. From his height and his clothes, Emilie could tell it was Lord Ivers himself. “He's coming alone?” she said, surprised.

Lord Engal snorted derisively. “Of course. The man's ego wouldn't permit anything else.”

Lord Ivers reached the ground and made the long walk down the beach toward them. This was the first time Emilie had seen him face to face. He was lean, with light Northern Menaen blond hair and striking blue eyes. He was about Lord Engal's age, but he had sharper features, and was more handsome. Much more the conventional