Emilie & the Hollow World - By Martha Wells Page 0,93

airship; she could hear violent fighting still going on in the cabin.

“You won't,” Ivers said confidently. “A well-brought-up young lady like you.”

“I'm not a well-brought-up young lady,” Emilie said, projecting confidence. Ivers knew nothing about her, after all. “I'm a stowaway, and a thief, and a lookout for a dock gang that steals mail bags.” And an accomplished liar, she almost added, then decided against it.

Daniel's eyes widened. She had convinced him, at least.

Ivers stared, his brows drawing together in consternation. But he tightened his grip on Daniel. “Nevertheless, I'll kill him if you don't get out of my way.”

“Why should I?” Emilie countered. “I don't like him; he's been terribly rude to me.”

Daniel glared, clearly offended. At least she was distracting him from the gun at his temple.

“You don't like him?” Lord Ivers dragged Daniel forward. Emilie held her ground, though she had the feeling this wasn't going to work out for the best. From Lord Ivers' sneer, he clearly knew she was bluffing. “A handsome boy like him?”

“I'm impervious to physical attraction,” Emilie tried.

“It's true,” Daniel managed to gasp.

Emilie pressed her lips together. No, the stalling wasn't going to work. But she saw something out of the corner of her eye, on the Sovereign's railing, behind Lord Ivers.

It was Miss Marlende. She was leaning out on the railing, aiming her pistol at Lord Ivers, obviously trying to find an angle where she wouldn't hit the airship or Emilie.

Emilie's heart leapt but she controlled her expression and made herself focus on Lord Ivers' face. “If you let him go I'll drop the pistol,” she offered.

It was the wrong thing to say. Lord Ivers' expression twisted and he muttered, “Sorry, my dear, I've no more time to waste.” Gripping Daniel around the neck, he pointed his pistol at Emilie.

Emilie yelled and dropped into a crouch, covering her head, though she knew that wouldn't help. The gun went off with an ear-shattering bang, but it was Lord Ivers and Daniel who jolted forward and collapsed onto the catwalk.

Emilie scrambled forward to grab Lord Ivers' pistol out of his nerveless fingers. Ivers was half atop Daniel, and neither man was moving, and there was blood splashed on the metal beneath them. Emilie shoved both pistols down the catwalk and turned back to the men, struggling to lift Ivers off Daniel without dumping either one off the walk.

Footsteps clattered on the steps behind her and she threw a wild look around, but it was Miss Marlende. She shoved her pistol into her belt, saying, “We have to get them inside! The protection spells are about to separate.”

Emilie got a grip on Lord Ivers' arms and put all her weight into dragging him off Daniel. Miss Marlende stepped around her, grabbed his belt, and heaved him off. To Emilie's relief, Daniel groaned and stirred, lifting his head. “You had to shoot them both?” Emilie asked, breathlessly, helping Lord Ivers along with a shove as Miss Marlende hauled him down the catwalk. “Not that I'm complaining-”

“It was the only angle I could get that didn't include the airship,” Miss Marlende explained, her voice rough from effort. “When you ducked, I was able to take the shot. Hopefully, I just winged Daniel.”

“I think so,” he groaned, trying to push himself up. “Ow.”

Emilie got his free arm and pulled it over her shoulders, and helped him shove to his feet. They staggered after Miss Marlende. Emilie said, “I think someone's still in the cabin. Seth was-”

The airship's door flew open and Cavin came staggering out. Seth lunged after him, delivering a punch to the head which knocked Cavin down the stairs to sprawl on the deck.

“That's the last of them,” he gasped to Miss Marlende. His glasses were askew, his knuckles bloody, and he looked more like a prizefighter than a scholar. He reached for Lord Ivers and helped Miss Marlende drag him through the doorway.

A young crewman ran out of the third deck hatch, calling over to them, “Ma'am, the ship's secure, and Lord Engal says we need to go now!”

Miss Marlende told him, “Get those men and yourself inside, then shut the hatches!”

The crewman went to the rail, spotted the men lying on the deck, and waved an acknowledgment. Emilie helped Daniel toward the door into the airship, saying, “If splitting the bubbles doesn't work, will it matter if we're inside or out on the deck?”

Miss Marlende gave her an admonishing look. “Hush, Emilie.”

Daniel groaned again. On the deck below, several crewmen ran out of