“What if you mess with the coffin?” Cole suggested. “Could you make it so you could steer it?”

“I could try.” Mira sighed. “I’m not sure I could pull it off. I haven’t done anything like that on my own before. I’m sure the other shapers have already taken the floatstones to use for a new lifeboat. Adam will want to replace the one we lost as quickly as possible.”

Cole folded his hands. “They’ll be plenty mad at us for leaving. If stealing a lifeboat helps our chances of getting away, I think we should risk making them even madder.”

Mira nodded. “That makes sense. It’s probably our only realistic option.”

“When were you thinking of going?”

She grimaced. “Soon. Probably early tomorrow morning, after they open up the landing bay but before any skycraft head out. They’re quick to seal the bay when the skycraft return at the end of the day.”

“They’ll chase us,” Cole said. “The skycraft can’t fly far over land, right?”

“A few hundred yards at best,” Mira said. “The floatstones only work in the sky beyond the Brink.”

“Tomorrow?”

After glancing cautiously at the door, Mira gave a serious nod. “Tomorrow.”

Chapter 16

MESSENGER

A stranger came through the front door while Cole was snacking in the common area. Twitch sat nearby, elbows on the table, gnawing at a large beef rib. Mira ate fruit on the other side of the room.

Cole had been watching everyone eat and talk with a strange sense of distance. This would be his last day here. In the morning he and Mira would make a run for it. No more meals prepared for him. No more Twitch or Jace or Adam or any of the other people. Also, no more salvaging missions where he risked death on a regular basis. And he’d finally get a real chance to find Dalton and Jenna. If he ended up back here, he and Mira would have failed, and who knew what punishments might await?

A pair of salvagers escorted the stranger. He wore dark jeans, dusty boots, and a gray leather jacket with black stripes down the sleeves. As the stranger considered the room, he showed relaxed interest rather than fear. He was of medium height, with his hair cropped short and stubble on his chin and cheeks. He might have been as young as thirty, but probably closer to forty.

Many had paused eating to watch as the stranger was escorted to where Adam sat on his jade throne. “Who is this?” Adam asked.

“He wants to see you,” said one of his escorts.

“I don’t know this guy,” Adam said. “You looking to join us?”

“No,” the man said.

“Buyers talk to Rowly or Hollis. Traders talk to Finch.”

“I need to speak with you,” the man said. He gave the room a sweeping glance. “In private.”

“Ha!” Adam shouted, slapping his hand on the arm of his throne. “We all hold shares of this business, friend, or we all will if we live long enough, so what you’d say to one, you can say to all.”

“How democratic,” the man said without approval. “Look, my news isn’t fit for all ears.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “What’s your name, stranger?”

“Joe MacFarland.”

“You from Zeropolis?”

“What gave it away?”

“Besides your clothes, your attitude, and the weapon tucked away near your left armpit? Joe, you’re far from home, so I’ll cut you a break. These people flirt with death on a regular basis. Your message won’t rattle anyone half as much as you think. Enough treadmilling. Let’s have it.”

Joe sighed. “There’s a large detachment from the Junction Legion heading this way. They want to seize one of your slaves.”

Cole met eyes with Mira from across the room. They looked away from each other hurriedly. It didn’t have to be her, did it? But the High Shaper lived in Junction, and her mother had sent a warning.

“Legionnaires?” Adam asked incredulously. “Nobody is going to waltz in here and dance away with one of my slaves. The High Shaper is one of my top customers.”

“The High Shaper wants this slave much more than he wants your trinkets,” Joe said. “We’re talking about four hundred trained soldiers.”

“Four hundred?” Adam blustered. “Do you know what it would take to send four hundred legionnaires from Junction to the Brink? Most of the land between us is empty!”

“I counted,” Joe said calmly. “The High Shaper isn’t playing games. They’d burn your operation to the ground to get what they want.”

“I’d like to see them try,” Adam said staunchly.

Several voices around the room lent support.

“Do nothing, and they’ll take what they came for,” Joe warned. “You can’t guess the value of this person. Let me smuggle the slave away from here. If they search the place and their quarry is gone, that should mark the end of your troubles.” Looking around, he hesitated. “Can’t we finish this in private?”

“Search our place?” Adam complained. “Listen, friend. Nobody crosses the High Shaper. He’s bad news to his enemies. I get that. But the Brink is the edge of the map, a long way from anywhere, and this operation has been running for hundreds of years. I don’t care how many men they have, we’re not going to let anyone push us around, especially not in our home. What sort of scam are you running? Smells like you’re the shyster after one of my slaves.”

“No con,” Joe said. “I’m not after handouts. I’ll pay you twice the fair value for the slave. You’ll be out nothing. But the legion will be here soon. If we’re to have a chance, we need to go.”

“Which slave are we discussing?” Adam asked. “Nearly all of us were slaves at some point. You here for me?”

Joe gave a rueful glance around the room. “That detail can only be shared in private. The information is dangerous to anyone who hears it.”

Adam folded his hands. “Then I fail to see why I should hurry to lend an ear.”

Joe sighed. “You’ll be dealing with the issue soon enough. The legion isn’t far behind me. Delay, and your options will shrink. You’ll end up betraying one of your own. Do you want the High Shaper to prove that he can take whatever he wishes from you? They’ll be diplomatic at first, but one way or another, they’ll claim their prize.”

“What slave?” one of the raiders asked.