“If you don’t get killed.”

“You’re catching on.”

Cole picked up the breastplate. It was heavier than he had expected.

“First and last, worry about speed,” Mira advised. “If things go wrong, you’ll survive by escaping.”

Cole put down the piece of armor. He decided the football helmet would be cumbersome as well, limiting his vision. He grabbed a shirt and pants that looked about the right size. He tried on some different shoes until he found a match. At the end he added the buckskin jacket, even though it was a little too large.

“If anything doesn’t fit right, just come back and trade,” Mira said. “This other room is more important.” She led him to the next door in the hall. “You get to pick one special item crafted by our shapers. Durny leads them these days. Don’t try to take more than one. If you get caught sneaking more, you’ll be in big trouble. These items are hard to make and usually get lost when a scout . . . doesn’t survive. So they can’t afford more than one per scout. Same rule applies to most in a raiding party.”

Arranged on racks and shelves, weapons and gear filled the room. Cole saw swords, axes, spears, javelins, bows, arrows, crossbows, slings, maces, war hammers, knives, and throwing stars. He also noticed ropes, packs, shields, bottles, compasses, spyglasses, and all sorts of knickknacks ranging from figurines to shells.

“What should I pick?” Cole asked.

“You want something shaped,” she replied. “Many of the items here have special properties. Take some of the best ropes for example: a Winding Rope will tie itself around things, a Climbing Rope can stand up straight like a pole without any support, and a Slithering Rope will track and bind a target.”

“No way,” Cole said. “Seriously?”

“Get used to the unbelievable,” Mira replied. “You’ll find plenty of it in the castles.”

“I don’t know anything about this place,” Cole admitted. “You should probably choose for me.”

“I always bring a Jumping Sword,” Mira said.

“You’ve scouted?”

“The scouts aren’t the only ones who get to bring something,” Mira said. “I did scout a little when I first came here, but then I showed some potential as a shaper.”

“You’re a shaper?”

She gave an embarrassed smile. “Barely. Not a good one. But since I’ve learned a few little tricks, they don’t want to waste me as a scout.”

“Like how I’m going to get wasted,” Cole said.

“Don’t think that way,” Mira said. “You need to get cocky about it. The cocky ones last longer. Some even make it to fifty.”

“I’ll aim for a hundred.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“What does the Jumping Sword do?”

Mira retrieved a short sword and unsheathed it. “It’s a weapon, obviously.” She sheathed it and set it down. “When you point it at something and shout ‘away,’ it’ll pull you in that direction. Hard. You can jump really far with it, but you have to be careful, because there is no guarantee of a soft landing.”

“Jumping far is important?” Cole asked.

“Escape is important,” Mira corrected. “You can jump into a lifeboat from a distance in an emergency. The Jumping Sword is a specialty of Durny’s. He makes more of them than any other item. They’re the most popular choice.”

“Does it always let you jump the same distance?”

“No. It depends what you point it at. You don’t have to point it perfectly. The sword seems to get what you mean. But it has limits. Point it at the top of a tall tower, and you’ll only make it partway there and then fall to your death.”

“Sounds like just what I need.”

She gave him an annoyed look. “It isn’t very safe, but neither is exploring these castles. The Jumping Sword is powerful and useful.”

“Does Jace use it?”

She shook her head. “He has this golden rope. It can do everything the other ropes can, and more.”

“Should I consider one of those?”

“You can’t. There’s only one. Jace found it himself. You can keep anything you find if you claim it as your one special item.”

Cole thought about that. “What if I find a huge diamond?”

“You could keep it instead of the Jumping Sword or whatever. Personally, I’d rather survive than have a sparkly rock.”

“Good point,” Cole said. When he made his escape from Skyport, the Jumping Sword would come in handy. “I’ll take a Jumping Sword.”

“Smart choice.” She handed him the sheathed sword. “Are you tired?”

“Yeah.”

“We’ll track down some food and then help you find a bunk. Would you mind taking Fiddler’s old one?”

The idea of sleeping in a dead kid’s bed wasn’t his favorite. But he supposed a lot of the beds around here probably belonged to someone who had died at one time or another. “I guess not.”

“It’ll be less musty than the alternatives. You’ll be in with Jace, Slider, and Twitch.”

She started leading him toward the stairs. He caught her arm. She looked back at him, irritated and a little curious.

“Before we head back, do you have any tips?”

She considered the question. “Things tend to go bad right after you set foot on castle grounds or just after you enter a building. Always have an escape plan. Fighting is a last resort. It’s usually the last thing you do before you die.”

“Should I practice with the sword?”

“You could. I wouldn’t. Every time you jump with it is dangerous, so it’s better to save it for emergencies. It’ll work how I said.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Her eyes softened. “Don’t thank me. This might feel like good treatment after a slave caravan, but no worries. Tomorrow will remind you where you rank.”

Chapter 8

SKY RAIDERS

A vast cavern in the side of the cliff served as a landing bay for three big skycraft. Constructed out of dark wood, they looked vaguely like old pirate ships, though broader and flatter, with a pair of modest masts and no sails. Each had three lifeboats—one on each side and one at the back.

Jace led Cole toward the skycraft called Domingo, where several men were gathering. Morning light streamed through the open side of the cavern. Out in the blue sky, Cole could see numerous castles hovering.