Cass spent the entire day with Bert learning how to place the harness and glider pack on, adjust her straps, use the cords to pull the glider to and from the pack, extend the wooden poles for steering, and anything else she needed before they reached the island for further training.

Dinner that night was boisterous as the crew downed the soup Patterson had made with beans and smoked pork, along with tankards of beer. Cass sat in the back, massaging one shoulder as she watched the men around her. She still had that shard of glass tucked away in her pack next to her hammock and probably would carry it with her no matter where she went. But with each day that passed, she was becoming more and more comfortable around the crew of the Daedalus.

A tankard came down on the table next to her, sloshing the sour contents across the wooden surface. “I heard you were with Bert all day learning how to be a diver.”

Cass looked over to find Jeremiah grinning at her with Will not too far behind. Bert had told her Will was in charge of the ropes and pulleys used to bring any treasure or artifacts found along the surface back up to the Daedalus to be stored, then eventually sold.

Unlike Jeremiah’s stocky build and ginger hair, Will was almost as short and skinny as she was, with thin brown hair and shy hazel eyes. He took a seat across from her and smiled. “That means we’ll be working together.”

“I guess it does.”

“So, tell me, Cass,” Jeremiah asked, “why a diver? Most everyone I know is afraid of entering the Mist.”

She shrugged and stared down at her half-empty bowl of beans with bits of fatty pork floating around. “Can’t be as dangerous as living on the streets.”

“True, but you won’t see me or Will taking a glider down.”

“I want to see what’s down there. I want to see this world, all of it.”

Jeremiah raised one eyebrow. “The adventurous type, eh?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Hmmm.” He stared at her. “I like that.”

Then he stood with his mug in hand and wandered over to the next table, greeting Barnaby, another crewmember, with a slap to the back. Will simply shook his head. “A firecracker, that one.”

The sky island was a single green hill topped with long grass and budding flowers. No trees, no bushes. No fancy houses or iron gates like so many of the other sky islands. The Daedalus was anchored to a large wooden peg that held the airship in place, and a plank was set out to let the crew move to and from the island.

Cass took a deep breath of the cold air as she waited by the plank for Bert. The sky was a mixture of grey and blue as wispy clouds floated by. Moisture clung to her skin and made her hair curl even more around her face.

“Here you go.”

Cass turned to find Bert holding out her harness and pack from yesterday.

“I hope you’re ready for a few stains and bruises,” he said with a wink as she took the equipment.

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

“We shall see.”

Cass pulled her legs through the harness and then up and over her shoulders, feeling the weight settle across her back and waist, cinched the straps around her body until the pack was a part of her, then stepped onto the plank. The Mist rolled ominously down below in clouds of greenish grey.

For one moment, she imagined jumping from the plank with her glider and soaring down. Was there a city below here? Any Turned? Animals? What lay in the Mist?

Cass finished crossing the plank and followed Bert across the gently sloping sky island, up toward the pinnacle of the hill. The grass swooshed against her boots, leaving trails of water along the leather and dampening her trousers. The goggles around her head kept back her ever-curling hair, freeing her face to feel the wind.

After ten minutes, they reached the top. “It’s a great day for practice,” Bert said as he turned toward her. “Here, you will get a feel for the glider, and how it moves with the wind. You will also practice takeoffs and landings. Hopefully, if all goes well, tomorrow we can go for your first dive.”

“First dive? From here?”

“Yes. The area below is well-known with very few Turned and multiple thermals, so we can come back up to the ship. This is why this island is used for glide training.”

“But doesn’t the sky island move?”

“Not this one. It is one of the few stationary ones.”

Cass nodded. “I see.”

“All right, we have a full day ahead of us. Go ahead and prepare your glider.”

Cass took a deep breath and mentally went through all the steps Bert had showed her previously, then began. After checking her straps twice, she pulled the cord on her right. Like canvas wings, her glider spread out behind her, locking into place once they were fully spread. Then she brought out two poles from either side of the pack and secured them in place, just the right width for her arms so she could grab hold of them and steer the glider.

Bert grinned. “Are you ready?”

Cass pulled down her goggles. “I’m ready.”

“Then start. Go straight down. When you feel the tug of the air, don’t fight it, let it pick you up.”

Her heart beat faster. “All right.”

She stared down the hill. Here we go.

She ran with strides as long as possible, picking up speed as she went down the hill. The wooden frame creaked, and the canvas flapped with each stride. Stay focused, she chanted in her mind as she kept her gaze on the far side of the island.

The glider grew heavier, pulling on her straps. Was that supposed to happen?

Then it grew lighter, lighter, until it felt like nothing. The glider tugged up on her harness, bringing her body with it. The wind blew and began to pick her up.

She breathed faster and tilted to the right—

The glider swerved, sending her crashing into the grass, knees first. Pain shot through her right knee. Ugh. Her first grass stain, and probably a bruise. Bert roared with laughter behind her.

Cass hauled the glider back up the hill toward Bert.

“Try again,” he said when she reached him.

She didn’t speak a word. Instead, she turned around, checked everything again, and went for a second time. Then a third. Over and over, tumble after tumble. By noon, there was a tear along her trousers, numerous grass stains, and more bruises. But as the sun came out from behind the clouds and began to burn away the moisture in the air, she finally did it.

The moment the air caught the glider and her feet began to lift from the ground, Cass held onto the poles on either side of her and let the wind take her. No tilting this time, no angling away. Instead, she let herself be carried forward. In that moment, it was as if she was one with the glider and the wind. It all came together.

There was an exhilaration inside of her that escaped through her lips with a loud whoop.

After a few seconds, she brought the glider slightly forward, letting it stall, and came down onto her feet. There were more hollers from the ship. Cass looked up to find Jeremiah flailing his arms and yelling, ginger hair glinting in the sunlight. Other crewmembers were yelling and waving at her.

Cass couldn’t help grinning. Hearing their cheers was like basking in the sunshine.

Bert came up panting. “That was a great takeoff and landing! And it only took you half a day. Most impressive. I’ve never had someone pick up gliding so fast. I’m going to have you take a short break, then practice the rest of the day. I think you’ll be ready for your first practice dive tomorrow.”

Cass looked over toward the edge of the island where the land dropped off into the Mist below. First dive. Tomorrow.