A Tale of Two Airships (Take to the Skies Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

prove his worth. Julian’s lips curved into a smile, proving Mordecai’s statement true. At that moment, the waitress plunked our ale onto the table, frothy liquid sloshing over the sides and creating damp spots on the chestnut surface.
    “Well now, all these questions and I don’t know which one to respond to,” he continued, with a lazy smile on his face. Once Mordecai pointed it out, the signs were clear—the way he turned roundabouts in the conversation, how he sat here in no rush, and the way his gaze kept slipping over to Isabella as if he were looking to start an argument. Most of our contact meetings were couple word affairs, a passing of ships in the night as they’d finish their pint and leave while we got ours.
    “Answer his.” I jerked a thumb at Mordecai and took a long swig of ale. The sort they served was nuttier and darker than the stuff I normally swigged but not shabby. Not like I claimed any expertise—a pint was a pint and achieved the necessary purpose of calming me the hell down.
    “Our request might seem rather unsavory to this one.” He glanced to Isabella who lifted a brow. “After all, it involves stealing a necklace from her grandmother’s estate.”
    I stopped mid-sip when he said it and spluttered. “Estate? Isn’t that for fancy rich folk?”
    Julian fixed his gaze on Isabella. “So, you haven’t told them.”
    “Told us what?” I jumped in, staring down Isabella all the same. I thought I’d known most of her secrets, but the woman remained a constant enigma even to her closest friends.
    “Just because she was blood doesn’t mean I’m like her,” Isabella shot back, lifting her chin. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear, not quite meeting my gaze. “My grandmother forsook her heritage, marrying into a wealthy family even though her father was the clan Elder. However, my mother ditched the riches and rejoined with the clan. I’d never met my grandmother and don’t recognize her as such.” I acknowledged her response, and my surprise faded. Whatever her reasons for divorcing herself from the past, I trusted they were as good as her ones for separating from this scumbag.
    Our captive slouched in his seat, even with Isabella’s knife by his side and ready to dive in at the first wrong move. Julian barely cast him a glance though, and for the life of me, I couldn’t gauge their reason for sending folks to rough us up if they wanted to hire us. From the get-go, this whole situation stunk like Edwin’s hydroponics, and clear answers drifted far from the dock.
    “Please, explain to me why our clan wants anything of theirs so badly they’d resort to contacting the shameful exiled one.” The bitter tang of old, unhealed wounds dripped from her words. Whatever they wanted, Isabella was right, we had every reason to be suspicious.
    “There’s a jewelry box at the estate, and inside is the heirloom necklace of your great-grandfather, and one of your claims to rule the clan. Since Anton passed without an heir, the only other ones with ties are so flimsy everyone’s been in an uproar. Some have made it clear with your bloodline, it’s your birthright, and since your great-grandfather was the elder before Anton, you have the strongest claim. Others, like the gentlemen you offed in the alley and the one you’re holding captive, think it’d be easier to murder the competition and sway the clan their way. The item we’re seeking of your grandmothers would give you the right to make the choice.”
    My brows lifted. Isabella, Queen of whatever mystery clan she came from? She’d mentioned the name of hers maybe once or twice, but the woman guarded her secrets with the possessiveness of Seth and his flask. Her lips pursed, but her expression didn’t shift much—so she’d been aware of her place in the ranks all the while.
    “So what’s the deal? We steal this box from the estate, and you’ll pay us? Do you have anything to go on?” I asked, though to be honest, the