With that, they went about their work. Mina sat in the hammock, while Pixit curled up on the rubber beside her—​both of them still thinking about the sailors’ words. It’s okay to be nervous, Mina thought, when you’re about to try to do something big and important.

«It’s nicer to be nervous together.»

After a while, Mina pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw what lay before them. She wanted to remember every second of this, the start of their adventure.

From the river ship she saw the farms, golden in the afternoon light. White farmhouses were like jewels in the heart of the green. The distant mountains looked amber against the sky, as perfect as if they were painted. She felt as if all of Alorria were spread before them, bigger and more gloriously beautiful than she’d ever imagined.

And soon we’ll be part of making it stay this way.

It didn’t matter that she was different from other lightning guardians, did it?

Chapter
Five

Several hours later, they sailed through the city. Mina and Pixit leaned over the side of the ship, trying to see everything. She didn’t want to blink for fear she’d miss seeing a marvel.

And the city was full of marvels!

She saw a waterfall flowing up the side of a skyscraper, spraying into a fountain at the top. A clock tower covered in gears chimed, announcing three-quarters after the hour, as they sailed past. A train zipped by on a single rail, parallel with the river ship. She waved at the passengers, and they waved back, their feathered hats fluttering in the wind. And then the train banked around a building and disappeared from view. Hundreds of towers—​some as straight as a pine tree, others as curved as a ram’s horn—​fit together like pieces of a puzzle, squeezed tight to be as close as possible to the central power station. All were connected by bridges. Mina watched the city folk scurry across the bridges and climb into glass elevators that shot them high up the sides of the towers. In the streets below, carts ran without horses.

Everything was powered by lightning. By kids like me, she thought, with beasts like Pixit. Another train zoomed past, diving beneath a bridge.

«We’re going to do great things,» Pixit said confidently. «Just as soon as we learn how.»

Reaching over, she scratched Pixit behind his ears.

One of the sailors passed by. “Going to dock soon. Got a pickup. New lightning guardian. Like you. You’d better make room on the rubber.”

Mina and Pixit looked at each other, then at the already cramped area.

«A new friend?»