Aria looked at Soren, eager to focus on getting out of there again. “Did you talk to your father when they took you earlier?”

He nodded. “I did. He said his hands are tied. He didn’t actually use those words, but it was all this ‘Sable and I have a contract’ and ‘Sable is not one to underestimate others’ type of thing.”

She locked eyes with Roar and knew they were thinking the same thing: Hess was afraid of Sable. It didn’t surprise her. Was there anyone who didn’t fear Sable?

“My father said he would take me and you back,” Soren said to her. “He’ll bring us to the Still Blue. But no one else. The Hovers outside are all they have, and they’re expecting the crossing to be pure Aethery hell. He said he can’t take anyone who’d make it more difficult.”

His gaze flicked to Roar, but it wasn’t hostile. If anything, it was apologetic.

“You should go with him, Soren,” Aria said. “You did everything you could. You should save yourself.”

He shook his head. “I finish what I start.” He ran a hand over his hair and lifted his shoulders. “And anyway, I’m not going to just leave you two here.”

You two.

It was a subtle nod to Roar, who went still at her side, absorbing it. Then he tipped his head at Soren, like they’d come to a silent understanding.

Progress, she thought, feeling a small surge of optimism.

At least here, between these two, walls were coming down.

A short while later, the door slid open.

Loran stood at the threshold, his intense gaze settling on her. “Come with me. Quickly.”

Aria didn’t hesitate; her instincts told her to go. She slipped off the bunk and followed him into the corridor.

He was alone, she noticed. Earlier he had brought two other men to escort her to the meeting, but she’d been with Roar then.

Next she noticed the quiet emptiness of the halls. She tuned her ears, unnerved. The sounds drifting through the corridors were odd: the soft groan of metal, a faint screeching sound that raised the hair along the back of her neck. She knew that sound.

“There’s a storm outside,” Loran said quietly. He walked behind her, where he could anticipate any move she made. She knew without looking that his hand rested on the gun at his belt. “The Aether’s close. Only a mile or so away. The fleet of Hovers needed to be moved to safety, so we’re at half capacity.”

He was an Aud, she realized. He had noticed her focused hearing. Recognized it.

“What about the Komodo?” she asked. “Are we moving?”

“The Komodo isn’t fast enough to outrun the storm. Hess says we’re better off staying put.”