you look like my next mistake
The Sugar Tide groaned in quiet protest as Flora yanked at the wheel, trying to follow Thal’s sudden barrel roll and sharp redirect. The sails snapped overhead, their stained glass catching starlight in fractured bursts of violet and rose, throwing colour across the deck like a broken cathedral window.
"Shitshitshit—no no no, don't tip—" Flora hissed through her teeth, scrambling to adjust the angle of the rudder. The wheel bucked like it had opinions about this turn, and her bare feet skidded slightly on the deck as the wind hit just wrong. But then—miraculously—the little skyship levelled out.
"Ha!" she gasped, triumphant, curls wild around her cheeks from the gust. "You are such a drama queen," she muttered to the ship, affection bleeding into her voice. Her hands relaxed, just a little, on the wheel.
A beat later, she spotted Thal hovering sleek and smug off the port side, dark wings coiled in perfect command of the air. Flora raised her voice above the sound of the wind and rigging. "Alright, show-off," she called, grinning. "Let’s see what she’s made of. Put on a little speed, and I’ll see if we can keep up!"
It was reckless and probably a terrible idea. But it was also exactly what she needed.
"Shitshitshit—no no no, don't tip—" Flora hissed through her teeth, scrambling to adjust the angle of the rudder. The wheel bucked like it had opinions about this turn, and her bare feet skidded slightly on the deck as the wind hit just wrong. But then—miraculously—the little skyship levelled out.
"Ha!" she gasped, triumphant, curls wild around her cheeks from the gust. "You are such a drama queen," she muttered to the ship, affection bleeding into her voice. Her hands relaxed, just a little, on the wheel.
A beat later, she spotted Thal hovering sleek and smug off the port side, dark wings coiled in perfect command of the air. Flora raised her voice above the sound of the wind and rigging. "Alright, show-off," she called, grinning. "Let’s see what she’s made of. Put on a little speed, and I’ll see if we can keep up!"
It was reckless and probably a terrible idea. But it was also exactly what she needed.
