Iron Seas 03 - Riveted

agrees on it first.”
    “I know.”
    In truth, he was relieved. David didn’t want to be the reason for her exile—not when it would hurt her. He was just afraid that if he let her out of his sight, he wouldn’t see her again.
    The quiet between them extended—comfortable, until he became aware of her sudden tension. The troll slowed.
    “David.” She opened the louvers wide. “Do you see that shadow?”
    Slightly to the left—an oval with crisp edges. No cloud cast a shadow like that.
    Dread weighed heavy in his chest. “An airship?”
    And they hadn’t heard the engines over their own.
    “Yes.” Her breath was coming fast. “Blast it all. There’s nowhere to hide here.”
    “Stop, then, and let me out.” Throat aching, he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. “Di Fiore only wants me.”
    “I won’t leave you.”
    “You have to—and bring back your army of trolls to rescue me.”
    A geyser of snow exploded directly ahead. White powder blasted through the louvers. Annika cried out, stopping the troll. Heart pounding, David hauled her out of the seat and into the hearth chamber.
    He brushed the snow from her hair, her face. “Are you all right?”
    “Yes.” Her fingers gripped his shoulders tight. “That was his rail cannon.”
    God. “Can a troll take a hit from one?”
    Her eyes squeezed shut. She shook her head.
    “All right.” Desperately, he kissed her forehead, her trembling lips. How could he protect her now? “Stay with me. He won’t get a damned minute of my help if you’re not safe. And we’ll play along until we can escape. All right?”
    Her mouth firming, she nodded. He helped her into her coat, opened the hatch. Taking her hand, they walked out from beneath the troll.
    The ferry cruiser hovered overhead, chains rattling as the cargo lift descended. Di Fiore stood on the platform, backed by three men armed with rifles.
    Di Fiore’s mouth opened when he saw David. As if stunned and doubting his sight, he blinked quickly. An instant later, his lips pulled back into his fishhook grin.
    “Mr. Kentewess!” Above his beard, his skin was red from the cold. “This is astonishing! You stole our walker? When my men found your pack in the lifeboat yesterday, we thought you’d been swept overboard. But you must have been on the airship when Jonah swallowed you?”
    The whale was Jonah? Di Fiore must have heard a different version of that story than David had. “We were.”
    “How fortunate for both of us, then, as this gives me an opportunity to return your journal. It was fascinating reading, I must say.”
    David’s jaw clenched. “Return Phatéon ’s cargo to her captain, too.”
    “All right.” He laughed at David’s expression. “You thought I might object? I have no reason to. And you must be Annika Fridasdottor. I’ve read about you, too.”
    Oh, God. David knew exactly what he’d read—and no, di Fiore didn’t need to hold the food hostage. The bastard had the means to make David do whatever he wanted right here.
    Though her fingers tightened on his, Annika didn’t respond. Di Fiore’s gaze slid over her, assessing, lingering on their linked hands.
    “And so which one of you drove the walker?” Though he asked, di Fiore must have already known. His focus remained on Annika, as if watching for her reaction. “Miss Fridasdottor, I think. That’s so very interesting—and useful to me.”
    That was enough. “You’ll leave her alone. I’ll come with you.”
    “Of course you will.” Di Fiore’s gaze met his again. “But you don’t have to worry that I’ll threaten her. Now, another man might do so—but there’s no surprise in that scenario. You will be heroic, make any sacrifice to save her. I know this. So threatening her is of no interest to me.”
    “Then what is?” David preferred not to be surprised.
    “You have friends in Vik. I’ve already promised to return the cargo—and I will. You will come with me for that. But what will make you stay?” His expression cooled. “I think that this will do it: If you or Miss Fridasdottor try to escape, then the town of Vik will have the same fate as Heimaey. I won’t hesitate, of course. The results of any test are never certain until they’ve been repeated.”
    He’d created the disaster at Heimaey? David stared at the man, staggered. Good God. Perhaps di Fiore was lying…but they wouldn’t be able to take the risk of finding out.
    “Come along. They’re expecting me at the glacier