"It was an utter disaster," Admiral Wolferstan said, pacing the Port Master's office.

Celia sat in an uncomfortable chair with her arms crossed and rolled her eyes. "Chief has been a boss of the largest cartel in Iron Shore for years. Did you expect that apprehending him would be that easy?"

The Admiral stepped toward the desk and smashed his fist at the desktop. "It was your rusting plan! I should have never sent my soldiers there. You knew it was a trap and three good people died because of you!"

Celia clenched her jaw and raised her chin. "I didn't know, but I considered that possibility. That's why I went in first and sent a message as soon as I discovered it was a trap indeed."

"You call that shrieking parrot a message?"

"Well, it does shriek pretty loud and is hard to ignore," Gabriel offered, sending Celia a small smile. He swivelled slowly back and forth behind the desk, his fingers tapping together in a steady rhythm. He looked relatively relaxed, considering they were discussing a spectacularly failed mission.

Wolferstan scoffed, glaring at the young noble. "That's what you get for working with scums and pirates!" He pointed an offending finger at Celia. "She promised us intel, but all she did was lead us into a trap. I will not let that happen again." He turned back to Gabriel, and there was a furious storm in his grey eyes. "I can't stop you from fraternising with pirates, my lord...."

"Privateers," Celia quipped in, but the admiral ignored her.

"But I will not support any of her endeavours. You want her to hunt pirates? Very well, but you're on your own."

"That's a very selfish attitude." Gabriel rubbed his chin. "We are all in this together, Admiral. Getting rid of the pirates is in Iron Shore's best interest. I'm sure my father will not be happy when he hears his admiral refuses to take pirates' threat seriously."

Wolferstan froze and narrowed his eyes; a pulsing vein on his forehead was the only sign of the fury that must have been raging inside him. "Do not try to play me, boy," he spat, his voice cold as steel. "I was an admiral when you were still in diapers. You think your empty threats scare me?"

"It was not a threat, dear Admiral," Gabriel replied in a friendly tone, his relaxed posture unphased by the angry outburst. "Merely an observation. Once Captain de Visher deals with the most notorious pirates, I won't fail to mention she did it without your support. I'm sure she already knows where Chief might have moved his base. Isn't that right, Captain the Visher?"

"Of course," Celia lied without batting an eye.

"You put too much hope in criminals," Wolferstan retorted and straightened his back, taking a deep calming breath. "Bring me results, and I might reconsider. But don't you dare waste my time like that again." He turned on his heel and marched towards the door, but before leaving, he looked over his shoulder. "And I'll make sure to mention in my report who was responsible for this spectacular failure."

Celia winced at the loud thud of slamming doors.

"Well, that went well," Gabriel sighed and massaged his temples. "I assume you have no idea where to find Chief."

"Not the slightest." Celia's shoulders slumped. "I grabbed some of the documents he left behind, but they didn't mean anything. I've never learnt if he had any backup hideout."

"That's inconvenient. I hoped I could introduce you to the governor with a bang. That would make our cooperation so much easier."

Celia smirked. "You need an excuse to work with me? Don't want to make daddy angry?"

"You can mock all you want, but that's how our society works. Nobles won't take you seriously because you're not a noble. But show them something worth their attention, and they won't care about your origins and greet you as one of them."

"And why would I want to be one of them?" Celia raised a brow.

"Because they have money and power. Like it or not, you need both if you want to get well prepared to cross the mountains and face the dragons and New World's natives." Gabriel gave her a lopsided smile. "But you already know that. You like to tease me."

Celia smiled innocently. "Maybe. You get flustered every time you try to talk me into something."

Gabriel laughed, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "What can I say? I'm a passionate man. But back on the matter, what we need is an alternative plan. Suppose you can't give me Chief yet; how about hunting smaller fishes first? I need something, anything really, to show that stuck-up admiral that you are doing the job."

"It can be arranged. I have a couple of ideas to bust some profitable smuggling operations. We can go from there."

"Great, sounds like a plan. For now, let's get out of here. I think we used enough of Port Master's goodwill by taking over his office. How about we continue this discussion on a walk?" He got up and extended his hands toward Celia.

She raised her brow. "A walk? It will be hard to talk through breathing masks."

"Oh, I didn't mean a walk on this level. Tell me, Captain de Visher, have you visited the higher tiers of Iron Shore lately?"

Celia narrowed her eyes. "You know the higher levels' access is only granted to those with a pass."

Gabriel smiled innocently. "Oh, are you telling me you never sneaked in to take a peek? Not even once?"

"Well, I might have, but it's not worth the risk. The place is crawling with Law Enforcers. Working on lower levels is much more profitable."

"Fine, you have a point. But I wish to take a walk with you, so how about you don't keep me hanging and take my hand? I feel like an idiot standing like that."

Celia grinned. "It suits you." But she grabbed his hand and let him help her to her feet.

His hand lingered a fraction too long, but he smiled brightly and opened the door for her. They left the small port office building, and Celia put back on her breathing mask. Even though the docks were the least contaminated area, thanks to the sea breeze, the air still felt stifling and heavy from smog.

She glanced at Gabriel. Unlike her old, tattered apparatus, his mask was a work of art. Gold incrusted the sides, and the straps were embroidered with a shield and hammer, the symbol of Iron Shore. Two large filters were adorned with whirling cogs that she assumed were purely for decoration. The golden-rimmed goggles had little spikes protruding out of them, like monstrous brows.

Celia let Gabriel lead them away from the quay toward the elevator platform. Three bulky men that served as lordling bodyguards always stayed close to them but not close enough to crowd them. They were professionals, and so were the rifles and pistols strapped to their harnesses. Zed wanted to come with her too, and she had to force him to stay behind in drydock with Percy, insisting the ship needed protection more than she did.

They crossed the narrow alleyways undisturbed by anyone. Even though Gabriel looked like an easy target to rob, something in his stride halted Celia's thief instincts. He was obviously out of place, but he still walked with the confidence of someone who belonged, regardless of his status. Most nobles who had dealings on the lower tiers of the city didn't try to hide their distaste and disgust for this place, but Gabriel didn't seem to mind at all.

Celia's train of thought was broken when they reached the elevator. It was one of five such devices across the city. Considering this one was situated next to the docks, a busy area, it was the biggest one. It could hold up to twenty people, but since it was barely noon, only three men occupied the platform. They tipped their tall hats to Gabriel, and Celia could feel their glares when they looked at her, even though their faces were covered with elaborated breathing masks. She smiled at them sweetly.

The wiry door closed behind them, and with a screech of metal, the contraption lurched upward. Celia looked up, and in the narrow elevator shaft, she could see many metal platforms climbing endlessly toward the grey sky.

"How far up are we going?" she asked, her voice muffled by her mask.

"To the tenth level," Gabriel replied, leaning leisurely on the railing and checking his pocket watch.

"Tenth?" Celia raised her brow. She'd never been that high. Iron Shore had twelve levels, the lowest occupied mostly by poor people and factories, while the highest belonged to the wealthiest and the oldest noble families. She heard stories about the technological wonders rich people had on the highest tiers, but she never thought she would see them. She was tempted to steer Percy up there to take a tour, but she was short on time, and escaping from Chief's clutches had higher priority than sightseeing.

She wasn't in a hurry now and felt giddy excitement rising inside. She leaned on the railing next to Gabriel and looked at the city as they slowly ascended. The higher they went, the brighter it got. Bulky and dark shapes of factories gave place to smaller artisans' workshops and municipal buildings, then to little shops that got more sophisticated with every passing level.

When they passed the sixth level, where three men left the elevator, leaving Celia and Gabriel alone, she pulled down her breathing apparatus and took a deep breath. "Wow, the air here feels so different than below."

Gabriel took down his mask, too, revealing a wide grin. "I told you it would be a nice walk. We don't have to meet on that dreadful sea level."

Celia narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "You know that dreadful place is the one I call home, right?"

He shrugged. "If it were your home, you wouldn't try to flee it so fast as if the whole place was on fire."

"Fair point." She turned back to look outside as the platform lurched upward once again. The further they ascended, the bigger her eyes became. Celia was taken by surprise by the sheer number of different colours. Lower levels were mostly dirty brown and grey with an occasional clear blue patch of the sea. But here, hundreds of different colours assaulted her wherever she turned her head. Fancy buildings were made from light clay, white, cream and pink, and there were plants everywhere – majestic trees with huge pots and countless flowers with all possible colours. Huge and heavy metal grates turned into smaller platforms linked by narrow bridges.

Even people looked different. No one seemed to rush, and they were strolling around as if they had all the time in the world. Men wore smart suits and elegant coats with top hats, while women were clad in elaborate, beautiful dresses and hid under delicate, lacy umbrellas. As if the sun was so bright, it could burn them. The clouds were so thick that hardly any sunbeams could pierce through, so it must have been a fashion thing.

The elevator stopped abruptly, and the door opened. Two Law Enforcers looked expectantly at them, but when Gabriel flashed them with a leathered framed card from his pocket, they stepped back, leaving the passage to the platform wide open.

Gabriel offered Celia his elbow. "Shall we?"

Celia joined him, too busy gawking at everything to respond. The two platforms above were not as vast as the rest of the city, so after a short walk, they entered a green, park-like space with nothing but the sky above it. A couple of metal ropes connected higher levels carrying colourfully painted metal gondolas from one side to another.

The soft music reached Celia's ears as they strolled towards the middle of the platform. It was a simple and beautiful thing, but living on the lowest levels, hardly anyone had time for it. You could hear the drunkards singing lewd songs or sailors humming shanties. But this was something completely different. The melody was complex, full of sadness and longing, and it pulled on Celia's heartstring as if she was an instrument. She looked around but couldn't see any musicians around.

"Where is that music coming from?"

"From speakers. Look there, see those little black boxes?" Gabriel pointed and explained excitedly, "It's a brand new invention that came out barely weeks ago, but they are everywhere already! Having some music to accompany your stroll is wonderful, isn't it?"

Celia said nothing but kept looking around. Plenty of people dressed in finery were doing just that–strolling around, talking and laughing, as if the world was not ending, as if the raging sea below them wasn't stretching its greedy fingers higher every day.

"What is this place?" she finally asked, her chest tightening, seeing all those opulent gadgets while people below were struggling to feed their children.

"Well, people needed some recreation area, somewhere to unwind and forget about all doom and gloom for a moment. That's what this level is for. On other platforms are some stadiums where you can run, play games, or train."

Celia let go of his elbow and hugged herself, feeling utterly out of place. "So, while we live like herded animals down below, whole families sharing the smallest spaces, you have the vast level for leisurely strolls and games?"

A shadow passed through Gabriel's face, but it was gone in a second. He smiled sheepishly. "Well, when you put it this way, it looks bad."

"You said you wanted to talk. If you are trying to convince me to work for the government, for the people responsible for this ridiculous thing"─she waved her hand around─"you are doing a very poor job."

"Captain de Visher," Gabriel said quietly, and his voice was smooth and sweet as honey, full of care and empathy. "I didn't bring you here to convince you to trust the government. I know you had a rough couple of days, and your dreams were so close and got wrenched out of reach once again."

Celia flinched when his words resounded deep inside her soul. How could he read her so effortlessly? He barely knew her, yet he could point out things she hadn't even realised just by looking at her. It wasn't her failures that stung her so much lately. It was her dreams slipping away.

Gabriel continued, "I brought you here because I thought you could use the change of scenery. See that there are still beautiful things in our world, even if they are fleeting." He sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair. "I know this place screams inequality and privileged rich bastards. But that's not the point. It doesn't matter if we are on the tenth or second level. If we do not act, the sea will swallow it all. It will all crumble."

Celia walked to the platform's edge and leaned on it, looking at the vast expanse of lower levels covered in smoke and the sloshing sea below. So many people inhabited Iron Shore, still struggling to survive even if they were supposed to perish long ago. They clung to a sliver of hope that something would change and that somehow it was just the storm they needed to weather.

"We are all trapped in here," she said quietly. "Poor or rich, ultimately, it won't matter."

Gabriel joined her, leaning on the railing so close their shoulders touched. "Yes. We did all this. We screwed up and ruined our world. But there is still beauty here, and it's worth saving. We just need to find a place where we can relocate."

Celia turned to him, admiring his handsome profile, when he was thoughtfully staring at the horizon, the wind musing his golden hair. "Do you think we can find a home in the New World? Even if it's already inhabited?"

He turned to her and smiled. "Yes, I believe so. We have a lot to offer. From what I've seen, we are far more technically advanced than people on the other side. They didn't have guns, flying machines, or even proper clothes...."

"But they do have the dragons," Celia pointed out with a smirk.

"Right, that they have. Still, if we force our way in there, they won't have a choice but to talk to us. Then we can start setting up new colonies across the mountains." He hesitantly took her hand gently, and his smile widened when she didn't pull away. "We can save all those people, Captain de Visher. You and I. We can make our dreams a reality, and we will do better in the new home."

It was all the right words again. A new home and a fresh start. Something she wished for but never really said out loud. And Gabriel was making it all sound possible. Celia was a little embarrassed to admit that as the years passed, she started to treat her dreams like everyone else─wishful thinking that had no real chance of ever coming true. But standing next to this dashing man, who was confident enough to speak about it all openly, as if it was just a matter of time, was exciting. She couldn't help her heart beating faster every time he smiled at her with a spark in those beautiful blue eyes.

"Celia," she said. And when he raised a brow, she added, "Just call me Celia."

Gabriel's smile got even brighter, though Celia was unsure how it was possible. "Thank you, Celia. I'm honoured. I admit I also had another, more selfish reason to bring you here."

Now it was her turn to raise a brow. "Oh? Do tell."

He chuckled and looked away; his cheeks were tinted pink. "I simply enjoy your company. And I hope that while working together, you will grace me with it from time to time. I rarely meet anyone who shares so many of my dreams. It... makes me feel less alone, you know."

Celia cocked her head. "Are you lonely, lordling? I thought you'd get a crowd of admirers with your looks, smooth talk and noble status."

He laughed, but it sounded bitter and strained. "Admirers, yes. Or more like sycophants. People who want my win favours from me or sway me for votes. Or others who'd like to use my wealth or bask in the rays of my high status. Friends? Not so much."

Celia squeezed his hand gently. "You know, if you ever need a friend to attend some fancy party with great food and drinks, I'm in. But only if there is free food. At least five courses."

Gabriel laughed, and this time there was no bitterness, just honest mirth. "I may take you on that promise sooner than you expect, Captain... Celia."