"You're brilliant, Celia!" Gabriel swept her off her feet and turned around, kissing her brow. "Have I told you that already?"

"Yes, but I didn't hear it properly. You can say that again." She grinned. "Just ten times more."

"You are brilliant," he repeated and kissed her. It was a light and quick kiss, but it was enough to send a pleasurable shiver down her spine. She still found it bizarre that Gabriel had so much sway with her. She had many lovers but could always keep them at arm's length. But with him, it was different. It felt as if they always knew each other and had a bond that let them understand each other without words. It made her want to put down all her meticulously built defences and show him the real Celia.

Gabriel withdrew from the embrace and rushed to his desk, rustling through the papers. "This changes everything. Now that we have living proof of civilisation existing right behind those mountains, the other political parties won't be able to dismiss our reports as tall tales." He turned back to her with a grin. "That will accelerate our plans for months!"

Celia cocked her head. "Will it? I'm pretty sure those lazy sods from high tiers of Iron Shore would need more than one prisoner to get their shit together."

"It all depends on how we sell it to them." He walked back to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and waving his other hand. "Picture this. We return to Iron Shore, bearing life-changing news. The world behind those mountains is no longer a distant possibility. It is right there, and humans are already living there. True, they are different from us, but since we've got one of them, we can learn all there is to know about this exciting new world."

"If he talks, that is." Celia crossed her arms. "I don't think he speaks any language known to us. Did you have any luck communicating with him?"

"Not yet. But once we return to Iron Shore, we'll get help from professionals."

Celia didn't like the sound of that, but she was also aware that this was the inevitable fate of prisoners of war and the surest way to extract information. But there was something in that stranger that made her pity him. He looked so wild and free in the air that seeing those wings bound pained her.

She pushed the thought away. It was not her burden to carry. They would have to make tough choices if they wanted to leave this dying world. That was the way of the world.

"Do we need to return with you?" she asked instead. "We are making great progress with scouting the perimeter and learning about Sky Guardians. Leaving that again and going back to frequent parties sounds like a waste of time."

"I know you're itching to return to the air, but I need you with me." Gabriel turned so they were standing face to face now. "I'm just a politician. I can talk people into doing things, but my words alone, won't have enough punch in them. But you..." He gently caressed her cheek with the tips of his fingers. "You are the symbol of change, Celia. A privateer who took down the biggest cartel in the region took over the sky and now making her way straight for the new world." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers with the most charming smile. "You and I, Celia. Together we are a powerhouse. We can convince people we found the best way forward, so they finally stop stalling and work towards a better future for our people."

Celia sighed theatrically. "Fine. But you'd better be quick about it. If I had to attend too many parties, I might shoot someone."

Gabriel snorted. "I'll keep that in mind."

***

The next couple of weeks passed in a blur. The expedition returned to the Iron Shore, and the governor and his people took over the prisoner, but Gabriel remained in the loop. However, there was not much progress with interrogation. The stranger either didn't understand their language more than they did him or was so foolishly stubborn that he refused to communicate no matter what professionals did to him.

Meanwhile, Gabriel and Celia visited all the parties and social events to hint that some great news would be shared at the upcoming annual Raised Cities Confederation Gala. The governor gave his son the green light to conduct the official statement about the expedition results. He agreed that the people of Iron Shore were finally ready to take the steps necessary to leave the flooding world behind.

Gabriel gained even more resolve and was so radiant during those social obligations that people couldn't help but flock around him, wanting to learn what all that excitement was about. Celia, on the other hand, was exhausted. She understood why her presence was significant, but often she felt like a pretty thing whose only purpose was to be shown off. People looked up at her with admiration, their glances bright with curiosity and envy. She always thought she would enjoy all the attention, especially from all those pompous fools that always looked down on people living beneath them.

But somehow, it got old fast, and she was left with a bitter taste in her mouth that even expensive champagne couldn't wash down. She kept reminding herself that they needed those rich fools to fund more flying ships to break through to the new world, so all that boring socialising was necessary. Yet, she couldn't help feeling like she was even further from freedom than ever.

Celia left a chattering crowd behind and pushed a heavy glass door to the balcony. The sight from this high terrace was incredible. She could see the Iron Shore spread underneath them and beyond the steel metropolis, the endless sea. She leaned at the railing and closed her eyes, letting the wind play with her hair and blow away the heavy scent of perfumes. Only now she realised why she felt so uneasy here. She couldn't hear the sea inside the governor's manor with all those people and music.

The whisper of waves was the only constant in her life. The sea was always there, just beneath her feet, dangerous and unrelenting, but at the same time beautiful, wild and free. It was a lullaby that put her to sleep every night and the most beautiful music that soothed her anxieties. But so up high, in the highest tiers of the city, she could barely hear it.

"There you are!" Gabriel entered the balcony and strolled towards her. "I turned around, and you were gone. I thought someone stole you away."

Celia raised a brow. "As if someone could take me against my will."

"Right, they would probably end up dead." He leaned on the railing beside her and nudged her with his shoulder. "What's wrong? You are unusually quiet today."

"I miss the sea," she admitted, looking at the great blue expanse beneath them. The waters around the city were murky brown, but the further they went, the more vibrant the colours got. "I miss Percy and my crew." She laughed bitterly. "I'm not used to those prolonged periods of looking pretty and eating fancy little canapes from porcelain plates. I don't belong here, and it's exhausting."

"I'm sorry about that," Gabriel said quietly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "But you're doing great. And hey, you didn't shoot anyone during those social calls, so I call that a great success."

She snorted. "I was close today when lord Houghton told the story of his family tree for the tenth time."

"Right. I don't think anyone would complain if you shoot that old bore." They both fell silent and watched the waves lapping at the lowest metal platforms far beneath them. "It won't be long now. The annual gala is only a week away. After the big announcement, we'll return to the expedition."

"Do you think it will work? We didn't get anything from our winged prisoner."

"I'll make it work, don't worry about it." Gabriel kissed her brow. "Hey, I know how to cheer you up. In the west wing, there is a gallery with prototype inventions. Let me show you around. You will love it." He grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the building.

Luckily they did not stop in a busy ballroom but left immediately for the west part of the building, so the further they went, the more distant all the bustle became, and Celia felt grateful for that. The gallery was a long hallway filled with various glass showcases with multiple gadgets and devices.

„Look here." Gabriel pulled her towards the closest one showing a metal bird. It was not as intricate and detailed as the one he owned, but the shape was unmistakable. "This is the first metal companion ever made that worked. All the fancy designs nowadays came from this little guy here. Oh, and over there, we have the first engine strong enough to pull the horseless carriage...." Gabriel kept talking, but Celia stopped listening as her eyes caught a glimpse of gold.

She let go of Gabriel's hand and strolled towards a wide case holding brass wings. They were over two meters long and were attached to an archaic jetpack. Celia pressed her hand to the glass. "This is beautiful. Are those working?"

"Oh, I thought you might like this one." Gabriel joined her. "They did work. Sort of. The problem was, they were too fancy. You can get the jetpack to work, more or less, but with the heavy metal wings like that... it's not the best combination."

"Shouldn't they be helpful to... glide down?" Celia cocked her head.

"Yeah, you can glide on it, alright. The problem is with losing the speed and landing. I'm afraid the poor inventor fell to his death while testing it. Nevertheless, it is a gorgeous device with all those carved metal feathers. That's why we kept it here."

A steady rhythm of clacking heels broke the quiet of the gallery.

Gabriel sighed. "I think my jailer found me."

"My lord! There you are!" Letticia called in her shrill voice. "I was looking for you all over the place! You are late for a meeting with the governor!"

"Right, that thing." Gabriel rubbed his neck. "I was hoping he would forget about it."

"You know it's not how it works, my lord," Lettie chided. She was wearing a pretty pale green dress today, and her hair was, as usual, immaculately pinned in an intricated crown. "Your father is not a patient man, so you don't want to keep him waiting."

"Of course. I'm sorry, love. I'm afraid I have to leave you for a while." He leaned in and kissed the corner of Celia's mouth, ignoring his assistant's outraged glare. "Let me walk you to the main room?"

"Oh no, I'll be fine," Celia waved him off. I'll hang out here and admire this beauty a little more."

Letticia raised her perfectly shaped brows. "This is just a piece of junk. You should rejoin the party. Otherwise, people will think you are avoiding them."

"What a preposterous thought!" Celia gasped.

Gabriel laughed. "All right, I think it's safe to leave our lady privateer to her own devices for now. Let's go to see my father."

"As you wish, my lord."

Celia entertained herself as their steps receded down the hallway, imagining how taking those beautiful metal wings for a spin and gliding down from this stuffy party would feel. That would give her much-needed excitement.

Until she would crash to her death, that is. But where was the fun without a bit of risk?

Celia shook her head and strolled the hallway opposite the main reception chamber. She didn't feel like rejoining all those pompous people without Gabriel at her side. She didn't get far; the hallway ended with stairs leading down with two soldiers on guard.

Celia immediately knew what that meant. She was wondering where in the government building they kept important political prisoners. During their many social visits, Celia saw quite a bit of the building, but she was never in this part. She raised her chin and strolled towards the guards, who stood to the attention.

"I'm here to see the prisoner," she said in a tone inflated with authority.

"What prisoner?" asked one of the guards looking her up and down, taking in her beautiful and expensive dress and gleaming jewellery.

"Don't play dumb with me." She scowled. "Do you know who I am? I am lady privateer Celia de Visher, working directly under Governor Alexandar Letchford. I mean the prisoner I personally brought him." She could see a sweat pearling on the man's brow as he tried to keep his posture and not cower under her glare.

"O-of course, my lady. Let me take you to him," he uttered, nodding to his companion, and he started down the stairs. Both guards were young, and Celia knew she would have no problem bullying them. The key to a successful con was your attitude. If you had enough guts to feign authority and entitlement, you could get into all sorts of places. And Gabriel was right. People loved talking about her, and half of the rumours were exaggerated. But as long as she could use that to her advantage, she didn't mind.

Celia's skin was covered in goosebumps as they descended the stairs, and her heart started racing. The place was different than the musty cells she remembered from Plunderers' hideout, but the stench of unwashed bodies, dried blood and excrement was unmistakable. It was dark there, so the only light source was an oil lamp carried by the guard. Celia rubbed her wrists, trying to ward away a phantom pain that pierced her skin as unwanted memories flooded her brain, triggered by this awful place.

"He's here." The guard took another oil lamp from the wall and lit it up. He looked at Celia, his face pale. "You shouldn't be here, my lady. It's not a nice place."

"I don't care." She took a lamp from him and walked toward the metal bars, illuminating the inside of a small cage. Her breath caught in her throat.

The winged stranger looked horrible. His arms were chained behind his back and securely strapped to the wall behind him. His enormous brown wings were bound in shackles and hung limply off his back. His ribs were visible under his skin, and his gaunt face was covered by filthy dark hair.

Celia glared over her shoulder at the guard. "Do you people feed him at all?"

The man was startled when he heard venom in her voice. "Yes, my lady. He gets a slice of bread and a cup of water every other day."

"And how would you like to be fed once every two days? Bring him food, now! And also get me a bucket of clean water and some bandages."

"But, my lady! We had orders. You can't just..."

With one swift movement, Celia pulled out her revolver and aimed it at the young man's face. He whimpered in fear and tried to back off, but his back hit the wall.

"Do not tell me what I can't do, boy," she spat. "This man is an important prisoner. Do you want to be the one to blame if he dies of starvation or wounds infection, and we lose the only chance of getting vital intel? Shall I tell the governor you refused my order?"

"N-no, my lady."

Celia lowered her gun. "Then go and stop wasting my time."

As the guard scampered away, she turned back to the cell, only to meet a glare of dark eyes. The prisoner said something that sounded more like a growl than the word, but she was pretty sure it was the same thing he called her when they apprehended him, so he must have recognised her.

"Well, I'm not thrilled to see you either, but here we are," she said, putting her revolver back in the holster at her hip. The stranger just sat there on the filthy floor and stared at her with a scowl on his gaunt face.

She knew she shouldn't have come here. This man was her enemy, and he tried to kill her crew and bring down her ship. He was one of the people who wanted to prevent them from crossing the mountains and kept her from fulfilling her dream.

And yet...

Celia remembered the helpless desperation of being left alone in the darkness, chained to the wall. It was not something she wished even her worst enemy. Back then, she had Lin, who visited her and made sure she was not starving, but this man was alone here, in a foreign country, surrounded by people he did not understand and who only visited him to inflict more pain.

The rational part of her brain knew that this was foolishness. She brought this man here for the sole purpose of extracting information from him. She knew what that meant for him, and she didn't hesitate. She was fine with it if it was necessary to get her closer to her dreams. But being down here and seeing it with her own eyes... it's stirred the feeling deep inside of her. She knew exactly how it felt to be in his place. And now she couldn't walk away.

The guard returned with food and other provisions she requested, his face red and sweaty from running.

"Open the cell," she ordered.

"But, my lady! It's too dangerous, the prisoner─"

"─is half-starved and chained to the wall. I'll be fine. You can stay here if you wish, but it will take some time."

The young man opened his mouth to protest some more, but then he eyed Celia's hand, which wandered back to her gun holster, and he thought better of it. He took a big metal key and opened the door.

The prisoner didn't flinch as Celia entered the cell and kneeled in the filth in her expensive dress. Only his eyes moved as they followed her every gesture.

"Work with me and don't do anything stupid so that we can be done with this quickly," she said, even though she knew he couldn't understand her. She raised a wooden cup filled with water, and when the stranger didn't make any aggressive gesture towards her, she pressed it to his lips and let him drink. He took quick big gulps and then started coughing violently.

"Not too fast, or you'll get sick. There is no rush. I don't think anyone will be coming here anytime soon. I have some food too, so try to eat slowly."

The stranger didn't speak, but he let her feed him and clean his many wounds. He was covered in scratches and burns. Some were already bandaged, but many were left there to fester. They might not kill him right away, but they were undoubtedly painful. Celia worked in silence, focusing on the task at hand and ignoring the horrible stench of the place. But the stranger did not take his dark eyes off her the whole time.

Once done, she returned to her feet and nodded to the guard. "I think we are done here." She gave the prisoner one last look, and to her surprise, he bowed his head ever so slightly and said something. Unlike the last time, it didn't sound like a growl, and his voice held no malice. She didn't have to understand his language to get the meaning.

"You're welcome," she replied quietly and left the cell.