Page 32 of Wings of War

Fieran held out his hand to Pip. “Would you like a hand up?”

She eyed his hand, then the back of the truck. The metal step below the bed was so high up that she’d have to lift her knee to her nose to reach it. The other ladies were barely managing it, even with their over half a foot height on her.

It would have been easier if Fieran had left her to get into the truck by herself. She would have boosted herself up with her palms, gotten a knee up, then scrambled inside. It wouldn’t have been dignified, but it would have been more graceful than what she’d have to do to take his hand.

Fieran cocked his head, his smile tilting. Then he dropped onto one knee, still holding out a hand near the height of his head. “Perhaps a step would be more helpful than a hand up?”

Pip cocked her head, rolling her eyes. “I suppose. If you insist. You know I could have gotten up there by myself.”

“I know.” Fieran’s grin widened with a hint of mischief. “I’ve seen how you manage to reach aeroplane engines.”

She placed her hand in his, and his long fingers closed over hers in a firm grip keeping her steady as she planted a foot on the top of his leg. She stepped up, grabbed one of the metal bars that held the green canvas top, and pulled herself the rest of the way up and onto the truck’s bed.

She walked to the front of the truck bed and took a seat on the bench next to one of the secretaries.

The rest of the girls climbed in, then the young men piled inside, crowding the benches. By the time Fieran and the other half-elf gracefully hopped inside, there was no more room on the benches, and five other men, including a man who was at least part troll, were already standing in the center, glancing around like they weren’t sure what to do.

Chelsea popped to her feet, then plunked herself down on the lap of the nearest flyboy. “Now there’s another seat.”

The flyboy grinned, then settled his hands on her waist. Though he did, at least, keep his hands at a respectful spot that wasn’t too high or too low.

“Any of you ladies are welcome to sit on my lap.” That rather handsome young man patted his knees, winking at the nurse next to Pip.

The nurse regarded him for a moment, then grimaced. “No, I think I’ll stay where I am, thanks.” She turned to Fieran, her mouth pursing. “Though if you want a seat, I wouldn’t object to sitting on your lap.”

The tips of Fieran’s ears turned nearly as bright red as his hair. “Uh, no, I’ll leave the seats for the ladies. I don’t mind standing.”

The other half-elf nodded, his ears, too, turning pink.

“Aw, come on!” The rather handsome man flopped against the half-wall of the side of the truck, his head resting against the canvas side. “Why does Fieran always get all the ladies? It’s because he’s an elf, isn’t it? Or because he’s—”

A beanpole young man with muddy brown hair punched the handsome man’s arm. “It’s because Fieran’s respectful, that’s why. My mama always said that girls like that.”

“Yes, we do.” The nurse next to Pip popped to her feet, then sat on the beanpole man’s lap. “You don’t mind if I sit here, do you?”

He flushed, holding his hands out as if he wasn’t sure what to do with them. “Miss, I, uh…no, I reckon not.”

“Good.” She grinned and rested a hand on his shoulder to keep herself steady.

After a bit more shuffling, one more of the young men found a seat by squishing in. But that still left one human young man, the troll with bulging arms who would have taken up two spots on the bench if he’d sat down, and the two half elves still standing.

The window separating the cab from the back slid open and a young man in a green army uniform swiveled in his seat. “Everyone all set back there?”

“Yep!” several of them chorused all at once.

The truck lurched forward, and Pip was nearly crushed between the secretary on one side and the nurse squished on her other side.

The human young man still standing nearly toppled over and had to catch himself on the shoulder of another man, earning him a shove. The half-troll planted himself like he was a boulder refusing to move, though he did reach up and grab the bar that arched over their heads to hold the canvas.

Fieran lurched slightly, then swayed with the movement, as did the half-elf beside him. Both of them grabbed the bar as well, though they didn’t seem to need it.

As the truck rumbled down the road, heading for Bridgetown, Fieran gestured from Pip to the half-elf standing next to him. “Pip, this is my best friend Merrik. We grew up together. Merrik, this is Pip. She’s that mechanic I met the other day.”

The half-elf, Merrik, nodded to her, though he didn’t speak, his gaze dipping to the floor.

Ah, he must be the shy friend. She got the feeling Fieran was rather used to being the spokesman for both of them.

“Nice to meet you, Merrik.” Pip stuck out a hand to shake. Merrik stared at her hand for a moment before he took it and shook.

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