Page 50 of Royally Drawn

Keir didn’t bother introducing me, but I waved after Rowan anyway.

“Hermes. It’s so on-brand,” Keir quipped, slinging my bag over his shoulder.

“Don’t be an asshole,” I said. “What do you mean… on brand.”

“Horse girl. I expect it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Do you always just say things to get under my skin.”

“You love the cruelty. You come back for more.”

He brought the bag into the plane I most feared. I stared up the steps and called to him, afraid to step aboard.

“Is this… a joke?”

Keir poked his head out, having to duck. “What? No. Why?”

“It’s like… a propeller jet.”

“I’ll forgive you this once for you saying that,” Keir said. “A jet it is not. Jets don’t have propellers.”

“But it doesn’t have… engines.”

“It has two. It’s a twin-engine piston aircraft,” Keir said.

I didn’t understand the difference, but if he quickly corrected me, there had to be one.

“But… is it okay?”

“This is a classic,” Keir said. “My pride and joy. Don’t hate on the old girl.”

I relented, worried I was about to die for what Astrid would refer to as “the good dick.” How dumb was I?

“This is an Aerostar 601, and she’s fun,” Keir said, moving aside.

“Where do I sit?” I winced, looking around the very tiny cabin.

“You will be to the right—up here in the cockpit. Have you never learned anything about aircraft?”

Perplexed, I shook my head. “Why? Why on Earth would I?”

“Because it’s fun?”

I wasn’t sure I agreed. He pulled the door closed and pulled out a tablet computer.

“What is that? Do you fly the plane with that?”

Keir snickered. “It’s not a game. This is my checklist and my flight plan. Are you frightened,Ingrid?”

“No,” I answered. “I mean… a little.”

“I have seen some shit and done a lot of stupid things—a couple of which I got a lashing from the big boss about.”

“A general?” I asked.

“We don’t have generals in the RAF, darling. No, my aunt.”

That was worse, somehow. The woman could be intimidating.

---