Page 31 of The Exile's Curse

But now, best not to think of that. One step at a time or she would be overwhelmed.

The cabin didn't offer much scope for entertainment. It seemed risky to pull out the briefing papers until they were safely in the air. Otherwise, she might just end up chasing them around the room, should the takeoff not go smoothly.

But she had brought a few novels in her travel bag, so she retrieved one of those and retreated to the bed, stomach twisting. Imogene had recommended the author when Chloe first returned, and she'd enjoyed the first book—a satisfying mix of adventure and romance—she'd tried, so she’d purchased more to bring with her for when she required distraction. Like now. She wanted to be a diplomat, but that didn't mean she couldn't be a little daunted until she found her feet. It was normal. It was no different to the first few days after she'd agreed to marry Charl or the few days before her wedding or the first few months in Anglion. Nerves would fade with time as she became familiar with her new circumstances.

She’d only read a few pages when Giane arrived. They made small talk as she unpacked. She, too, retreated to her bunk for the takeoff, after reassuring Chloe that there really was nothing to worry about. As she had done this before, Chloe made herself try to believe her. Imogene had created these things, she reminded herself sternly. The emperor had flown in one. It was safe.

In the end, it was uneventful. The navire jerked a little, and then there was a sensation not quite like anything else Chloe had ever experienced as they rose into the air. And once they stopped climbing, the shallow angle of the vessel becoming flat once more, there was little besides a gentle bobbing from time to time, the same as a ship on a relatively smooth sea.

"See, nothing to worry about," Giane said, climbing back down from the bunk. She walked over to the window and peered out, one hand fiddling with the long braid that hung down the back of her uniform. "Come and see."

"I'm fine," Chloe said. Better to take some time to get used to the thought of all that empty air beneath her before she actually saw it.

"You don't like heights?" Giane inquired, turning back.

"I'm not sure. I've rarely had to deal with them."

"You never climbed the Raven Tower at the Academe?"

"The Raven Tower is slightly less than fifty feet. And it's solid. And there are quite substantial parapets preventing one from falling off the edge." She'd never considered the Raven Tower to be too high, that much was true. So maybe it wasn't so much the height but the lack of anything between the navire and the ground far below that was so unsettling. But it was another thing she would get used to.

"The navire has railings," Giane said with a smile. "And if it gets rough, there's a harness and rope system. No one's fallen over the side yet." Her expression softened. "Sorry, I won't tease you. At least you're not puking like the last lieutenant I shared with. That wasn't fun. Of course, the weather was rougher, but still...."

Chloe didn't want to think too hard about puking. So far her stomach seemed untroubled, and she hoped it would remain so. It wouldn't do to be “the new lieutenant who vomited all the way across the empire.” That wouldn't convince anyone who was already skeptical about her being included on this mission that she was qualified to be here. "I'm feeling fine. It doesn't bother you?"

Giane shook her head. "Not so far. And my head no longer hurts after that bloody reveille, at least." She shivered. "I'm not sure I'll get used to that any time soon."

Chloe nodded in sympathy. "Me either. But it's part of the job. And I have teas and things if your head bothers you again. Or your stomach." Giane was a blood mage with some skill in water as well, judging by the black streaks in her brown hair, but there was no hint of red to indicate any strength in earth.

"Earth witches are handy that way," Giane said, smiling again. She peered out the window again. "Are you sure you don't want to look?"

"Where was your last mission?" Chloe asked, firmly changing the subject. If they were to be bunkmates for days, they might as well get to know each other a little.

"The Faithless Isles," Giane replied. "Somewhat warmer than where we're headed now."

"Just about everywhere in the empire is warmer than Andalyssia," Chloe agreed. She'd been provided with winter uniforms, including an impressive wool cloak lined with fur. Imogene had advised her to wear layers and presented her with woolen and silk underthings that were finer than anything the army provided. Along with extra woolen socks and advice on warming charms. "The weather in the north will be interesting."

Giane shivered a little. "I grew up in Sasskine. I'd hardly seen snow until I came to Lumia. I'm not looking forward to freezing half to death in Andalyssia. The temperatures are dire. And it's still only autumn. At least we'll be out of there before winter proper hits."

"Yes, but it's Andalyssia." There was no farther north to go in the empire and few countries as mysterious. Though why they wanted to hold a royal wedding at a time of year where the weather would be growing increasingly worse was part of that mystery. But traditions were hard to argue with. Apparently their seers set the date. Seers. More mysteries. "We're lucky to be chosen."

"I guess," Giane said. "We just better hope we’re more successful than some of the previous missions. No one wants to come home in disgrace. And a royal wedding in a country so...traditional seems rife with chances to break some obscure point of etiquette and cause a scandal."

"We just have to pay attention and listen to what the others tell us to do," Chloe said firmly. "Junior lieutenants aren't expected to be front and center." She didn't know if that was going to be strictly true in her case. Not if Colonel Brodier had been serious about Chloe attending all the wedding festivities. "I know there was a less-than-ideal mission a long time ago, but there's no reason for that to happen again. From what I heard, the captain in charge was an idiot and dragged all the others down with him. Colonel Brodier is not an idiot."

She wasn't going to mention that she knew one of the people who'd been on that mission. Most of the delegation knew she was friends with Major du Laq, but she didn't intend to bring the subject up if they didn’t. Imogene didn't like talking about her ill-fated early mission, so it wasn't as though she knew much about it anyway.

Lucien had been to Andalyssia, too, in the wake of the Elannon scandal. He'd been tight-lipped when he'd returned. And he was the last person in the empire she would seek out for advice now.

She'd avoided him successfully in the army's section of the palace complex as well, so far. The judicial arm of the mages had its own building closer to the palace than most of the other barracks. Closer to be at the emperor's beck and call perhaps. Or maybe to be summoned to the dungeons at a moment's notice.

She shivered a little at the thought, then pushed it away. She had no reason to ever become familiar with the dungeons and no intention of ever getting to know how the judicial corps did their work. She'd had enough experience of courts and trials for a lifetime. Diplomats rarely had to give evidence in public. And if they did, it would be a ranking officer. The rest of them wrote reports and stayed out of sight. Which suited her perfectly well. And now she was far above Lumia and putting miles between her and Lucien de Roche with every passing hour. That was a cheering thought.

"Tell me about the Faithless Isles," she said to Giane. "Tell me everything."

They managed to pass the time from the navire ascending until the bells started to ring to signal the change of the hour on this subject. In fact, Giane's descriptions of pristine beaches and handsome dark-skinned men and warm nights had been delightful. Though also underscoring that their current destination was likely to be a quite different experience.

"Dinner," Giane said happily when the bells fell silent. "Good, I'm starving."

---