Page 272 of Axis of Fire

Pressing my face against Airis’s back, I silently prayed for the ride to end as quickly as possible.

Maybe sitting sideways only made everything worse.

Because it genuinely felt like the second I let go—

I’d fall.

“Next time, I’ll bring a child safety seat,” Airis said over the rush of the wind.

“They let children ride these things?” I asked without lifting my head so he could still hear me.

“No,” Airis replied.

“But you could probably borrow one of their seats.”

Then the Beckbill accelerated again.

The wind roared louder around us.

Maybe there was some kind of engine pushing the air itself, creating that sound.

I tried to distract myself with anything.

Anything except the fear locking my body in place.

“You don’t have to be afraid when you’re with me,” Airis said.

“That confidence does not extend to flying death machines.”

“We could’ve taken a car.

Stasia called a taxi last time.”

“You’ll have to get used to Beckbills,” Airis replied.

“They’re useful in combat.”

I sighed.

I decided silence was the only response he deserved.

After a while, I finally dared to look down, watching the outlines of Magicslan spread out beneath us.

I even recognized Violetta’s district—

The one Stasia had taken me to.

Then we began descending somewhere nearby.

But we landed in an entirely different area.

Right beside a dock where several other Beckbills were parked.

Unlike Violetta’s district, this place felt completely different.

The buildings were taller.

Painted in vivid colors.