Page 283 of Axis of Fire

Pretending I didn’t like it suddenly felt almost sacrilegious.

The Beckbill flew closer and closer to the island.

The moment we entered the fog, my eyes greedily took in everything around us.

In the distance, I could make out charming little houses with distinct architecture, endless stretches of greenery, and sculptures scattered throughout the landscape.

I noticed several lakes as well.

The entire place seemed to exist in perfect balance between nature and human creation.

“What was Ruel best at?” I asked, my gaze catching on a massive glass circle standing at the center of the island.

But the lower we descended, the more it disappeared behind the dense canopy of trees.

“Everything,” Airis answered.

“Everything he touched became perfection—

Poetry.

Paintings.

Music.

Sculpture.”

I felt his hold around me loosen slightly.

The Beckbill began slowing down.

The ground drifted steadily closer beneath us.

“That’s why I don’t believe in talent the way Tarven does,” Airis continued.

“I believe in discipline.

Relentless work.”

“Ruel certainly makes a compelling argument,” I admitted, noticing that even Airis’s knees had relaxed slightly.

Apparently, I was finally about to learn how Beckbill parking worked.

Airis loosened his arms and legs.

But leaned his body forward ever so slightly.

“When landing, sudden movements are the worst thing you can do,” he explained.

“The Beckbill should only feel you shifting your weight forward.”

He spoke calmly while guiding us down.

“To accelerate, you lean forward with both your body and your hands.

To slow down, you ease both your hands and your legs back.”

He repeated the instructions once more.