‘I say.’ George leaned forward. ‘Is that a good idea? I mean, shouldn’t we get to Trinovant as fast as we can?’
‘We won’t tarry long, but anything we can find out about these ships will help in determining a strategy against them.’ He rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘I want to get nearer to Dr Tremaine’s flagship. I don’t imagine he’ll allow an Albion aircraft to come alongside, not unless he has changed considerably.’
Caroline didn’t move her head. ‘Sophie, I give you per mission to poke Aubrey with something sharp if he starts getting pompous.’
Sophie studied Aubrey, who was still considering the implications of Caroline’s thinking she could give someone permission to do something to him. ‘I think he has already started,’ she said.
‘That’s his last chance, then. Poke him if he continues.’
‘Familiarity,’ Aubrey said hurriedly. ‘If someone looks in this direction, they need to imagine that they’re seeing something that belongs.’
‘Like a cloud, old man?’ George offered.
‘That would be useful if we remain at a distance, but I’d like to get closer than that.’
‘A bird,’ Sophie said suddenly. ‘If someone looks across and thinks that we are a bird, it might seem unusual, but not threatening, no?’
‘Perfect,’ Aubrey said, ‘and I think I might have something that can help here. Do you know anything about the Law of Similarity?’
Sophie shook her head.
‘The Law of Similarity states that an object can be encouraged to assume the characteristics of something it resembles.’
George nodded wisely. ‘That’s the one you used to turn our ornithopter into a bird after we rescued Major Saltin.’ He cocked his head at Sophie. ‘He saved our life that way.’
‘I’m thinking,’ Aubrey said, doing his best to retain control of the discussion, ‘that I can blend some elements from a Similarity spell into a Familiarity spell of your devising. Since this ornithopter is already bird-like, it should increase the effectiveness of your spell.’
Sophie sparkled. ‘That is brilliant, Aubrey, and not pompous at all!’
‘Now, get to work,’ Caroline said with tilt of her head. ‘This circling is stupefyingly boring.’
Sophie’s increasing ability and facility with spells of seeming and appearance had been on Aubrey’s mind. Her spellcasting diffidence came from lack of practice, he’d decided, and some wayward teaching when she was younger. In discussions about her training, he’d had the impression of a series of harsh, disciplinarian magic instructors who insisted on rote learning. Aubrey understood her rejection of magic, if this was the case. He would have struggled under such a regime, despite his love of magical learning. Sophie was sunny, clever, humorous, but she wasn’t infinitely patient. Like Caroline, she wouldn’t suffer fools gladly.
With a jolt, he straightened. Then what on earth are Caroline and she doing with George and me?
‘Aubrey?’ Sophie said. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Me? I’m perfectly well, thanks. Just thinking. And you?’
‘I’ve nearly finished the spell. Will you look at it, please?’
Sophie’s spell making was clean and precise. She’d left her workings behind before she’d written out her final version, which was useful as he could follow the thinking that lay behind what she’d crossed out and changed along the way.
He couldn’t fault her logic. Even though he may have taken a different approach with the parameters for dimensionality, he accepted that her use of spatial and relative coordinates was an inspired method of ensuring that they remained disguised at all times.
He also approved of her use of Achaean. The ancient classical language was well known and relatively straightforward to work with. For a rusty spell caster, it was a good choice.
He looked up to find her gazing at him anxiously. ‘Is it sound?’
‘Sophie, it’s a marvel. I couldn’t have done it.’
‘Now you’re making fun of me.’
He shook his head. ‘I recognise good spellwork when I see it.’
Sophie coloured and took the notebook he gave her. ‘What do we do now?’
‘You cast the spell.’
‘When?’
‘After I’ve merged it with the spell to increase the birdiness of the final result. Then we should be ready.’
65
Sophie finished her spell smoothly, if a little nervously, and Aubrey immediately felt the pulse of magic about them. ‘Well done, Sophie.’
George grasped her trembling hand. ‘I’m always impressed by impressive women, and believe me – I’m very impressed now.’
She sighed, then smiled. ‘I’m glad I could help.’
Aubrey could see how much casting the spell had affected her. Her face had blanched with the effort and her shoulders sagged.
‘You’ve done well,’ he said to her.
‘Is it always like this?’ She put a hand to her chest. ‘I feel drained, but also as if a string had been plucked inside me.’
‘Nicely put. It affects different people in different ways, but that tension and release is a common report.’
‘I’m not sure if I like it.’
‘Some people hate the sensation so much they give up magic altogether. Others find that they crave it.’
Sophie peered from the window. ‘So now we cannot be seen?’
‘Anyone who looks in this direction will see a bird. If he doesn’t look for too long, he should simply go about his business. Since you’ve done such a fine job, he should even fail to notice the sound we’re making. Most likely, he’ll ignore it or assume it’s coming from something else nearby.’
Caroline caught his eye. ‘Are we ready?’
‘Can you take us alongside the flagship?’
‘Port or starboard?’
‘Whatever is easier.’
‘Port, I think. Hold on.’
Before Aubrey could respond, guns on the warships about them erupted, firing in the direction of the Albion shores. The ornithopter jolted and Aubrey banged his head on the bulkhead, but Caroline soon had the aircraft steady and level again.
The guns on the battleships continued to fire, flame and smoke lancing from the massive barrels. The sound was all-encompassing; the ornithopter shook as if it were possessed. Tiny metallic sounds came from all around them – rattles, pings and creaks, all of which were designed to create panic in ornithopter passengers.
‘What are they firing at?’ Sophie asked.
‘I can’t see…’ Caroline said.
‘There!’ George pointed.
Some miles ahead, to the west, a hapless weathership was the target of the skyfleet’s guns. Huge eruptions of spray marked where the shells had missed, but Aubrey knew it was only a matter of time. The weathership could cut its anchor and run, but with the massed barrage mustered by the skyfleet, such a course of action would be hopeless.
‘Why?’ Sophie asked in a tiny voice. ‘It’s defenceless.’
‘It could send warning to Albion.’ George’s face was set. ‘Cowardly dogs.’
Any doubts about the intention of the barrage or of the efficacy of the cloud-made weapons disappeared
