Nyssa cleaned her hands on a grease cloth and gazed down the road. A line of endless blue beckoned. She’d never seen the sea and having the carriage break down when they were this close was maddening.
“When we get to Freeport, where do you want to go?” Ellis asked.
“Oh, I don’t care. You’re paying for the tickets, after all.” She smirked.
“So we’re sticking together?” He rolled closer to her.
“I guess. If you want me to … I mean …” Nyssa flushed. She shouldn’t have assumed.
He stroked her cheek. Her breath hitched. With one hand on the carriage behind her, he leaned forward. The pistons in his braces hissed as they adjusted.
His lips brushed against hers, softly first, then when she didn’t pull away he pressed harder. She inhaled the scent of him, sun-baked and dusty from their travels. Her arms slipped about his neck as every muscle in her body melted.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since before I had lips,” he whispered.
She laughed. “I’m glad you have lips. I like them.” She twined her fingers into his hair, her eyes locked with his. “Let’s go someplace warm and green where it can be just us two.”
“So heaven then?” He chuckled. “That sounds perfect.”
The End
Nyssa Glass and
Juliet Dilemma
Copyright © 2016 H. L. Burke
To Coryn,
my practical, empathetic, perceptive darling.
Mom
Chapter One
“Hold still please. You don’t want the photograph to be blurry.”
It’s not my fault you haven’t updated your camera. The newer models have nearly instantaneous exposure. That relic looks older than I am. Nyssa Glass swallowed her rant and sat straighter.
Across the room Ellis rested in his mechanized wheelchair. Behind him the streaked glass revealed a narrow side street filled with dingy, rundown storefronts. A few pedestrians and motorists passed by, but none gave the shop a second glance.
For the best. Being sighted in the company of a known forger could cause unwanted scrutiny.
The shutter clicked.
“Good, good.” The photographer, a small man with a thin mustache and stiffly parted hair, nodded. “Your expression won’t be pleasant by any means, but it will suffice.”
Nyssa glared at him, her fingers gripping into her ruffled skirts. “I save my pleasant expression for better company.”
The man cleared his throat and disappeared into the back room, mumbling, “Just a minute.”
“Nervy fellow.” Nyssa stood and stretched her legs.
“For what it’s worth, I always find your expression pleasant.” Ellis flashed his easy smile. His dark eyes sparkled at her, full of life and thoughtfulness beyond his nineteen years.
The tension between Nyssa’s shoulders eased. “I just want to get out of here. Out of the whole country, for that matter.”
“So do I, but for that we need passports, which puts us at Victor’s mercy. You said yourself, he’s the best.”
“The best forger. Still makes him a criminal.” She sniffed and came to rest her hand on Ellis’s shoulder. “Thank you. You’re not the one who is wanted, so going through all this for me—”
“I have my own reasons for traveling incognito. You know that,” he said. “It doesn’t matter, though. Tomorrow we boardThe HMS Juliet and leave the nation of New Taured—and our past—in its steam.”
Nyssa smiled. She’d never traveled by zeppelin, andThe Juliet was a top-of-the-line luxury dirigible, capable of carrying twenty passengers in comfort and style. Under different circumstances, she’d have been thrilled.
Being framed for murder and forced to flee the country sort of takes the fun out of vacations.
Ellis took her hand. “Hey, cheer up. Everything’s almost behind us.” He flipped a dial on the armrest of his chair. It unfolded and adjusted, clamping around his legs like a pair of braces, supporting him until he could stand upright. “I have it planned out. We’ll get to San Azula, cash in enough of my bonds to purchase a home, maybe start a business. Glass and … not Dalhart. I need a new name.”
She laughed. “And what will we do in this venture?”
“Whatever we want.” He shrugged. “Between your electrician training and everything I learned in my father’s workshop, we have options.”
“Sounds wonderful.” Nyssa brushed a stray lock of wiry brown hair from her eyes. “I’d like a chance to contribute financially to the arrangement.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. What’s the point in having a rich boyfriend if he doesn’t buy you things?” He winked.
Nyssa blushed. Their relationship was only a month old and ill-defined. She was fond of him, yes. While he’d never made any advances stronger than an occasional kiss, traveling in such tight quarters was often awkward. It would be nice to know exactly where things were headed. She couldn’t help but worry what people thought of them, sharing a hotel room, or feel a tinge of guilt when she enjoyed their kisses. After all, was that something “nice girls” did? Did nice girls even have boyfriends, or did they somehow manage to skip straight to fiancés? Nyssa had never had anyone to talk to regarding such matters.
The door to the back room opened, and the pistons in Ellis’s leg-braces hissed as he turned to face Victor.
The forger clasped two leather-bound documents in his outstretched hand.
“Already?” Ellis asked.
“Yes, sir. You were in luck. A pair stopped by yesterday and ordered two. I had them half-finished when they tried to pay in jewelry,” Victor said. “We’re strictly a cash operation, you understand. Speaking of …?”
Ellis reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the bills. Nyssa had instructed him to bring only the exact payment, in case Victor tried to press for more. Ellis was smart, but not particularly worldly. Also, he could be cavalier with his expenditures in a way that made her head spin. When purchasing their zeppelin tickets the night before, he’d tipped the desk girl a fiver!
“Ah, thank you, sir.” Victor moved behind the counter and began to count the money.
Ellis cracked open the first
