If there was no help for it, she might as well play things casual. She lifted a hand. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Fieran stumped closer, leaning on the cane in a way that showed he was still healing. After all, he’d fallen from the sky only a week ago. The fact that he was up and walking was a testament to the strength of elven healing magic.
Pip placed her hands on either side of the cockpit and levered herself to her feet. Even with the fuselage sitting flat on the ground, she still struggled to step up and over the high side ofthe cockpit, her toes barely brushing the floor on the other side. As she lifted her other foot free, she had to give a couple of hops so that she didn’t fall over.
As much as she wanted to rush to Fieran’s side, Pip faced Louise, trying to keep her tone nonchalant. “Do you mind if I take my lunch break now?”
“Go on. Don’t worry about the time.” Louise grinned and waved her hand breezily.
How much did Louise know or suspect? Too much, given the way she was smirking.
Pip wasn’t going to question her now. Instead, she hurried past Louise to Fieran’s side.
Fieran tilted his head, then started walking in the direction he indicated.
Pip fell into step with him. For once, she was the one having to shorten her stride to slow down. She was so used to always walking fast or trotting to keep up with everyone that it was a struggle to slow down.
While they walked, she reached up, took the pins out of her hair, and did her best to gather all the strands back into a neater bun. Not only was she fixing her hair, but it gave her something to do with her hands. Otherwise she might reach for Fieran’s hand, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to make that kind of statement in front of his sister. Not until she and Fieran had talked.
He led her to the glass-covered courtyard alley Louise had shown her on her first day there, then into the building next to it.
Inside, rows upon rows of shelving filled most of the space while a room had been walled off with wood to their right.
As they neared, the door to the room opened, and an elf woman with long blonde hair bustled out of it. Pip had seen her from a distance a few times during lunches in the alley, and Louise had said she was her Aunt Illyna.
Illyna’s gaze swept past them, then swung back to them. A smile creased her face. “Fieran! It is good to see you up and about.”
“I’m enjoying being out of bed.” Fieran shifted from foot to foot, strain at the edges of his smile.
Pip edged a little closer, ready to prop herself under his arm if needed. Was this his usual fidgeting or a need to sit down?
“You are a similar height to Merrik, right?” Illyna swept a glance over him, as if making mental calculations in her head.
“I think I’m an inch taller, maybe.” Fieran rocked back on his heels, his smile dropping entirely.
Pip eased close enough to brush her fingers against his, letting him know that she was there. That she understood why any mention of Merrik was difficult right now.
“Do you have a moment?” Illyna reached into a pocket, pulling out a measuring tape. “I would like to take a few measurements. I will still need to make a few adjustments once I fit the prosthetic for Merrik, but your measurements will help those making the prosthetic get it close.”
Fieran hesitated for a moment before he bent in stilted movements and began untying his boot. “Uh, of course I’ll help.”
Pip shifted, not sure if she should walk a few steps away or continue to stand there awkwardly.
Illyna glanced at her and smiled. “I do not know if we have officially met. I am Illyna Marion. I oversee one of the AMPC’s charitable foundations and the manufacturing of prosthetics.” Illyna lifted her prosthetic left hand. “I am rather invested in that part of the business, after all.”
Pip had seen Illyna from a distance both with and without her prosthetic hand in the past few days. She nodded, not sure what else to say to that.
Oh, wait, she probably should introduce herself. “I’m Pip. I’m here on temporary assignment from the army.”
Fieran sat in one of the nearby metal chairs and tugged off his boot, though his gaze remained on the floor. “You are working on his…you are helping him personally.” It was as if he couldn’t bring himself to sayMerrik’s prostheticout loud.
“Yes. I will be leaving for Estyra in a few days, once several options are finished for him to test out.” Illyna’s gaze rested on Fieran, her voice and gaze filled with compassion. She held out her hands—both the one made of flesh and blood and the wooden one glowing green as she moved the fingers with her plant magic. “I know what he is going through right now. He needs the time and patience to pick up the pieces and put himself back together. It is hard, but he will be all right eventually.”
Pip swallowed at the lump in her throat, blinking rapidly. She hoped so. Hearing the despair and bitterness in Merrik’s voice had hurt. He was her friend, after all. One of her flyboys.
Fieran nodded and stood, wobbling slightly. “How would you like me to stand?”
“Just like that. Stand straight and stay still.” Illyna knelt and began taking measurements with the flexible measuring tape, her wooden fingers glowing even more green as she moved them with her magic. She jotted notes on a piece of paper as she went. After a few minutes, she stood. “All done. Linshi.”
