Chapter 3_The Sky Assembly Arrives

Morning arrived with golden light spilling across the clouds. The town of Brasshaven slowly came to life. Ships rose into the air. Birds sang from rooftop towers. The scent of smoke and spice floated in the breeze.

On the dock, the Cloudreaper was ready.

Kairo stood at the ship’s wheel with wide eyes and a full heart. His scarf fluttered in the wind, and his hand rested on the folded map in his coat.

Down below, Cinder Flint flipped a frying pan in the ship’s kitchen, whistling happily as fire danced around him.

Kairo had never felt so alive.

Today was the day.

Today, they would fly.

He checked the skyfire engines—glowing steady green.

He checked the sails—open and catching wind.

“Alright, Cloudreaper,” he whispered. “Let’s see what you can do.”

With a twist of the key and a pull of the throttle, the ship lifted.

It rose smoothly at first, then faster. The ropes snapped free. The ship’s wheels turned. The clouds welcomed them.

Kairo laughed. “We’re flying!”

But just as they cleared the edge of the docks, bells rang out again—not storm bells.

Warning bells.

From the east, five dark ships approached the town. They moved quickly, gliding through the clouds like shadows. Each one carried a black flag marked with a silver eye.

Cinder stepped onto the deck, wiping his hands.

“Oh great,” he said. “It’s them.”

“Who?” Kairo asked.

“The Sky Assembly,” Cinder said. “They make the rules up here. They don’t like when people break them.”

Kairo frowned. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“You have an Atlas map. That’s enough.”

A loudspeaker crackled on the lead ship. A voice rang out, cold and sharp.

“Kairo Vey. You are in possession of forbidden sky-charts. By order of the Sky Assembly, stop your ship and prepare to be boarded.”

Kairo’s heart pounded. He looked at the approaching ships. Each one had metal wings, steam cannons, and rows of masked soldiers on deck.

He looked at Cinder.

“We can’t fight them.”

Cinder smirked. “Nope. But we can outrun them.”

Kairo nodded. “Let’s do it.”

He grabbed the wheel and turned hard to the left. The Cloudreaper dipped and spun, flying faster than ever. Wind roared past them as the engines fired bright blue.

The Sky Assembly ships followed fast.

Cannons fired.

Booms echoed in the air as smoke and sparks filled the sky.

But the Cloudreaper was quicker, lighter, and wild. It moved like a bird, not a machine.

Kairo grinned wildly. “Try and catch us!”

Cinder lit a trail of fire behind them, causing two ships to back off.

The Cloudreaper soared through a gap in the clouds, disappearing into the sky.

Hours later, the sky was calm again.

Kairo leaned on the railing, breathing hard, his heart still racing. “That was close.”

Cinder passed him a mug of hot tea. “Welcome to life beyond the law.”

Kairo looked out at the open sky ahead.

He still had the map.