Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld & Keith Thompson

Author:Scott Westerfeld & Keith Thompson [Westerfeld, Scott & Thompson, Keith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction, General, Europe, Historical, Animals, Mythical, Juvenile Fiction, Action & Adventure, Legends; Myths; Fables, Genetic engineering, Princes, People & Places, Young Adult Fiction, War, War Stories, Military & Wars, Steampunk fiction, Animals; Mythical, Imaginary Creatures
ISBN: 9781416971757
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: 2010-10-04T22:00:00+00:00

Three hours later Deryn found herself staring out the Leviathan’s open cargo door, a heavy pack on her back and a rocky expanse rolling past below.

She sighed. Might as well jump now, without a barking rope.

No matter how she thought the matter through, everything was hopeless and ruined. The count had guessed her secret, and he’d done so right smack in front of a reporter. Her first command was about to begin, but her career was practically over.

“Don’t worry, lad,” the bosun said from beside her. “It’s never as far as it looks.”

She nodded, wishing that it was something piffling like a keelhaul drop that had her jittery. Gravity was something you could beat; all it took was hydrogen, hot air, or even a bit of rope. But being a girl was a miserable, never-ending struggle.

“I’m fine, Mr. Rigby. Just can’t wait to get started.” She turned toward her men. “How about you lot?”

The three men in her landing party put on brave faces, but their eyes stayed glued to the passing landscape. As the Sphinx drew closer, the airship slowed, turning into the stiff breeze coming off the ocean. But the officers couldn’t come to a full halt without giving the sultan and his men too clear a view of the ground beneath them.

A bit cheeky, committing espionage right in front of a nation’s sovereign.

The bosun consulted his watch. “Twenty seconds, I’d say.”

“Clip your lines!” Deryn ordered. Her heart was starting to race now, driving out her gloomy thoughts. Volger and his threats could get stuffed. She could always toss him out his stateroom window.

The terrain was rising beneath the ship now, turning from trees to scrub grass and rock, then finally sand. To her right was the Sphinx, a natural formation thrusting up like an ancient statue of some pagan god.

“Get ready, lads.” She shouted, “Three, two, one …” … and jumped.

The rope hissed through her safety clip, angry and piping hot in the sea breeze. She heard her comrades descending around her, a chorus of whirring cables slicing through the air.

The ground came up fast, and Deryn snapped on a second clip. The friction doubled, jerking her into a slower fall. But solid rock and scrub grass still blurred beneath her, too fast for comfort.

Then she felt it, a sway in her line. The airship was slowing just a squick. Her rope swung forward with her momentum, then began a slow swing backward, so that her position was almost static with the ground below.

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