"Come now, Vinny," Markiveus exclaims over the riling cheers. "You are going too easy on him."
The rest of the Herems and I stand on the Skydeck, encircling Vince as he duels another crew member. We're a swirl of colour—red, black, cream, and brown—blurring together in the whipping wind. Nearly the entire air crew of Captain Elfort has gathered around, their eyes locked on the sparring pair. Vince claims victory over yet another daring volunteer, his grin sharp against the chaos.
Wind lashes at us, sending wisps of hair across my face, tugging at the fishbone braid trailing down my back. The Piratas cling to their peaked caps, one hand raised, fists pumping in the air as they cheer Vince on, their excitement swallowed by the roaring gusts.
