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They had caught a fair westerly wind and were heading in the general direction of Italy, taking
watches so each of them could get a few hours of sleep. Alex learned to use the compass and alerted
Sophie if the wind changed direction too much or if they were approaching any obstacle that would
cause them to have to throw out sandbags and ascend. Thankfully, that hadn t happened.
Mostly they just floated, looking down at the rows of crops, the vineyards, and clumps of forests as
they sailed over western France. The wind carried them at what seemed a slow speed, but they cov-
ered far more ground than if they had been traveling by carriage.
On the third evening, the sky turned gray and stormy, the feeling of rain heavy in the air. We will
need to ascend quickly and get above these storm clouds. Sophie heaved up a heavy sandbag, peer-
ing over the edge to make sure it would land in a field, and then pushed it over the side.
Gabriel quickly grabbed another bag and threw it over. Alex rushed to help Sophie with a third one.
How many should we throw over? Alex yelled against the rising wind. A jag of lightning in the
distance made Alex jump with a shriek. That was close!
Sophie looked at the sky, tense lines standing out around her mouth, but her eyes were level and in-
tent.
Keep throwing them over until I say to stop!
Shouldn t we descend, land somewhere, and take cover? Gabriel asked, though he kept throwing
bags overboard.
No, I ve done this before. If we can rise above the storm clouds, we will be out of danger.
The clouds continued to grow dark and so thick Alex couldn t see very far ahead of her. Rain began
to pelt the balloon. Alex looked up, her heart loud in her ears. The wind gusted against the balloon,
flattening one side and then turning them, making them whirl like inside a top.
Another jolt of lightning flashed, seeming right next to them, and then a loud rumble of thunder
Alex could feel inside her body as well as out. Within moments they were all soaked and freezing,
rising up and up into the thin air. Alex began to feel faint.
We re nearly high enough! Sophie shouted from one side. Just a few more bags.
The clouds began to thin and lighten. Gabriel came over and put his arm around Alex s waist, bring-
ing her close to his side. Look, it s getting lighter.
Within another few moments, they broke free from the storm clouds and rose higher still to a clear
expanse of sky. Above them were the stars, bigger and brighter than she d ever seen them. The
moon appeared a giant, glowing orb, shining down upon them.
Alex peered over the edge of the basket, looking for the now-familiar sight of the distant earth but
saw only flashes of lightning jagging down through the swirling storm clouds. She felt caught, sus-
pended in a calm space that was both eerie and beautiful, as if they had crossed over from one life
to the next.
Her breath was short though, and she couldn t stop shivering from the snapping cold. She pressed
closer to Gabriel. Have we made it?
He looked at her lips . . . oh no. Gabriel, can you hear me?
He turned her into his arms. Don t worry. It s the altitude, I think. It seems to either make my hear-
ing better or worse. It should come back once we are on land again.
Alex bit down on her chattering teeth, nodding but worried. What if it didn t? The thought of him
going back to the nonhearing world filled her with despair, but she mustn t show that. She must ap-
pear confident and full of faith.
Come along. We have to get you into warm and dry clothes. You and Sophie go under the awning
first. I ll keep watch.
Sophie came up to them, her face white with cold and her lips tinged blue but still with those steady
dark eyes. The compass says we are traveling north, which is not ideal but at least we aren t going
backward to the east. This storm will cost us some time, I m afraid.
At least it didn t cost us our lives. Gabriel watched her lips as they spoke.
Yes, Alex thought, diving into the warmer air under the awning and scrambling for some warm, dry
clothes. But had the balloon cost Gabriel his hearing? Would finding her parents cost them so
much?
Chapter Nineteen
Franco s well-sprung carriage did little to cushion Ian and Katherine s bleak mood on the road to
Carrara and the marble caves. Deep ruts, uneven ground, and a recent storm made traps of sucking
mud and slippery roads. The wheels of the carriage veered back and forth like a newborn colt trying
to stand for the first time.
Katherine gripped the leather strap with a tightly curled hand and stared out at the hilly countryside.
Italy. The hilly valleys of Tuscany with the craggy mountains pressing in on one side and the
sparkling waters of the sea on the other. It was one of her favorite places on earth. And she had a lot
to compare it with.
She and Ian had been to the far corners of the known world pyramids in Egypt, a silver mine in
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