The Stowaway Debutante

Airships, pirates, and secret identities... When Clara dreamed of running away to seek her own adventures, she never imagined that a chance encounter with the legendary Captain Duke might set her life on an entirely different course. Armed with her wit and charm, Clara can usually talk her way out of any troubles. But first, she has to get back to solid ground... Clara stole a quiet breath of relief when the loud man's boots retreated toward the stairwell. She could hear the other two moving about the cargo hold, and hoped that her own thudding heartbeat would not betray her position. She quickly thought through her options: Could she bribe them? Should she fight? Could she run? She made herself as small as possible and waited, every instinct on high alert. The lighter pair of footsteps was getting closer. A shuffle. A step. He must be less than four feet from her, only the crate she huddled against blocking her from his view. When his voice called out, the blood froze in Clara's veins. "Hey, look over here!"