Also by Scott Westerfeld The first book in the trilogy ... - Webgarden

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“Of course.” The captain touched his hat and turned back to the wheel. “Good day, gentlemen.”
While Volger bowed again, Alek turned stiffly about and walked away, still angry at the man’s
impertinence. But as he headed back toward the hatchway, he found himself slowing a little, just to listen
for a few more seconds to the thrum of the airship at its heart.
There were worse prisons in the world than this.
“You know what his orders from the Admiralty will be,” Volger muttered out in the corridor.
“To lock us up,” Alek said. “As soon as he can do without our help.”
“Exactly. It’s time to start planning our escape.”
That night in the machine room, Alek stared at the eggs, his mind drifting.
They were such insignificant-looking objects, but this giant, marvelous airship had fought its way across
Europe to bring them here. What was inside them? What sort of godless creature could keep the
Ottomans from joining the war?
The heaters packed around the eggs glimmered softly, and in the ship’s quiet, Alek felt sleep creeping up
on him. He stood and shook himself awake.
It was just after three a.m., time to get started.
As he pulled off his boots, a twinge crept down his side. But the pain in his rib cage was only a dull ache.
Nothing that would trouble him tonight.
It had taken an hour of arguing to make Count Volger see the logic of this plan. Klopp was still under
guard, Bauer and Hoffman were busy with the engines, and Volger had already been caught skulking
below. It was up to Alek to find their avenue of escape.
He pressed an ear against the machine room door, holding his breath.
Nothing.
He turned the latch and pushed it slowly open. The electrikal lamps were dark. Only the glimmer of
glowworms lit the corridors, a green radiance as faint as starlight. Alek stepped into the hall, dead silent
in his stocking feet, and eased the door shut behind him.
He waited for a moment to let his eyes adjust, then started for the stairs. There had to be an escape
hatch somewhere, a way for the crew to abandon ship by rope or parachute. The lowest deck of the
gondola was the logical place to look for it.
Though, where they would find five parachutes—or a few hundred meters of rope—was beyond Alek.
They would have to escape when the ship was grounded in Constantinople, then buy their way to safety
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