Crash
an excerpt

As carefully as she could manage, Keo crawled further out onto the deck. She tried to reach the mid mast, but a powerful gust of wind tilted the ship and she slid across the planks until she slammed into the side. Keo screamed out as the pain exploded in her hand, which was caught between her and the wood. Tears ran down her cheeks. "Dad? Daaad?" she cried, but no one paid any attention to her.

She pulled her hand out and bit her lip, trying to be brave. "I'm Keo of the House of Yar," she told herself. The beginning of her formal title calmed her down, and she rattled off the rest as she began to crawl again.

"Second of my name." She used her left elbow now to avoid putting pressure on her strained hand. Her silken dress began to soak through with the moisture of the clouds around them, driven into the fabric by the ravaging winds. A chill went through her.

"Fourth Line of Revolutionary Founder Larn." Ahead of her, she saw the Jertian emissary, lying on the floor with a safety line from the front of the ship around his waist. Maybe if she could reach him, he would be able to tell her where her father was. They had spent weeks together in negotiation, surely he'd be aware of her father's whereabouts now. And he had a safety line to share.

"Distinguished in the manner of--"

The words stuck in her throat. She had heard the emissary yelling something and followed his gaze. His protector, a woman twice Keo's size and more muscular than anyone Keo had ever seen, was several steps further down the deck. She was holding one of the massive chains that held the balloon above them on one hand, and her other hand clung to the railing. Keo saw the intense strain on her face. The girl didn't think anyone could possibly hold their own against such a force. Especially since she now realized that the other four chains on this side had already snapped. The protector's mouth opened, but Keo couldn't hear the scream even as she saw her face contort in a grimace of pain and determination. For what seemed to be half an eternity, Keo just stared at the woman, who through some feat of unprecedented strength managed to wrap the chain around her hand and pull the balloon closer to her and almost back into place. Almost.

"God help us," Keo whispered as a large chunk of the railing broke off and protector and balloon disappeared into the darkness above them.