"Wouldn't you be?" It's sappy to admit feeling that strongly about ships — air or otherwise — but it's safer territory than her other loves are and by far the most normal. Billie tips her refilled glass in thanks to Shura before taking another drink.

"I mean, maybe they would have. People used to trust dragons but they wouldn't have lasted long in the war, that's for sure. Now, though? Doesn't matter. Not even with these little guys." She nods down towards the sleeping dragonets. "But getting out of Krimnos easily is only a start. Those bigs ones, they don't look too maneuverable, right? But if you could make a smaller ship? Stock it properly and you can go anywhere. Over the mountains, into lands you've never even seen, go find all the places people have just forgotten about in the past hundred years, anything you want."