They had to fight their way out of the manor. The guards were everywhere, but Kaelen's tactical mind was five steps ahead. He used the steam system to create distractions, triggering explosions in the kitchen and the stables.
In the chaos, they reached the outer wall. Lyra was limping, leaning heavily on him.
"I can't make the jump, Kaelen," she whispered as they looked down at the icy canal. "My leg... it won't hold."
Kaelen looked at the guards closing in. He looked at the girl he had grown to love more than his own life.
"Then we don't jump," Kaelen said. He turned, facing the guards, his daggers out. "We fly."
He grabbed a loose cable from a steam-crane, wrapped it around his arm, and kicked a release lever. The counterweight dropped, and they were yanked into the night air, soaring over the city walls and into the darkness of the woods.