“Griswold!" a voice bellowed."We'll talk about this later," he said, then climbed to his feet and stood at attention. "Sir!"I turned around, only to be confronted with the largest man I had ever seen in my life.The end was nigh.”

“Later that evening, back at the airship, I cut a hole in a ribbon Beryl had given me and attached the cuff link, before tying it around my neck.Symbols are powerful.When he saw this, my father finally decided to ask after the extent of my loss. "I feel," he said, glancing across the rain-speckled deck of the ship, "like I have lost a on." His hand was trembling, a it always had whenever he admitted to great emotion. "I take it that you'd grown fond of him as well? He was such a noble young man.""Something like that," I confessed brokenly/”

“I gave [Nora] as long as she needed, all the while mentally designing my tombstone. 'R.I.P., Captain Abraham R. Griswold. He was completely useless and made girls cry.”

“What the hell was that?!" Tom asked, fighting his way to his feet."That..was not normal," Bram said, gripping the wheel like he was afraid to let go."I modified the engine somewhat," Renfield confessed. That grin started sneaking back onto his face."Modifications?" Gram asked. He slowly released his death grip on the steering wheel and turned around to look at Ren. "What modifications?""Modification." Ren really stressed the shun at the end of the word. "I just removed the governor. I told you some parts needed to come out. You were there when I did it!""The what?" I asked.Bram stared at Renfield, his expression going completely slack. "You did what? I didn't see you...You did what?""What's a governor?""You didn't," Tom said, voice filled with awe. "You are not telling me that you left a piece of the engine behind on the ground. "Renfield sighed and turned to address me, waving a hand casually. "The governor, on an airship engine, caps the maximum speed the engine can achieve. So,by taking the governor off, I've allowed us to go much faster.""And then we'll blow up!" Bram yelled. "Because you took a safety valve off!""You've turned the ship into a freaking death trap!" Tom shouted. "It isn't critical. We just have to be mindful of the engine pressure ourselves, that's all! Trust me, she can take it!”

“First,' Dad said, giving me a stern look, 'Captain Griswold and you [Nora] and i must have a little chat.' I batted my eyelashes at him, even as my cheeks heated. Chas choked, and scrawled out, You stil ow me detales! Detales!!!”

“Now. Bram, you are a good friend and an uptanding young man, but I'm afraid that tradition dictates I now attempt to scare you within an inch of your unlife.""Understood," Bram said, taking his arm back as I got myself under control.My father is a gentle-looking man. Thus, why I started laughing again as he attempted to look stern. "What are your intentions concerning my daughter?"Bram cast a look my way, laughing himself, before clearing his throat and doing his best to look scared. "Why, to care for and protect her until I rot away, sir.”

“She tried to compose herself then, with several deep breaths. I gave her as long as she needed, all the while mentally designing my tombstone. R.I.P, Captain Abraham R. Griswold. He was completely useless and made girls cry.”