Fitz studied her, then nodded. “Sure, I could use some help. You are not like most genteel ladies I have met.”
Kat gave him a winsome smile. He had no idea.
•••
Stephen stood on the edge of the makeshift camp just beyond the airship, watching Kat and Fitz, whose backs were to him. She let out a throaty laugh, and Fitz answered with his own gruff chortle as he handed her a metal bowl, which she began to wipe with a white towel. Were they washing dishes?
Stephen snorted. Just when he had Kat figured out, she surprised him again. Vanessa would have never helped with such menial tasks. But Kat was different. Deep down, where it counted, she was pure gold.
He continued to watch them, studying Kat more than the old cook. The clothes Robert had provided for Kat were Austrium in style. He had briefly noticed during their time on the ship but never allowed himself to really look. Now he studied the lines, how the corset shaped her young figure, the long brown skirt partially hiked up on the right side and held in place with a buckle. And knee high boots, visible through the slit.
The schoolteacher look was gone. Instead, Kat looked like she was ready for an adventure.
A smile spread across his lips. He liked it.
Ever since their talk earlier, since the moment Kat had spoken those words he’d thought he would never hear—and certainly did not deserve—his heart had felt lighter, like he could tackle anything. Life had a new spark to it.
“What are you grinning about?”
Stephen glanced over and found Robert standing next to him, his face covered in soot except for the area around his eye and patch. A trickle of sweat ran down the side of his face, leaving a trail behind.
“If you could see yourself, you’d grin, too,” Stephen said.
Using his sleeve to wipe his face—which only made things worse, leaving long streaks of soot where patches of clean skin had been—Robert looked at Fitz and Kat, then back at Stephen. “Horsefeathers. It’s the lady.” He smirked. “You, sir, are smitten.”
Stephen folded his arms and continued to grin. “You know, I think I am.”
Robert laughed. “It’s nice to see the old Stephen back.”
“It’s nice to be back. We had a good talk this morning.”
“And?”
Stephen turned toward Robert. “She forgave me.”
Robert nodded thoughtfully. “You won’t meet a lot of women who would forgive such a thing.”
“You’re right.”
“I’d hang on to that one if I were you. Even with all the craziness around her.”
“Hopefully Dr. Latimer will take care of that.”
“So you’re still planning to stay here in Austrium and look for the doctor?”
“Yes.” Stephen remembered what Kat had shared this morning. There was more to it than her ability to release unearthly power when her emotions became intense. Whatever this was, it was changing her. Consuming her.
“Then I’ll leave you both when I drop off the medical supplies at the rendezvous point. You can head back to the military base camp with our agents on this side of the strait.”
“And what will you do?”
“I plan to head farther south and find a way to repair that mast we lost during the storm, then go home.” He gave Stephen a shrewd look. “And you? What are your plans after you find this Dr. Latimer?”
Stephen’s gaze found Kat again as she pushed an errant curl back behind her ear and took another dish from Fitz. Robert was right. Kat was a woman he didn’t want to lose again. Maybe when this was all over and Kat was cured, they could go back to World City and live a quiet life. Maybe—his heart gave a wistful twist at the thought—maybe even lead a normal life, one that involved proper courting.
Robert shook his head. “No need to answer; I can see it on your face. I wish you the best, my friend.”
Stephen just smiled.
Chapter
14
Jake Ryder rubbed his chin and studied the ship sitting in the port of Covenshire. She was smaller than the others tied to the pier, with two decks and one large smoke stack in the middle of the ship. Two pale cylinders, shaped and painted like seashells, hid the paddle wheels on either side. He and the other bounty hunters would be a little cramped on board, but Captain Harpur had assured him the trip to the coast of Austrium would take only five days. They could handle it. Time was of the essence now that they knew where Stephen had taken their bounty.
The city council had doubled the amount on the warrant for Miss Bloodmayne. With that kind of money, he could retire, or take the occasional contract if he wanted to. No more late nights, no more searching for criminals. He could enjoy an evening at home—his own home, not some rundown flat—with a bottle of scotch, a fire, and a good book. Maybe he would even get a dog.
Captain Harpur scurried down the side ladder of the boat and approached Jake, his boots clapping across the worn wooden planks. He was a short man, with thick dark hair and a face that looked like it hadn’t been shaved in days. “So what do you think? Like I said, the Calypso isn’t much to look at, but she’s fast and small enough to avoid the Austrium blockade, especially if we head to the southernmost coast where the World City forces are based.”
Jake nodded. “How soon can you leave?”
“Within the hour. I’ve already restocked her and the weather is perfect for a trip to Austrium.”
“Then I’ll let the other men know, and we’ll meet back here at noon.”
“Sounds good. I expect half of the payment when we leave, and the rest when I drop you off.”
Jake narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t sure how long it would take to find Miss Bloodmayne, but once they did, they would want fast transportation back. “I have an even better offer. I’ll triple what we are paying you if you’ll stay in Austrium and be ready to bring us back once we find who we’re looking for. No questions asked,” he said when Harpur opened his mouth.
The captain snapped his mouth shut and glanced back at the Calypso. Jake could almost see the wheels turning in the man’s head. It was probably more money than the man made in a year. Of course, after they received the bounty, they could well afford to pay the man.
Harpur looked back. “It’s nothing illegal, is it? I don’t need any run-ins with the law.”
Jake smiled. “I can assure you that our mission is quite legal and even sanctioned by the World City council.”
Harpur whistled, a greedy gleam in his eyes. “The World City council, eh? I bet the council could afford to pay a bit more.”
The smile slid from Jake’s face and he casually moved his duster back, exposing the handle of his revolver at his side. “I should probably make one thing clear. I am not a man to be trifled with. I’ve made you a fair bargain. Take it or leave it.” He let his duster fall back and began to roll up his sleeves. His multiple tattoos intimidated most civil men. “I’m sure I can find another captain who would like to earn that kind of money.” He finished one sleeve and started with the other.
Harpur licked his lips, his eyes moving back and forth between Jake’s arms. Barely a speck of flesh-tone remained across Jake’s ink-covered skin. He was quite proud of the tattoos. He had one done after every job. They were his trophies. He had one spot left on his back. That was where he would put the last tattoo once he was done with this mission.
“So are you still asking for more money, or are you willing to take me up on my offer?”
Greed warred upon the captain’s face. “Fine, it’s a deal,” he said and extended his hand.
Jake shook it. “One third now, one third once we reach Austrium, and one third when we arrive back in World City.” He dropped Harpur’s hand and stepped away. “I’ll be back with the other two men at noon.”
“I’ll see you then.” Harpur turned and headed back to his ship.
As he walked away, Jake ran through everything he would need before they left in the next hour. Piers and Rodger were waiting for him back at that dingy taver
n they had found late last night along the pier. Just one more thing he wouldn’t miss once they finished this job and he could retire: rat-infested inns.
•••
Piers wrinkled his nose as he gazed at the Calypso, his monocle sinking into his cheek. “We’re taking that across the Narrow Strait?”
Jake approached the ladder that led up to the ship. “She’s all I could find on short notice. But she’s fast, and the captain will wait for us in Austrium.”
“Well, that’s one consolation.”
Rodger just grunted and grabbed the ladder behind Jake, his cannon-arm clunking against the metal side of the ship.
Once he reached the top, Jake looked around. The main deck wasn’t much bigger than his flat back home. A couple feet away was a door that led to the quarters that he, Piers and Rodger would be sharing. He crossed the small space and popped the latch. Two pairs of hammocks hung on either side of a narrow walkway, one above the other. After a moment, Jake chose the lower hammock to the right and placed his bag down on the floor beneath it. Piers was small enough, he could have one of the top hammocks, and Rodger could have the other bottom one.
Jake left before Piers and Rodger entered the cabin. Behind him, Piers hollered about their sleeping quarters. He shrugged and continued toward the top deck. Piers would calm down. He always did.
As he reached the top deck, a large plume of steam shot from the smokestack with a loud whistle and a hiss. The Calypso began to move. The paddles on either side hit the water with a splash and started their rotation. Jake grabbed the railing to keep from falling. A smile spread across his face as he gazed out over the Narrow Strait. Finally, they were on their way and he could begin his hunt again for Miss Bloodmayne.
Chapter
15
The Lancelot glided along the coast of Austrium, but far enough out to avoid detection. Stephen leaned against the railing on the topmost deck and watched the water beneath him. A bright and cheery sun shone above, and the water sparkled. The rotors filled the air with a soft hum as they propelled the airship forward.
A small part of him wished he could stay in this moment. Sure, he would miss World City, but there was something about being away from it all. Up here in the sky it was just him, the clouds and wind, and the gentle motion of the Lancelot. He could understand why Robert had left the city to pursue his father’s line of work. There was a quiet thrill to the career of a privateer—when it wasn’t flat out dangerous and terrifying.
Stephen laughed to himself. He was no privateer. Eventually he would be tempted back to the life of a bounty hunter, to the exhilaration of the hunt and the satisfaction of bringing justice to those who deserved it.
A bell rang behind him. Stephen glanced back. Robert stood at the helm, one hand on the wheel, the other cranking on a gear set along the side of the wooden box. A bell rang again.
Robert caught his eye and pointed to the left.
Stephen left his spot and headed toward the port bow just as the airship slowly turned at an angle and began to descend. He reached the railing and gripped the wooden bars.
The coast was lined with ragged cliffs overlooking the sea. Each wave struck the rocks and sprayed up like a geyser, sending plume after plume into the air. Between the cliffs was a small beach, and where the white sand met the rocky face of the cliffs, there appeared to be a cave.
The Lancelot angled for the beach. With an expert hand, Robert brought the ship closer until, right before the beach, he turned left. There, at the top of the cliff, was a single wooden walkway. As the Lancelot came about, another bell rang out with different tones. Stephen glanced back. Sailors scurried across the main deck and opened the large square hatch in the middle of the ship. Light colored fabric bloomed from the opening and spread out as gas filled the balloon. The rotor on top of the second main mast grew still as the balloon expanded and passed the metal blades.
The Lancelot slowed until it reached the walkway. By now the balloon had fully expanded, keeping the airship aloft. Robert slowed the ship to a stop near the walkway.
Anders unlatched the railing, hauled out a broad wooden plank, and banged it down between the airship and the walkway. Two sailors left the ship and split, one heading aft and one forward to catch the ropes flung to them by their fellows on board. As the men secured the thick coils around two large pegs stuck in the ground, the Lancelot jerked to the side, then settled into a hovering position next to the walkway.
Robert gave another gear a quick jerk, then walked away from the helm. “Welcome to Silver Cove, our rendezvous spot with military agents from World City.”
“Beautiful place,” Stephen said, glancing over the railing as they headed down to the main deck.
“Beautiful and out of the way. You can’t spot the cave unless you are almost right on top of it. And the cliffs here make it easy to dock the Lancelot.”
The men reached the main deck just as Kat stepped out from the galley.
Robert nodded toward Kat. “We won’t be here long—too risky with the tightened air security—so you should gather your belongings and be ready to disembark. I had a small satchel packed for each of you, and Fitz included some food.”
“Thank you, Robert, for everything. I don’t know what would have happened back at the Tower if you hadn’t shown up, or how we would have found Dr. Latimer.”
“You would have still escaped,” Robert said, winking his one good eye. “You always had a knack for theatrical stunts, although running across the roof with a woman in your arms and climbing aboard my airship would be hard to beat.”
Stephen snorted. “You make it sound like a penny dreadful.”
“Reality is sometimes more interesting than fiction, my friend. Anyway, I need to meet with my informant, and you need to be ready to leave.” Robert lifted a hand in farewell and walked toward the plank along with two of his crew.
Kat came to stand beside Stephen. “So this is it?”
“Yes. We will travel with the military back to their base and start our search.”
Kat drew in a deep breath and nodded, a fist held against her middle.
“Nervous?”
She let out a shaky laugh. “We must be insane, venturing into a strange country at war to find a single person we have never met, hoping he can cure the bizarre problem I have before I turn into something abnormal and destroy the world.”
He knew she was trying to make light of the situation, but the slight quiver of her lower lip gave away her fear. He wanted to grab her hand and reassure her, but now was not the time, certainly not in front of all these men. “You’re not alone,” he said quietly. “I’m here.” He would not leave her again.
A shadow passed over the carefree moments from before. Stephen closed his eyes. He had no idea how Kat’s condition fit into his understanding of the world, or of God. How did a human being come to have the power that she did?
He mentally shook his head. He didn’t know. But one thing he did know, God could do anything. Including cure Kat’s ailment, whatever it may be.
•••
The moment Stephen, Kat, Grim, and his men stepped off the long flight of hidden stairs onto the white sandy beach below the docked Lancelot, a handful of soldiers emerged from the cave ahead.
“Captain Grim,” one of the men called out, a short man with nut-brown hair and a full beard. “You’re three days late. We were starting to wonder if you would show up.”
“Sergeant Wilkins, my apologies. We ran into a band of wasps and bad weather. My ship was damaged and we had to land to make repairs.”
Wilkins stopped a few feet away, his men behind him. They were all dressed in the olive green color the World City police wore, but the uniform itself was different. Brass buckles lined either side of the jacket, and golden tassels dangled from the the shoulders. The jacket split at the waist and hung on either side of the hip, exposing the men’s revolvers. The pants were unadorned trousers in a matching olive green.
Kat stood behind
Stephen, but his frame couldn’t hide her from the eyes of the military men. Wilkins looked her direction and frowned. “When did you start traveling with a woman again, Captain?”
Instead of answering his question, Robert motioned toward the cave. “I have a favor to ask of you, but it is better that we discuss it in the cave while my men unload your cargo.”
Wilkins raised one eyebrow, but nodded. Both men instructed their crew about unloading the ship, then started toward the cave. Stephen caught her eye and nodded for them to follow the men as well. Kat suddenly felt hot, even with the light blouse on. She should have realized there would hardly be any women here, that she would stand out.
The white sand squeaked beneath their boots as they made their way toward the cave. The entrance was not very big, about the size of a set of double doors. A couple charred logs and some fish bones bore witness to a recent fire just outside the entrance.
Wilkins led the way inside, followed by Grim, then Stephen and herself. Kat shivered and wrapped her arms across her body, the rapid heat from moments ago evaporating in the brisk sea air.
Past the entrance, the cave opened into a vast cavern the size of the Tower’s courtyard back home. To the right were crates and boxes stacked neatly in rows. To the left, makeshift beds lay on the ground and a couple barrels lined the far wall. Wilkins walked over to the nearest bed, grabbed a candle and matchstick from beside it, and lit the candle. He motioned for them to follow and headed to the middle of the cave where a long table and chairs were set up.
Wilkins headed toward the left side and pulled out a chair to his right. “For the lady,” he said.
Kat glanced at Stephen before moving to take the proffered chair. Wilkins took the seat at the head of the table, and Stephen took the seat next to her. Robert went around and sat down on Wilkins’s left.
“I would offer refreshments, but I’m afraid we haven’t the time,” Wilkins said as an apology to Kat while placing the candle on the table.
Kat dipped her head. “I appreciate the thought, but I understand.”
Wilkins turned to Grim and the men briefly discussed the medical supplies Robert had brought, along with payment, and delivery of the next batch in a couple weeks.
Awakened Page 9
