Kali grabbed a shovel from a coal bin in thecorner, intending to load the firebox, but Cedar took the tool fromher.
“Allow me,” he said.
“If it’ll make you feel useful.”
“Your gratitude always warms me.”
Kali smirked. “Are these the times you startthinking of shackles?”
“Maybe.”
Her humor faded. “Cedar, I’d like to ask afavor before we go. Can I give you something to hold for me? I, ofcourse, figure I can handle myself in a brawl, especially if I havemy tools, but I don’t believe an army could get through you.”
Cedar, a shovel full of coal poised in theair, tilted his head, eyebrows raised.
Kali checked outside the door to make surenobody was lurking on their dock, then fished a tiny bundle out ofher pocket. She unwrapped two vials filled with golden flakes thatpulsed with soft yellow light.
“With the help of my model, I’ve done somecalculations,” Kali said, “and I don’t believe I’ll need the entirebrick you saw to power the airship. I shaved off some flakes incase I need to use them on something to help you with Cudgel.”
Cedar gazed not at the gold but at her face.“I’m not quite clear on what your flash gold does but I know it’sprecious, especially to you. I appreciate this gesture.”
“It’s a power source,” Kali said. “More thanthat, it’s…well, it has properties. You can imbue it withcommands, sort of like teaching a dog to sit and stay. Nothingfancy, mind you, and not a long list, but, a sample as large as mybrick could accept a series as complicated as a punchcard programfor a loom. My father was working on even more complexity when hedied. He was always disappointed I couldn’t…”
A whistle of steam escaped from the vent. Thebicycle was ready.
“Never mind.” Kali pressed the vials intoCedar’s hands. “Take care of them.”
“I will,” he said.
PART II
The self-automated bicycle or SAB, as Kalishortened it to in her mind, chugged over the uneven trail, itsbroad tires thus far handling the roots, rocks, and snow patches.The mud was more problematic, but it thinned as they climbed awayfrom the morass pooled beneath Dawson.
The sun came out, dappling the forest floor,and Kali found herself enjoying the trip. The road narrowed to atrail following the river, and she and Cedar had to duck periodicbranches, but that did not bother her enough to tear the grin fromher face. So far the SAB was doing well on its firstexpedition.
The wildlife seemed less enthused with themachine. Whenever it neared, shrubbery thrashed as critters fledthe trail. A part of her hoped a stubborn moose would stand intheir path, staring them down, so she would have an excuse to trythe steam horn.
“When do I get to drive?” Cedar asked acouple of miles into the trip.
“When you build one of your own,” Kali saidover her shoulder.
She was trying to ignore him and the factthat her lack of handles or grip bars for the rear passenger meanthe had to use her to hold on. The sensation of hands resting on herwaist-and twice all the way around her when they ascended a steepincline-was not…unpleasant but it made her think of thingsunrelated to mechanics and steering. Things that were whollyinappropriate, given that they were on a quest to find and killsomeone.
“Do you still not trust me fully?” Cedarasked. “Or are you simply unable to relinquish control over yourdevices?”
She smiled. The latter, of course, but…“How can I trust a man with so many secrets?”
“Are you referring to my name again?”
“That and other things. Aside from thosebrief revelations at my old workshop when you were trying to enlistmy aid against Cudgel, you’ve never spoken about yourself.You-”
A shadow fell across the trail-a largeshadow.
“What’s that?” Kali slowed down.
It disappeared as quickly as it had come, andbeams of sunlight found the forest floor again.
“A cloud?” she asked.
“No,” Cedar said.
Yes, that had come and gone too quickly to bea cloud. Eagles were common in these parts, but that had been toolarge a shadow to indicate a bird.
Kali stopped the SAB and dropped her feet tothe ground. Spruce and pine branches created a latticeworkoverhead, impeding the view of the sky.
“An airship?” she asked, thinking of thepirates who had attacked her in the dog sled race monthsearlier.
“I don’t think it was that big,” Cedar said.“And it moved quickly for an airship. Listen.”
With the chugging pistons of her vehiclestilled, Kali could hear more of the sounds around her. No hint ofbird chattered cheered the forest. Something else sounded in thedistance however. Faint clacks and clanks.
“Some sort of machinery?” Cedarsuggested.
“Hm.” The sounds were already fading, as ifthey belonged to a vehicle driving-or flying? — away. The idea seemedpreposterous. Who up here besides her made such things? Thetownsfolk of Dawson, while not quite as quick to curse her and callher a witch as those of Moose Hollow, thought her peculiar and herinventions doubly so.
The sounds faded altogether, leaving theforest silent except for the soft rumble of her own vehicle’sidling engine and the rush of the nearby river.
“Maybe it’s nothing,” Cedar said. “We couldbe close to a claim where people are using steam machinery.”
“Or maybe somebody’s hunting me,” Kali said.When she had left Moose Hollow, she had not told anyone where shewas going except her friend Nelly, and nobody had attacked hersince she arrived in Dawson. Given the proximity of the two towns,and the size of the bounty on her head, she was surprised it hadtaken this long for anyone to find her.
“A possibility,” Cedar said.
“Should we take any precautions?” she asked,willing to concede to his wisdom when it came to matters ofbattle.
“Yes.”
“Such as?”
“You should let me drive so I can familiarizemyself with the workings of the vehicle.”
She glared over her shoulder and found himsmiling.
“Are you truly using the possibility of a newand dangerous enemy to further your argument for why you should beallowed to play with my bicycle?”
“If we’re attacked,” Cedar said, his smilewidening, “and there’s an incident rendering you unconscious, Ishould know how to work this contraption so I can port you back tocivilization.”
“You needn’t look so excited at the prospectof my incapacitation.”
“I merely believe in being prepared. May Idrive?”
“No.” Kali shoved the lever that controlledthe speed, and the SAB surged forward. “If I’m knocked out, wavesmelling salts under my nose. I’ll rouse myself enough todrive.”
They continued onward for another hour,navigating around mud puddles and horse droppings on the trail.Twice more Kali heard the clanking sound in the distance, thoughwhatever was making it did not venture close enough to be seenthrough the evergreen canopy. Nor did another shadow darken thepath.
They came to the edge of a meadow with theburned hull of an abandoned log cabin hunkering in the middle. Halfits roof had caved in, and the door hung from a single, rustyhinge. Drifts of snow framed the clearing, though it had melted inspots touched by sunlight, leaving patches of matted deadgrass.
The trail passed through the meadow, butCedar gripped her shoulder before they entered it.
“Stop here,” he said.
“A likely ambush point?” she guessed.
“Yes.”
Kali gazed at the unimpeded expanse of skybefore them. “I am reminded of the open area where that airshipattacked us on our last outing together.” She eyed the sky again.She did not hear any of those clanks at the moment, but…
“While I’d enjoy driving this,” Cedar said,“I’d prefer you be conscious at the time in order to give meinstructions. Can we go around the clearing and stay under thecover of the forest?”
She eyed the shrubs and brambles growingbetween the
trees. “Not unless you want to cut a path with yoursword.”
“I don’t cut vegetation with my blade. Itwould take an hour anyway. It’s not that big of a clearing. We’llchance it.”
“If you say so.” Kali eased the SAB into themeadow. “I suppose if you’re wrong, there’s always the chance anassailant will target you first. You are larger and moremenacing.”
“I prefer I be conscious for my firstdriving lesson as well,” Cedar said. “And I’m dangerous, notmenacing.”
They had traveled less than a third of theway into the clearing when the clanks sounded. Kali should havegroaned and sent an irritated eye roll to the heavens, but hercuriosity distracted her. She wanted to see the source.
She did not have to wait long.
A metallic…contraption with giant meshbutterfly wings bobbed over the treetops. The clanks grew louder asit approached the meadow, and moving machinery came into the view.The wings flapped in synchronization with the clanks. Kali cranedher neck, searching for another source for the craft’s propulsion.The large wings might keep the flying machine aloft once it gainedmomentum and found a place in the air, but they could not provideenough thrust to carry it into the skies. Could they? The metalframe appeared too sturdy to be light, and a compact furnace andcopper boiler behind the pilot’s seat must add significant weight.Could magic be involved? Or even…flash gold? Was it possiblethere was more out there?
Kali’s fingers twitched at the idea ofclambering about the thing, investigating every inch. The ridersitting at the controls might object. Wrapped in brown, headincluded, the figure was impossible to identify, though from theslightness of the form, Kali guessed it might be a woman. The onewho had eavesdropped on them? Goggles covered the person’s eyes,making it impossible to read her face, though Kali had a sense ofdetermination.
“…faster?” Cedar was saying.
“What?” Kali had been so focused on the airvehicle and its pilot she had missed his words.
“Can’t you go faster? She’s aiming forus!”
Before she could answer, a rifle shot firedbehind her ear. She flinched and nearly lost grip of thehandlebars, a calamity that would have pitched them oversideways.
She glanced back as Cedar fired a secondshot. “What are you doing? She hasn’t even-”
Something thumped to the earth ten metersbefore them.
Cedar grabbed Kali’s arm. “Veer away. Veeraway!”
More on instinct-and his orders-than out ofunderstanding, Kali pulled and pushed on opposing handles andleaned into a hard turn. They skidded as wheels ground on old snow,but they caught, and the SAB sped to the side.
A concussive roar filled the clearing, andrealization pelted Kali. No, that was shrapnel. It clanged off theSAB and hammered against the charred side of the log cabin.
Kali turned again, figuring the structurecould provide cover. “She’s hurling grenades at us?”
“From a launcher in the front,” Cedar said.“It appears to be some sort of crossbow-like device, loadedwith-”
Another grenade hit the ground, this oneexploding right away.
Kali sped behind the wall of the cabin andyanked on the braking mechanism.
“-multiple projectiles,” Cedar finished.
Rifle in hand, he hopped off the SAB. Kalihesitated, reluctant to leave her vehicle for fear it would make aneasy target if it was stationary. She probably ought to be moreworried about being a target herself, but the idea of losing such arecent invention…
Cedar leaned around a corner of the cabin tofire again. Kali nudged the SAB into motion, rounded the othercorner, and found the doorway. She considered the width. Could shefit her vehicle inside? Probably not.
Above, the flying contraption tilted,circling the end of the meadow to come back at them.
Cedar grabbed Kali’s arm. “Inside!”
“I don’t think it’ll fit,” she said.
“I meant you!”
The flyer flew closer, and Kali hesitatedagain, fascinated by the wings, the construction, and even thepilot. Was she the creator? Or had she merely purchased it?
The projectile launcher fired again.
“Kali!” Cedar pulled her toward the door.
Kali barely had time to grab her packsack andrifle.
An explosion rocked the earth, and shegrabbed a log wall to keep her feet under her. Metal clanged asshrapnel hit the SAB. She growled, her awe over the steam flyertamped down by her concern for her own vehicle. She dropped herpacksack and readied her rifle.
Shadows danced on the earthen floor of thecabin as the flyer soared overhead. Rhythmic clanks echoed from thelog walls. Though the fire-damaged roof held copious holes, thevehicle sped past too swiftly to target.
“We need a plan,” Kali said. “She’ll becoming around again.” And she would probably hurl the next grenaderight in the cabin.
Cedar loaded a fistful of bullets into hisrifle. “Yes?”
“The wings seem a potential target, but theirsurface area is great, so I doubt even a couple of dozen bulletholes would cause them to falter. A catastrophic boiler explosionwill derail any steam engine, but engineers are well aware of thatweakness and build them soundly. I doubt a bullet would pierce theplating, but it may be the most vulnerable part of the machine.Perhaps we should target the boiler and hope for the best.”
“I was just going to shoot the pilot,” Cedarsaid.
“Oh. I guess that could work too.”
When the clanks of the flyer grew louderagain, Kali and Cedar stepped outside. She dropped to one knee andleaned around the corner of the cabin, rifle to her shoulder. Cedarstood above her, his weapon poised as well.
Something that looked like glass providedprotection for the pilot, probably a deterrent to bugs and rain,but surely it would not stop a bullet. Kali eased her rifle up andplaced the woman’s head in her sights. Her gut lurched at the ideaof shooting at someone with the intent to kill-especially if thatsomeone had invented that fascinated machine-but the womanwas trying to blow them up.
Her finger found the trigger, but Cedar,doubtlessly with fewer qualms, fired first.
The bullet struck the protective shield infront of the woman’s eyes, and her head dropped out of view. Theflyer lurched sideways and dipped toward the trees.
“Bulls-eye,” Cedar said with grimsatisfaction.
But the flyer did not crash. Its noseelevated, and the craft skimmed the treetops. It knocked branchesfree with cracks that rang through the forest, but it soon flewhigher again, out of danger. The flyer banked and turned backtoward the meadow.
The pilot’s head was visible again throughthe clear shield. Concentric cracks ringed the spot where Cedar’sbullet had struck, but it must not have penetrated.
“Amazing,” Kali breathed. “There’s no waythat’s glass. Unless it’s extremely thick, but the weight would beridiculous, and a flying machine would need to be light, like aneagle’s hollow bones. It’d…”
She trailed off when she noticed Cedar’sglare. He seemed less amazed at the invulnerable shield and moreirked.
“Sorry,” Kali said.
“Let’s go back to your idea,” he said as theflyer drew closer again. “You said I should aim at the boiler?”
Kali eyed the shield again. It protected thepilot to the front and the sides, but it was open on the top.Presumably the woman entered and exited the control seat fromthere. It left her no protection from projectiles from above,though she had no reason to anticipate weapons fire from overhead.Air vehicles were rare, and the flyer was quicker and far moremaneuverable than an airship, so it could easily evadeballoon-based transport.
When it came in for another pass, Cedarloosed a few ineffective rounds at the boiler. Kali considered thestructure of the craft, especially the supports for the wings,supports that angled upward behind the pilot. She closed her eyes,remembering problems she had worked through in her father’smathematics books. At the time, she had been trying to win hisfavor by showing interest in his studies. He had been too bus
y tonotice, but she remembered many of the lessons, and a chapter ofgeometry problems involving balls on a billiards table came tomind.
“Same principle for bullets, right?” shemurmured.
“What?” Cedar asked.
“See that support beam behind her?” Kalipointed. “You’re a better marksman than I am. Can you see if youcan hit it…hm…about a foot above that joint?”
Cedar threw her a bewildered look, but heraised his Winchester and aimed when the flyer came into range. Itbobbed toward them, a grenade ready in its launcher. Cedar grewstill, then fired.
The bullet ricocheted off the angled supportpost and slammed into the back of the pilot’s shoulder.
This time she screamed-the first sound shehad voiced-and the craft lurched. It sped off, wobbling as itskimmed the treetops. The nose came up briefly, but it droppedagain, and Kali lost sight of the flyer. A thunderous crack soundedin the distance.
“Crash,” Kali murmured, imaging the twistedwreckage. She wished they could have downed the vehicle withoutdestroying it.
“Crash,” Cedar agreed without any of herregret.
Kali leaned her rifle against the logs,jumped, caught the corner of the roof, and wriggled herself up top.Conscious of the fire damage, she stayed over the stout supportbeams as she crept to the peak. Though the trees still towered overher, the added height let her see smoke wafting in the distance.Definitely a crash.
Had it killed the woman? Her shouldersslumped with regret at the thought. It was silly, given the pilot’sinclination toward killing her, but Kali hoped the woman hadsurvived. She ached to talk to her, to find out more about thecraft.
A touch on her shoulder brought her attentionback to the cabin. Cedar stood beside her.
“Good thinking,” he said.
“Er, yes, sorry it was slow to come. I wasn’texpecting to come face-to-face with…” Kali groped for a way todescribe her feelings. Would he understand and forgive her forbeing so distracted? Or would he, the professional bounty hunter,believe there were no acceptable excuses?
“Your mechanically inclined twin?” Cedarasked. “Yes, that must have been surprising. And intriguing.”
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