The Pyrette Queen and the Schismatic's Spyglass
Page 6
“No I won’t.”
“Fine. I don’t want to know. But to be a Dreadcrank, you realize I’m going to have to break the rules for you.”
“You’re the leader, you make the rules.”
“I have to check something first.”
“What?”
“You can’t be a member of two rival gangs.”
“I know.”
“Then I’m going to need proof you aren’t a Harlot.”
“I already told you I wasn’t.”
“I’m going to need more than that.”
“What else is there other than my word?”
“All Harlots have a garter tattooed on their left thigh, given by Asa himself. I’ve noticed you’ve got your dagger sheathed right over where the Harlot’s tattoo would be. So, I’m going to need you to prove to me you’re not a Harlot.”
“There, see? No tattoo.”
“Good to know.”
“Glad to show you.”
“It’s just odd that there’s so much of your dress missing and you’re not actually a Harlot.”
“I prefer it cut this way. I can run better, jump fences better for example.”
“I imagine most men prefer your dress cut that way too.”
“I have shorter dresses I could wear if it bothers you that much.”
“You can’t threaten me with something I actually want to see. Pissing off the general public is in my nature. I couldn’t care less what you wear as long as it works for you.”
“This does work for me.”
“Good. Then it’s settled. I suppose before we go down and make this announcement I should let you in on something.”
“What?”
“Since you’re an official Dreadcrank, and my personal sharpshooter…”
“Is that my title now?”
“Yes. That’s the position. I lost my best friend because of Blue. You’re his replacement.”
“Thank you?”
“What I have to tell you is this. Your father, he was the Schismatic wasn’t he?”
“He was known by that nickname, yes. After he killed Patrick O’Brien the citizens began calling him that because they believed the gangs would tear apart the city, and my father would be in charge of what would come to follow. He separated the city in their view. But he didn’t, not really. We were already separated by the haves and the have nots. My father just brought it out of the shadows is all.”
“Well the reason we need the Lydia is because your father’s spyglass is on there as best we can figure.”
“That nasty old thing? You need that?”
“So you know what it looks like?”
“Yeah. It’s carved up and beat to hell. It doesn’t even work.”
“It’ll work alright. The outside is carved in code. And I intend on reading that code.”
“Then I suppose you’ll need me after all.”
“You know where the Lydia is…don’t you?”
“Of course I do.”
“But before in the palace you said you didn’t know…”
“I didn’t know if I could trust you yet.”
“Now you know you can?”
“I hope I can. I haven’t made my mind up yet.”
“But?”
“But I’m leaning towards yes.”
“Let’s go make that announcement.”
“Good idea.”
“Ladies first.”
7
To say Dreadcrank was less than thrilled to break their own rules and admit a female into their ranks was an understatement. But once Kassidy came out and announced who she was, and who her father was, she had the men singing quite a different tune. They became fiercely protective over her in a matter of a few seconds. Luca had the pair of them on the platform in the center of the field, and without any amplification his voice rang out off the walls. He announced Kassidy’s admission into the gang and formally gave her the rank of his personal sharpshooter. She rocketed to the very top of the ranks just because of her shooting abilities. She got herself into the Dreadcranks, but her name solidified her position there. But neither of them would be staying at headquarters to enjoy their spoils. Luca had a mission in mind, and now that he knew Kassidy could find the Lydia, he wanted to waste no more time. He’d been dying to see it for years, and searching for it extensively for the past two and a half. The thought of seeing it, actually stepping foot on it again, it was dreamlike.
Kassidy had to stop back at the palace for supplies before going to the Lydia. She traveled under the protection of the cloak now in the daylight hours. Dreadcrank his their place of operation in plain sight in the dead center of the city. Kassidy supposed it was strategic to a point, but she wouldn’t argue with it. She was so grateful to make headway this morning she didn’t want to jinx anything. Truth was she knew where the Lydia had been hidden, she found it three years ago the last time she had spent any amount of time in Engia. It wasn’t much, and even three years ago she hadn’t had the courage to actually to go onto the airship. She wasn’t ready before. She didn’t have that luxury now. She couldn’t back out on what she promised. Luca was hungry for that treasure, and he had done no wrong by her. She should help him after he went out on a ledge for her to join the gang. While she was back in her library packing a sack full of ropes Luca couldn’t help but look back at her puzzled.
“Just where are we going today?”
“You wonder why your men never found my father’s airship?”
“Is it not in Engia?”
“Depends on how you define the word in. I’d say it is in Engia, technically, it’s underneath it.”
“Under?”
“My father hid his airships in magma chambers under the city. The only way in or out is to repel down into them, from outside Engia’s walls. We’ll need these ropes to lower ourselves over the walls, and to get down into the chambers.”
“You know if it wasn’t for you I don’t think I ever would have found the Lydia.”
“You’re welcome. But don’t thank me yet.”
“Why?”
“I can’t promise you the spyglass will be on the ship. He usually kept it on his person. And I have no idea where is body was ever put.”
“According to what the Dreadcranks have gathered, he didn’t have his spyglass on him when he was killed. My father and the Captain were close, and neither of them were flying that day when they were ambushed.”
“You keep mentioning that our fathers were close. But I can’t seem to remember just who your father was.”
“He was the Captain’s first mate. Wicked Jack Ventimiglia.”
“I do remember a Wicked Jack, vaguely. He was…he was quite a rough guy.”
“Yeah but to me he was just dad.”
“I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk about it if it bothers you.”
“No it’s alright. It doesn’t bother me, it’s just, usually nobody has the guts to ask me about him. Not many people talk about those days anymore.”
“I warned you before I have terrible social skills.”
“I do too. Maybe that’s why I indulged you in the conversation in the first place.”
Without further distractions Luca and Kassidy hiked out to Engia’s wall behind the palace. The wall was three stories high around the city, but because the palace sat on the only hill, it was significantly easier to cross here. Plus the guard shack was abandoned, and this was the only shack to be left in such disrepair. Being on the edge of the city was also an advantage. Luca tied off two ropes to the top spires and repelled down first in case Kassidy had any trouble. She didn’t, and insisted she wouldn’t be helpless on their trip today, but Luca kept an eye out for her just in case. He wasn’t used to traveling with women, or having them be so independent. Kassidy was definitely different, but he was beginning to come to see it as a good thing rather than a hindrance he’d have to watch himself around her. A girl he couldn’t predict would be dangerous. She reached the cliff before Luca did, and
turned around and cracked a crooked smile back at him. Luca came up slowly to realize she was standing on an upwards of a one hundred foot drop straight down over the mouth of an impossibly huge cave. Definitely big enough for an airship such as the Lydia to fly in and out of. A narrow stream even flowed into it.
“Race you to the bottom!”
“I don’t think I should encourage you to a race. If one of us slips we could be seriously messed up when we hit the ground.”
“Live a little Luca! I’ll see you down there!”
“Hey wait!”
Kassidy dropped herself with the rope flying through her hands. Luca watched from above as she landed safely on the ground like she did this every day of her life. This girl was going to be the death of him, but with a deep breath and a heavy hand he dropped himself over the edge too. By the time Luca reached the ground Kassidy had already untied herself and began her trek into the mouth of the magma chamber. It was deep, and the cold air could be felt blowing out towards where Luca landed. The ropes blew in the breeze, but there was no sense in hiding them, they wouldn’t be followed out here. Luca jogged over to catch up with Kassidy so they could walk side by side through the rocky cave. Chunks of broken lava were everywhere, but the volcano hadn’t erupted in so long, the chamber must be ancient. It felt like it was from another world. Kassidy laughed and it echoed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You act like you’ve never been in a magma chamber before.”
“I don’t think I ever have.”
“You had to have. My father took me down here. And if your father was Wicked Jack, I know you had to have been one of the kids that I was corralled with below deck.”
“Maybe I just blocked it out.”
“Well there’s no blocking this out.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. So where is the Lydia? Shouldn’t we see her by now?”
“No! She’s probably a good hour’s walk inside.”
“This cave goes back that far?”
“I figure if you were to break through to the surface it’d probably be right under the O’Brien mansion.”
“We’re going to walk under the Steele River?”
“Yes. Is that too risky for you?”
“I think I’ll make it.”
“Just checking.”
“You’re making fun of me!”
“I wouldn’t dare. You’re my superior now. I wouldn’t want to lose my position, I just got it.”
“You couldn’t lose your position.”
“Good to know.”
“So how’d you learn to shoot like that?”
“My dad.”
“But you were so young when…well when he died.”
“I took what he gave me and ran with it. I’ve grown to express my creativity through shooting and cursing.”
“A true Pyrette. Your father would be so proud.”
“I’d like to think so. Tell me something?”
“What?”
“How much do you know about the Harlots? You were pretty convinced back at HQ I was one.”
“I only know Natasha and a few other girls. From what I know you’d be more than qualified to be one of them.”
“Natasha. Is she one of your hundreds of exes?”
“Exes? No. I merely said I had admirers, not exes.”
“Well is she one of your admirers?”
“Yes, but I assure you it’s a one sided relationship.”
“You assure me?”
“I don’t want you to think I’m the kind of man that frequents invitations from Natasha. Nearly every man in Engia is an ex of Natasha, but not me.”
“Harlan’s not an ex of Natasha.”
“Ha! That’s because Harlan isn’t any woman’s ex. He’s too infatuated with you to see another woman, not alone be in a relationship with one.”
“You misunderstand Harlan and I.”
“No, you misunderstand Harlan and you. Haven’t you heard the way he talks?”
“Lots of people stutter.”
“I’ve talked to the younger O’Brien before. He didn’t stutter around me. He only does it around you.”
“You’re exaggerating. I don’t have that kind of pull on him, I don’t have that kind of pull on anybody.”
“Alright, maybe I’m wrong.”
“You are wrong.”
“So, you ever going to tell me what happened between you and Natasha to cause such animosity?”
“I was put in jail because of her. Tommy put me in jail. I guess you guys call him Blue now. He didn’t have that colorful moniker when I knew him.”
“By all means continue, you have my undivided attention.”
“I’m sure I do. Well anyways, Tommy put me away for harassing Natasha. He was acting on Asa’s orders. It was his first chance to prove himself as a Ringer. I was in that jail yesterday to pay off my bail to a jailer that had mercy on me and let me go. It’d been three years, but I didn’t forget what he did for me. I settle all my debts.”
“Hm.”
“What?”
“Asa talks about debts all the time. The Fox and Blue were his debt collectors. That man is so obsessed. He wants a gang war to finish what our fathers started years ago. But that’s the last thing I want. All wars do is create ghosts and lives of debt. If I could just find your father’s treasure, I’d have enough money to fight with him on a level he understands. And end him!”
“Well here’s your chance.”
“She’s gorgeous!”
The Lydia was before them, perched up on the magma walls with the stream carving paths into the rock beneath it. The top envelope was out of place, completely depressed and hanging off the starboard side of the ship. It’d take a lot of work to get her flying in the skies again, if it could ever fly again. Kassidy smiled but felt a tear fall down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and pulled herself together to follow behind Luca who was leading the charge now. He was jumping in and out of the streambed to get up to the airship. He ran his hand across the black hull and Kassidy stood back to let him have a moment before clearing her throat. This is what the last pair of ropes were for. They slung them up over the railing and hoisted themselves up, Kassidy first then Luca so she could help pull him.
His fake left arm put him at a slight disadvantage now, he was careful not to do anything to rip it back out of place. Doing it too much would mean his whole arm would be useless soon, and there was no replacement or doctor to fix that. It was dark on the top deck so far deep into the cave as they were now. Luca lit a lamp from the Captain’s quarters but it was clear the ship was too big to search before nightfall overtook them. They’d have to spend the night here, and continue the search for the spyglass come morning. Luca found Kassidy sulking on the top deck opposite her father’s old quarters, she couldn’t get herself to go in, but she couldn’t pull herself away either. Luca decided to do something to cheer her up, and tossed a package at her wrapped up in paper he had stuffed in his back pocket.
“Hey sweetheart, take a look at this.”
“Is this? Is this one of my books?!”
“Maybe.”
“This is one of my favorite books!”
“Reign of the Lost is one of your favorites?”
“Yes!”
“Wow.”
“What? It’s a great book.”
“I know.”
“You…you know? You’ve read it?”
“I wouldn’t steal it and not read it.”
“That’s clever.”
“I try.”
“Hey, wait…”
“What?”
“You’ve written notes on damn near every page.”
“Yeah. I thought you’d appreciate the insight.”
“Luca, just how many times have you read this book?”
“I don’t know. Something like…forty or fifty times.”
“Forty or fifty?”
“Something like that.”
“I haven’t even read it th
at many times. You told me that you didn’t read that much.”
“Much is a matter of personal opinion. And seeing as how you’re so highly opinionated…”