The Prince of Machines (The Last Mechanics)

by Holly Law

  Next, they looked in a jewelry store, and Elisha was far too timid in there to make looking at such a store entertaining. She thought the objects on display were pretty, but also something she had no business admiring. She held no interest in the shoes they examined either. Over all, the Prince found it very frustrating.

  “What was the last thing you bought, Elisha?” the Prince asked her.

  “Food,” Elisha said at once, the memory very clear.

  “Food?” the Prince said surprised. “When was that?”

  “Before I was at the school.”

  “Hasn’t Lenora been giving you an allowance to spend?”

  “Yes, but I haven’t spent any of it.”

  “Why?”

  Elisha looked awkward at the question, and Corpal wasn’t certain why until she answered. “Most of these shops used to chase me and my brother out when we lived at the orphanage. I didn’t feel right entering them.”

  “Elisha, if that happens to you, tell me at once, and I will have the situation remedied. They should not be chasing out anyone who can pay, particularly not one like yourself.”

  Elisha did not reply, and he did not pursue that conversation further. Instead, they continued to walk in the market. They passed a shop selling flowers, and Elisha clearly admired those. They went in to look at all the different blooms. Elisha clearly admired certain ones over others. Corpal was tempted, but resisted the urge to buy her anything. He would save that for a later date.

  When they left the shop, Corpal realized it was beyond the point when Elisha would be hungry. He did not feel hunger himself, but suggested to Elisha that they should go to a local café he had heard of. She consented and soon he found himself seated at a small table with her. Elisha examined the menu and ordered politely when the time came. Corpal noticed she seemed fascinated by the establishment.

  “Have you been here before?” Corpal asked her.

  “No,” Elisha said shaking her head. “I’ve looked in from the outside before and been very curious, but I’ve never been inside.”

  “Then I am glad I could give you the experience. Perhaps after we finish eating, you could show me where the orphanage is that you grew up at.”

  “I would rather not,” Elisha said instantly, her eyes showing the old pain associated with that place.

  “We won’t go in. I just want to see it.”

  “I suppose I could bring you by it.”

  “Where were you before the orphanage? What happened to your parents?”

  “We were in another city. I don’t know which one,” Elisha said frowning. It was clearly a topic no one asked her about. “I don’t remember my father at all and only have a few memories of my mother. Something happened to the city, I can’t remember what. I know that we hid and that my mother hid us as something horrible was going on outside. Then someone came in, a man, and he killed her.”

  “Tragic,” Corpal murmured, his brain connecting the dots to the event. With her tiny bit of input he could place her heritage and he was unsurprised by her skill. She had only a tiny bit of her mother’s features in her face. Her mother had been a homely woman, but Elisha transformed those features into something much more radiant. He remembered killing Chrisalia very well and the woman’s claim to having murdered her own children to keep them far from him.

  Corpal said nothing more until lunch was brought. His mind was full of history. He had only the vaguest memories of Elisha and her brother as children. He had barely paid them any attention. He had held their mother in near slavery, forcing her to work on machines, threatening the lives of the children if she began to resist. Her mother escaped with both of them shortly after he realized the twins possessed her talents.

  Lunch was placed before them and Elisha began to eat eagerly. She tried very hard to savor every bite, but it was abundantly clear that such a thing was difficult for her. That was one thing he was becoming increasingly aware of. Elisha had been forced to change a great deal in the past few months. The changes, he didn’t doubt, had been extreme. She was very uncertain of her new skills and seemed almost afraid of them. That became clearer with her every bite. Corpal pitied her in that moment.

  He reached out across the table and took her hand. She looked at him confused. “Relax,” Corpal told her in a serious tone. “You are not enjoying yourself, and I wish you would. If you make a mistake, it is not the end of the world, and I will not think less of you. I have some idea of how quickly you’ve had to adjust to what Lenora has thrown at you, but I would not be displeased with you if you made the occasional mistake. I would much rather see you happy and enjoying yourself.”

  “Thank you,” Elisha told him and there was something truly grateful in her eyes. From then on, she did try to relax during the meal. He kept to topics she was familiar with, mostly about machines. She did relax and as she did, more of her personality emerged, as did her initial upbringing. She used turns of phrase on occasion that he would not have heard from a refined lady, but he thought no less of her for them. He needed her abilities, and he needed to put her at ease to get them. He could tolerate some lack of perfection if she relaxed more with him.

  The meal ended and the Prince paid without a second thought. Elisha thanked him for his generosity. He smiled at her and showed her back on to the streets and repeated his request to see the orphanage. Elisha consented and walked him to the opposite end of town.

  He had never spent any time in the part of town and instantly found it distasteful. All the buildings were in poor repair, and the people were dirty. If he were capable of being harmed the location would have made him feel uneasy.

  “That’s the orphanage,” Elisha said, pointing to a building. It was an old, three story building. It was made of wood, and that wood was in poor condition. The steps looked like they would have caved in had anyone stepped on them. From somewhere inside, he could hear a child screaming and perhaps the same child being beaten. The children he could see through the partially boarded up windows looked drawn and unhappy.

  Corpal looked back at Elisha. She was not looking at the building, She was looking at the ground so she wouldn’t have to see it. He tried to imagine Elisha like those other children, and his imagination failed him. He suddenly understood why Lenora had not immediately informed him of Elisha’s presence. If she had been anything like those frightened, ragged children, then Lenora’s assessment had been more than accurate. Meeting Elisha straight away would have done nothing but harm to their relationship.

  “It should be condemned,” Corpal sniffed in distaste. “Torn down and the children sent elsewhere.”

  “Where?” Elisha inquired. “There isn’t another orphanage for more than a hundred miles. That was why we were sent here. I had never heard of Sumvale before I set foot here.”

  “Then perhaps that needs to be remedied. It is within my power to do so. I find this location inadequate. Let’s return to the school. It is getting late.”

  Elisha said nothing on their long walk back. She looked uneasy and ashamed. Corpal began to wonder if it was a mistake to ask to see the orphanage. Its effect on her had been profound. When they reached the door, Corpal found he could not leave her in her present state.

  “Elisha, are you alright?” Corpal asked her with concern. “I am glad you took me there, but I hadn’t realized it would be this unpleasant for you. I never would have asked you had I known it would have this effect on you.”

  “I’m fine,” Elisha lied easily.

  Corpal sighed. “I am glad you are here now and far from that place. Lenora told me some of what you were like when you first arrived, but I hadn’t believed it. Knowing you as I do now, I couldn’t picture you inside such a place. It is beneath you, and I will not let you return to such a state of life. You may not be a lady of any rank by birth, Elisha, but there is something very kind and noble about you that puts all those who are to shame. Good night, Elisha. May I call on you again?”

  Elisha seemed surprised by the request. He coul
d almost see her mind racing behind her eyes, searching for the correct answer to such a question. “Yes or no would suffice,” Corpal teased her lightly. “I need no fancy answer.”

  “Yes, you may,” Elisha said flushing slightly, but smiling at his allowance.

  “Then I will call on you again in a few days,” Corpal told her. He took her hand and kissed it lightly. “Good night, Elisha.”

  Chapter 14

  Elisha was still smiling as she stepped into the house, and the faint blush was still on her cheeks. It had been an unusual day, but a pleasant one. When she had woken that morning she had never dreamed of spending the whole day with the Prince. He had been the perfect gentleman and had been so kind to her. Her imagination could not have created a better day. They had been all over the city, and he had not cared for a moment that she had started out at such a low station. It had surprised him, but he had dismissed it as unimportant instantly.

  “What’s got you so happy?” her brother asked her sourly.

  “I just had a nice time in the city with the Prince, that’s all,” Elisha said, startled by his presence. He was sitting on the steps, clearly waiting for her. He looked very unhappy and grumpy. “What’s got you so pleasant and charming?”

  “Just my sister running around with the Prince all day,” he told her coldly.

  “Since when is that something to unhappy about. He’s very nice and…”

  “Can we speak privately in your room?” Eldwin cut her off.

  “I suppose,” Elisha said, feeling very confused by her brother’s mood. They both walked upstairs. They passed a few girls on the way. Their eyes brightened upon seeing her.

  “We want to hear all about it later,” Stefana told her, meeting her eyes levelly. “Every detail. Okay?”

  “Sure,” Elisha said, surprised, but blushing slightly. They would clearly assume more had taken place than truly had. They would think that the Prince had tried to court her or some nonsense like that.

  Elisha stepped into her room, and her brother closed the door behind them. Elisha crossed her arms and looked at her brother. Eldwin sat on her bed and looked at the floor. “Alright, tell me what’s bothering you.”

  “Elisha, I…I know you’re happy here and that you like the attention and the nice things. I can’t deny that life is better for both of us here, but I don’t trust the Prince,” Eldwin said hesitantly. “And I know you don’t want to hear that. I don’t trust Lenora either. She’s been wonderful to you, it’s just…They’re using you, Elisha, and I hate it.”

  “Using me?” Elisha asked confused. “And why don’t you trust them?”

  “I overheard Lenora and that horrible Trinsin talking some time ago—talking about you. From what I gathered, Lenora took you in because of something the Prince had said. That she was putting the effort into refining you only because it served their purpose. There was also something said about other mechanics…”

  “Others?” Elisha asked hopefully. “There are more than us? I thought that…”

  “Something about the Prince not needing another dead mechanic. How it was said…it seemed imply he killed them, Elisha. That they wouldn’t serve him so he killed them. I didn’t want to believe it, but I heard it.”

  Elisha looked at Eldwin, her jaw dropping. She could barely breathe at that horrible pronouncement. Both had been so kind to her, she didn’t want to believe it. It seemed impossible. “And there are rumors in the city,” Eldwin continued. “I can’t pretend that they’re the most reliable things, but they say some bad things about the Prince. Some pretty ridiculous, but I wish you would be more cautious.”

  “You just don’t like him,” Elisha argued back, not wanting to hear it. Tears came to her eyes. She had never been at such a crossroads with her brother. They had always been there for each other. She hated arguing with him. “I like the Prince, and I have no reason to doubt him. He’s been nothing but kind to me.” That was the truth. He had been so considerate of her and had wanted nothing in return. She had enjoyed walking around the city with such a handsome man and had enjoyed his light flirting the day before at the party, even if she had the sense not to return it.

  “I also spoke with Amalia,” Eldwin said softly. Elisha looked at him, not wanting to hear what would come out of his mouth next. “She confirmed some things for me. First, that Lenora serves the Prince, as does Amalia. Second, that the Prince is after you for your abilities, and he wants you to serve him. Apparently, you are extremely skilled for one with our talents. Third, I witnessed something. There was an old man speaking out against the Prince in the square. The man was arrested, but not before he was beaten badly. I’ve heard since then that the man was hung. It would seem no one is allowed to criticize the Prince. Lastly, Amalia told me something before all of this. She told me I need to keep my ability to turn machines off a secret, that there are those that would kill me for it because it is considered dangerous. I am not saying all this to be nasty, Elisha. I’m worried about both of us. I don’t trust the Prince or Lenora.”

  Elisha stood there for a long moment, tears streaming down her cheeks. Every word out of his mouth had been like a dagger striking at her heart. She had depended so much on the open, giving personalities of both Lenora and the Prince. She had never assumed for an instant beyond the very first day that they wanted anything from her. She had never thought they could remotely be a danger to both her and her brother. It was a terrible revelation.

  “Thank you,” Elisha told her brother, her voice softer than she meant it. “I didn’t know any of that.”

  “I’m sorry, Elisha. More than sorry. I need to go continue my work. Will you be okay?”

  “I’ll be fine,” Elisha promised.

  “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Elisha stayed in her room by herself for several long minutes that seemed to take an eternity to pass. She didn’t know what to do or think. Her new world had come crashing down around her ears, and everything had become a tangled mess. There was one thing she quickly became certain of. She wanted to speak with Lenora and hear some of it from her own mouth.

  Elisha wiped the tears from her eyes and composed herself before she left her room. That process took her several minutes, but she achieved it. She quietly walked down the hallway to Lenora’s office. She knocked on the open door frame politely. Inside Lenora and Trinsin were having tea and conversing softly. Lenora smiled at her and Trinsin scowled.

  “Did you need something, Elisha?” Lenora asked her smiling pleasantly. “How was your day in the city with the Prince?”

  “It was pleasant,” Elisha told Lenora earnestly. “I was wondering if I might speak with you privately, Lenora.”

  Lenora studied her face for a moment and clearly saw that Elisha was upset. “Yes, of course. Trinsin, will you leave us?”

  “You can’t just let them barge in on you like this,” Trinsin objected. “You…”

  “Trinsin, out,” Lenora said firmly, giving a dark look to her friend. Trinsin stood and glared at Elisha resentfully as she passed her. Elisha flinched away from the woman’s unexplained hostility. Elisha stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. Lenora was already pouring Elisha fresh cup of tea. “Perhaps this will help your nerves, dear.” Lenora offered her the tea, and Elisha politely took it as she sat down. “What is troubling you? Did the Prince say something or is it…?”

  “No, I spoke with my brother upon my return,” Elisha said, cutting Lenora off knowing it was rude. “He told me some things I didn’t quite want to believe, but he has never led me wrong before.”

  “Yes, you and your brother have quite a bond,” Lenora agreed. “I would not blame you for believing whatever he had to say. Will you tell me?”

  “You will not like what I have to say,” Elisha cautioned her.

  “That’s alright. You may say it anyway. I know one cannot always hear things that are pleasant.”

  Elisha told Lenora all her brother had told her. Lenora listened patiently, and h
er expression became sad as the facts were listed off, and Elisha could only hope that meant what she said was untrue. Lenora did not reply instantly. Elisha watched her warily.

  “Elisha,” Lenora began, clearly choosing her words carefully “first I will ask you to hear all I have to say, even if it is not all you want to hear. Will you?”

  “Yes,” Elisha agreed, feeling dread rise in her stomach and cling to the inside of her skin.

  “I will tell you that, yes, there is some truth in what you were told. I will not deny it. When I arrived in the city with the Prince, we were both surprised to find out that there was a girl who had come out of the woodwork and improved the functioning of his carriage. I was assigned instantly to look for this girl, for you. Your ability is very rare, Elisha, you must know that. I could not pass up the opportunity to help you when you appeared in the alley. The Prince desires your abilities greatly. I have told you before how rare your gift is. I have not exaggerated.

  “I admitted you into the school for your own good. It has been my hope that someday you will serve the Prince. If you do serve him, you will need the skills you learn here to thrive in his court. I wanted you to do well, I still do. I think you are well on your way to being one of the most influential people of his court. I saw the reaction of the nobility to you. You charmed them all with extreme ease.

  “I can understand you fear being used for your abilities. Yes, I am sure there are many out there who would do just that. In that way, I have been very honest with you from the beginning. We do have a deal, Elisha. You fix the machines in exchange for the life you get here. I would hope you haven’t found that arrangement unpleasant. I would never expect to have use of your abilities free of charge. I have told you many times that your abilities are worth more than you could possibly know.