by Becca Andre
“Dale Darby,” Briar said through gritted teeth. “I should have known.”
“Why should you have known?” Grayson asked.
“The bartender in Port Washington described those two strangers as an older man and a skinny fellow. It was obviously Darby and his son.”
“That isn’t obvious.”
“Plus there’s the night something struck the boat. Kali thought she felt animated soul iron.” Briar gestured at the woman before turning to Grayson. “And you suggested that Farran had given Darby a propeller that ran on ferromancy. That’s how Darby eluded us after Farran flooded that level of the canal.”
Grayson frowned as he considered that.
“It would also give him more maneuverability. He’s not forced to follow the towpath along the shore. He could move to the other side of a lake or basin like this, allowing him to go ahead of us or let us pass him by.”
“But we know he’s ahead of us now,” Perseus spoke up. “And not far ahead. Does this town have any locks that might slow him?”
“No,” Briar answered, “but he might stop anyway—if he’s still working for my cousin.” Perhaps there was a connection to Andrew, though she still didn’t understand why he would go against Solon’s desire to see her and Grayson in Portsmouth.
“Then I suggest we make haste,” Perseus said.
Briar glanced back at the locks. Jimmy stood atop the upper one, and she guessed the Briar Rose was already inside the chamber. She waved at Jimmy, and when he saw her, she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Meet you in Roscoe.”
He lifted a hand to acknowledge that he’d heard.
“Let’s go,” she said to the others, and they turned and jogged off down the towpath.
They passed the flour mill where they’d once faced Farran and arrived in the small village a few minutes later. Following the towpath, they were able to observe the docked boats but didn’t see the River Shark among them. Briar wasn’t surprised. Darby had to know that if they made it across the aqueduct, they’d be stopping here to pay the toll.
“I don’t see his boat,” Kali said.
“He’d have to stop to pay the toll, right?” Grayson asked.
“We could ask around,” Perseus suggested. “I’m sure his untowed boat would draw attention.”
“There are a few steam-powered boats on the canal, but they’re rare,” Briar answered. “However, the first person I would like to ask should be waiting at the toll office.”
“How about if you and Grayson meet with your cousin while Kali and I ask around,” Perseus suggested. “If he just passed through here, we’d be more likely to hear of it if we ask now.”
“You’re right,” Briar agreed.
“And I’m sure your ferromancer can handle a couple of soulless,” Kali said.
“He can,” Grayson spoke up, his tone cheerful.
Briar frowned, annoyed with the way Kali had reverted to calling Grayson your ferromancer once more, but that was a fight for later. One problem at a time.
“We’ll meet here at the dock,” Briar said. “My boat should be along soon.”
Perseus dipped his head and with a murmured, “My lady,” led a frowning Kali away.
Briar sighed. “I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me for taking his oath.”
“In time, she may, when she sees that you’re not a threat to him.”
“How much time?”
“That I can’t say. But she seems to be as stubborn as you. It could take a while.”
She nudged him with her shoulder, then started walking toward the toll office. “And do you view stubbornness as a bad thing?”
“Not always. Sometimes, it’s an asset.”
She glanced over, but he didn’t elaborate. “I just wish Andrew weren’t so stubborn,” she said.
“Perhaps it’s a family trait.”
“Perhaps.”
It was a short walk to the toll office. For the first time, Andrew wasn’t waiting for them. Briar even checked inside. She took a moment to examine the notice board, but didn’t see any of her wanted posters. “Maybe he’s already been here?” she suggested to Grayson.
“We could check the train station,” Grayson suggested.
With nothing else to do, and not wanting to remain in Roscoe waiting on Andrew when she could be chasing Darby, Briar agreed and they left the office. The door had barely closed behind them when she spied a pair of familiar men walking toward them.
“Looks like he is here,” Briar muttered.
Andrew caught sight of her, and a look of annoyance immediately crossed his face. But then, she couldn’t remember a time that he didn’t look at her like that.
Owens, who followed a step behind, had a very different expression on his face. Briar suppressed a shiver of disgust.
“I see you didn’t dawdle today,” Andrew said as he joined her.
“Nor have I for a moment on this trip,” she answered, letting her irritation show. “And I would be making much better time if you hadn’t sent Dale Darby to hamper us.”
Owens stepped up beside Andrew, his brows lifting in interest, though he didn’t speak.
“What the blazes are you talking about?” Andrew demanded.
“We almost lost a man and a mule crossing the Walhonding Aqueduct. Questioning a local fisherman revealed that Darby had crossed moments before us, then hurried on down the canal with the assistance of the ferromantic propulsion his buddy Farran supplied.”
Andrew snorted. “That’s preposterous.”
“Which part?”
“All of it.”
“So you expect me to believe that you haven’t sent him to trouble us.”
Andrew huffed. “Why the hell would I do that? Master Solon has charged me with the responsibility of seeing to Mr. Martel’s safe arrival in Portsmouth. Causing you to be late, or Lord forbid, not arrive at all, would be a failing on my part. And as you know, I do not fail.”
It was her turn to snort in amusement. “Uh-huh. Would you like me to start naming examples?”
Owens chuckled. “I would love to hear them.”
Andrew glared at both of them.
“As for Darby—” Briar began.
“I do not go out of my way to associate with such.” Andrew curled his lip in distain. “Certainly, you know me better than that.”
“I do, but you used him once.”
“He was handy at the time, and it was a matter of desperation. There was no one else.”
She had to admit that he did sound sincere.
“Now, if you’re finished with your foolish accusations, we can conclude our business and move on.” He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and unrolled it.
Briar snatched it from his hand. “Spare me the poster-ripping drama.”
“Very well.” He lifted his chin. “I’ll see you—”
“At the toll office in Newark tomorrow afternoon. Yeah, I get it. No need to repeat yourself. It’s getting tedious.”
“Yes, it is.” His attention moved to include Grayson. “If this Darby fellow gives you any serious trouble, you are always welcome aboard my train.” He dipped his chin at Grayson. “Mr. Martel.” Without another word, he turned and walked away.
Owens glanced from them to Andrew, a slow smile stretching his face.
“What are you smiling at?” Grayson demanded.
“Nothing, sir.” Still grinning, Owens turned and followed Andrew.
“That guy makes my skin crawl,” Briar muttered.
“He won’t be a problem much longer.”
She glanced up at Grayson’s cool tone. “Are you contemplating a violent act?”
“Only if ripping open his chest and dissolving his iron heart is considered violent.”
“Perhaps in some circles,” she answ
ered. “I’d prefer you refrain.”
He glanced over, his brows lifting in surprise. “You would have me spare that thing?”
“Yes, that way, I could use my fiddle.”
Grayson’s blue-gray eyes twinkled. “How selfish.”
She lifted her chin. “I don’t see why you should have all the fun.”
“Then I shall try to refrain, but I do not like the way he looks at you.” His tone turned serious.
“I can’t say as I like it, either. But we’ll deal with him later. Right now, I want Darby.”
Grayson chuckled and fell in step beside her. They hadn’t gone a block when Briar spied Perseus and Kali coming toward them.
“Anything?” Briar asked when they were still a few yards away.
“No one has seen the River Shark, or any boat heading south in the last half hour,” Perseus answered. “One man had been fishing since early morning, and the other had been repairing a dock.”
Briar frowned. “If he didn’t come this way…”
“How’d your meeting with your cousin go?” Kali asked. “Did he admit to putting that Darby fellow up to this?”
“He denied it, and he might be telling the truth. Solon wants us in Portsmouth, and Andrew wants what he wants.” Briar shrugged. “Darby’s probably still upset about being denied immortality and blames me. Whatever his motivation, I don’t intend to let him keep harassing me.”
Kali shook her head. “He’s insane if he wants to be soulless.”
“I suspect that he doesn’t have all the facts, though I wouldn’t be surprised if learning the truth made no difference to him.”
“Like I said, crazy,” Kali concluded.
“No argument here.” But where could Darby have gone? If he was only a few minutes ahead of them, someone should have seen him pass through Roscoe. Unless he didn’t come this far.
She snapped her fingers. “The Walhonding Canal.”
“The what?” Kali asked.
“It’s a feeder canal, and its outlet is on the other side of the basin we just passed. While our young fisherman was pulling in his catch, Darby must have cut across the basin and entered the feeder on the other side.” She turned back the way they’d come. “Let’s go.”
She took off at a jog, and the others fell in behind her.
They left Roscoe behind, returning to the basin just beyond the canal town. The Briar Rose had finished locking through the final lock and was passing beneath the railroad truss as she made her way along the edge of the basin.
Briar stopped, taking a moment to catch her breath and study the situation. She looked across the water toward the entrance to the triple locks that would lift a boat to the first level of the Walhonding Canal. She pointed out the entrance to the feeder canal.
“Are you thinking of following him in your boat?” Kali asked, glancing at the approaching Briar Rose.
“No, it’d be a waste of time we don’t have,” Briar answered. “If Darby decided to use the Walhonding Canal to duck out of sight, I don’t believe he’d go far. We can catch up with him on foot.”
The corners of Kali’s mouth curled. “Sounds like fun.”
Briar couldn’t help but smile in turn. She and Kali might be at odds, but the prospect of a good fight excited them both. When this was over, Briar vowed to try to make up with the woman. They had a lot of common interests. It was a shame not to be friends.
Giving the mouth of the Walhonding Canal one more glance, and seeing no one about, Briar turned and hurried along the towpath toward her approaching boat.
Zach had already stopped the mules, and Eli brushed the bank to slow the boat to a gradual stop. The gangplank was dropped into place just as they reached it, but Briar didn’t go aboard. Instead, she called Jimmy and Eli out to join them, then quickly brought them up to speed on her suspicions.
“Are we going to chase him up the Walhonding Canal?” Jimmy asked.
Briar explained to him as she’d explained to Kali that such an excursion wasn’t necessary. “We won’t be gone long,” she added.
“We?” Eli asked, a frown already shadowing his eyes. “Are you leaving us to babysit the boat. Again?”
“It’s just Darby,” she insisted.
“Exactly. No crazy ferra or devolved ferromancer. Just a deluded canal boat captain and his crew—whom we have beaten before.”
Briar took a breath, about to tell him to stop making this about him and Grayson, but Jimmy spoke before she could.
“I agree with the big guy, Captain,” Jimmy said. “We’re crew. We’re part of this, too, and this is the part we know.”
Briar sighed. “All right. Fine.” It was a waste of time to argue, and in the grand scheme, what did it matter? Jimmy and Eli were right. This was just Darby. They’d kicked his ass before and could certainly do it again.
“I’ll stay with Benji,” Molly called from the end of the gangplank. Briar hadn’t realized that she’d followed them ashore.
“Is he all right?” Briar asked.
“He’s asleep,” Molly answered with a reassuring smile. “His ordeal took a lot out of him—not that he would admit it.”
Briar smiled, well aware of Benji’s drive to keep up with the adult members of the crew. Besides, healed or not, that had been a nasty injury, and he’d bled a great deal.
“On second thought,” Eli spoke up, “perhaps I should remain with the boat. I don’t like going off and leaving Miss Molly and Benji to fend for themselves if Darby should decide on a more direct attack.”
Briar wanted to scoff—certainly Darby didn’t plan to attack them in the open—but Molly spoke before she could.
“Thank you, Mr. Waller.” Molly gave Eli a grateful smile. “That would give me some peace of mind, though I suspect Briar thinks me a big coward.”
“No, I don’t,” Briar spoke up. “I think you’re an amazingly courageous person, and I can respect that fisticuffs aren’t your thing. Leave those to Eli.” She winked, then turned to the others. “As for the rest of us, I think it time we put Dale Darby in his place.”
That comment got a boisterous round of agreement as they set off around the lower end of the basin, moving toward the mouth of the feeder canal on the far side. Briar could imagine Darby’s reaction when he saw all of them coming. He’d probably piss down his leg.
“Is there a basin, or somewhere he could turn around up the Walhonding Canal?” Briar asked Zach as they walked. “My guess is that he’d wait there until he’d given us enough time to move on.”
“I can’t say,” Zach answered. “I’ve never traveled the Walhonding.”
“Do you think he means to let us go ahead, then attack us again in the night?” Jimmy asked. “I reckon that was his boat that rammed us the other night.”
“I suspect it was,” she agreed. “Once we catch up with him, maybe Zach can question him.” She gave Zach a wink.
“Or your ferromancer could make him soulless and command him to tell you,” Kali offered.
“Her ferromancer would rather not,” Grayson spoke up.
“Can’t blame you there,” Briar said, trying to make light of it. “Absorbing Darby’s soul couldn’t be pleasant.”
Jimmy offered a nervous laugh. “It’d probably give him indigestion.”
“Absolutely.” Briar favored him with a grateful grin, pleased that he could at least pretend to make light of the notion. Briar decided that maybe she wouldn’t attempt to make up with Kali. Maybe she’d just punch her.
They walked in silence after that, each absorbed with their own concerns, or perhaps simply looking forward to a good fight. She glanced over at Grayson, but his attention was on the triple locks that marked their destination. Perhaps a simple fistfight with another boat’s crew was something he looked forward to as well. It was better than fighting devolved ferromancers and crazy ferra.
“Captain?” Jimmy’s low voice pulled her attention to him. He’d come to a stop along the edge of the towpath and frowned at the locks ahead of them.
“What is it?”
“The downstream gates on the bottom lock are closed, but they’re open on the upper locks.”
Briar came to a stop as she eyed the triple locks, now only twenty yards ahead of them. The others stopped as well.
“What does that mean?” Kali whispered.
“It means there might be a boat in the lower lock,” Briar answered.
“Perhaps it would be best if we left the towpath, cut through the trees along the hill, and approached from above,” Perseus suggested.
Briar nodded. “That sounds like—”
A low thump echoed across the water. Briar spun toward the sound. The lock gates burst open with the shattering of wood and busted hinges as the bow of a canal boat smashed through them. The boat shot forward out of the lock under its own momentum, sunlight glinting off the odd metal plating that reinforced the bow.
“What the hell?” Jimmy muttered.
The boat glided across the waters of the basin as if pulled by a full team of galloping horses, though there wasn’t a tow animal in sight.
Briar didn’t need to see the transom to identify the boat. Dale Darby stood on the tiller deck beside his steersman and tipped his hat as they passed, his ugly laugh carrying back to them.
She clenched her fists, ready to vent a few choice words when Zach beat her to it. Before she could comment, he took off, running back toward the boat, followed by Jimmy.
Perseus sprinted after them, blowing past Jimmy and Zach as if they were standing still.
“Wh—”
“Your boat,” Grayson said and ran after Perseus, leaving Briar and Kali on their own.
Briar looked across the basin and suddenly understood. Darby’s ferromantic-powered boat was closing the distance fast, its iron-reinforced prow bearing down on the Briar Rose.
