The Lantern's Ember

by Colleen Houck

  There’d been no signs of the third man, though. Not a finger or a toe had been discovered. What was more interesting, he hadn’t been assigned to board the Phantom Airbus either, so there was no reason for him to be missing at all. He’d have to send a clockwork owl communique to his boss.

  He’d been shocked when the Lord of the Otherworld had insisted that Rune commandeer his own personal dreadnaught to hunt the witch down. He’d never commanded one before, and it was a touchy mission—not even an experienced captain would fly through a ghost storm. But that was the direction the Lord of the Otherworld insisted he search. He was also told to take down any skyship he came across, with the added instruction that he was to dispense with any and all Otherworlders except those of the feminine persuasion.

  Regardless of the danger to the skyship and crew, they followed the path toward the storm, each man whispering uneasy prayers for his own safety lest he end up dead and trapped in the ghost storm. Even Rune wasn’t exempt from edgy feelings.

  The interesting thing was, when they entered the area of sky where the ghost storm should have been, they found nothing except the empty sky, which was still humming with enough witchlight to power an entire city for a year. He immediately sent a message to the Lord of the Otherworld saying they were getting close.

  The sky they passed through was eerie. It should have been aswirl with centuries’ worth of Otherworlder ghosts who were unable to move on to the great beyond. The storms were a mystery, and a dangerous one, at that. It had been studied, and the most current theory had to do with the witchlight shortages. The worse the shortage got, the more ghosts gathered. But now, poof. The biggest storm in the Otherworld was gone.

  There were no hovering specters, no groaning winds, no noisome odor, not even a cloud in the sky. Just a silent, still, dead space. It was almost worse than finding a storm. The men on the skyship became spooked. Nothing could take out a storm that size. It had never been done. Not in the history of the Otherworld.

  And then they spotted the skyship. It gave them a mighty chase. Then, finally, the stubborn pirate wench had scuttled the ship rather than being taken, and it appeared all hands were lost at sea. “Appeared” being the key term. It was highly unlikely that a ship of that size would only lose a handful of men. There should have been floaters spread over a vast range. The numbers just didn’t add up. He was missing something.

  With his task thwarted, Rune gave the order to head back to circle the area and await further orders. He had a hunch that the ones he was looking for were still alive. Also, there was the fact that there had been traces of a lantern once again on some of the recovered pieces of ship.

  Rune didn’t understand it. If a lantern had been on board, fighting, he should have sensed it. He was the head lantern for all their kind. He controlled their embers. Something or someone was blocking him, hiding the lantern’s identity or scrambling his signature somehow. Never in his long life had a lantern betrayed him. It wasn’t just that he was confident they wouldn’t; he knew that they couldn’t.

  But Rune had a hunch.

  He twisted his earring as he thought and then leaned over the railing scanning the water and looking into the distance. If he was right, then the balance was shifting. The only way to be sure was to check the crossroads. Pennyport wasn’t an accident. There was only one crossroad connected to that town and it just happened to be that the mortal village that lay on the other side was the one rumored to be kissed by a powerful witch wind. It couldn’t be a coincidence.

  He just wished it was.

  It was time to check in on Jack.

  * * *

  * * *

  Dev rubbed his cheek. “What was that for?”

  “For kissing me without permission. How dare you assume I wanted you to be my first kiss? That’s something a girl should choose for herself, don’t you think?”

  “Well, yes, I suppose it is.”

  “I assure you it is. As much as I appreciate your full disclosure and your amorous attentions, I’ll have you know that I’m not ready to settle down yet. I’d like to determine for myself where and how I wish to live in the future. Heed my words, Dev: I’ll not be forced into anything, especially romance, and I’ll thank you not to beleaguer the point.”

  Ember adjusted her tiny hat, repinning it to her chignon and tucking in the curls loosened by Dev’s agile fingers. Truth be told, kissing Dev wasn’t entirely awful. It was rather nice, in fact. But she didn’t want him to know that. He was cocky enough as it was, and he needed to understand how she felt, or didn’t feel, or should have felt.

  And she was scandalized further by the fact that the face she envisioned on the other side of those lips was entirely different. Ember had imagined a man with piercing eyes and mussed blond hair. If he had been the one who attempted to kiss her, Ember didn’t think she’d find it quite so easy to push him away. And the idea of slapping him just made the breath catch in her lungs. Or perhaps that was the corset. Yes. Definitely the corset.

  “Ember, don’t make a great harvest of a little corn. I am a patient man,” Dev said. “I don’t mind waiting for you. Like I said, I’m only putting everything on the page for you to read and ponder. But, please, my dove, I beg you not to dismiss my suit out of hand. Let me at least believe you might consider me.”

  Ember pursed her lips and gave Dev a piercing stare. Finally, she said, “Very well. I’ll consider your, er, proposal, but I’ll make you no promises at this time other than that. It’s all I can offer at the moment.”

  “Then, that’s enough.” Dev stood, picked up his hat, dusted the brim, and settled it on his head. “Now, I understand you have some questions about our destination. Perhaps we can talk further on the subject as I escort you to the bridge.”

  Ember nodded and followed him out the door. Instead of offering his arm, he simply walked beside her, his cane tapping the metal-floored passageway.

  “Can you tell me more about where we’re going?” Ember asked.

  “Yes. It’s a hidden island that was, at one time, surrounded by a very wide, and very extensive ghost storm. The same one, in fact, that you just dissolved.”

  “Oh.”

  “It’s a strange phenomenon, to be sure. It appears there is a certain imbalance around the island that causes this area to become a magnet for ghosts. I’m sure the spectral barrier will replenish itself at some point, but let’s hope for clear skies during our sojourn.”

  Ember didn’t know how she felt about that. The ghosts had seemed like they were reaching out to her not to hurt, but in a supplication for help. She was happy that she’d been able to offer them relief, and the idea that more would gather in the space she’d just cleared left her feeling uneasy.

  Dev went on, “A great genius lives on the island; one I count as a friend. Once he was the head inventor and metallurgist of the Otherworld. His technology was, and still is, used far and wide. But he gave it all up. He didn’t like how his inventions were being used as weapons. He was the one who invented the clockwork mechanism that makes the frog bombs target enemies. Of course, that was never the original intention. They were supposed to be used as a sort of security system. The frogs would leap onto interlopers and identify strangers.”

  “That seems useful,” Ember said.

  “Yes. There are many other gadgets we owe to him. He worked very closely with witches for years and developed the means where a witch can store her power outside herself. He also discovered a way to imbue certain metals with magic and mold them to suit his purposes.”

  “But he left all that behind?”

  “He did. He still has a large laboratory on his island, of course. His work hasn’t stopped, only moved. Delia has worked for him from time to time, taking his latest inventions to the black market, trading them for the goods and supplies that he needs.

  “The last time I was here, he was working on something he called a snapshot that created a perfec
t portrait of his intended subject.”

  “Does it hurt?”

  Dev chuckled. “There’s no projectile, though there is a trigger. I’m not sure exactly how it works but I’ve seen the results and they are amazing. What’s most interesting, though, is what happens when he uses lantern light instead of witchlight. Seeing as you are somewhat familiar with lanterns, can you guess what happened?”

  Ember shook her head. “Does it have something to do with their ability to see inside people?”

  “Yes. The silver recorded not a person at all, but a colored aura around the heart. Interesting, don’t you think?”

  “Fascinating.” Ember immediately thought of Jack and what he might feel regarding such a prospect. Then she wondered where this secretive inventor even got lantern light. Ember shivered thinking about Jack and his pumpkin being separated.

  Dev stepped through a bulkhead opening, still talking about the inventor. “In his spare time, he smuggles Otherworlders into mortal towns and occasionally brings mortals over here. I’ve used his services countless times. It’s a way to avoid traveling under the piercing glare of a lantern’s gaze.”

  Dev opened the heavy door and they stepped into the command center of the submersible. He could tell immediately that something was wrong with his sister. Ember reached Delia’s side before he could.

  “You look like death chewed you up and spit you out,” Ember said bluntly.

  “That’s about how I feel.”

  “Is it the imbroglio with your captain?”

  “You could say that. I spoke with him briefly last night. Nothing has changed. He’s a spy. One who, somehow, snuck aboard my ship.”

  “Yes, and exactly how did he do that?” Dev asked. “I thought the entrances to the submersible were coded and only you and Frank could enter.”

  Delia glanced up at her brother, her face haggard. “I never changed the codes. I thought he was dead, you see. It didn’t seem important.”

  The weight of her past hung on Delia like a mantle of lead. She didn’t know what she hoped to accomplish by seeing Graydon. What did she expect? That he’d empty the bag and tell her everything? She supposed a part of her hoped he’d deny it all. Tell her it was just a misunderstanding. That he hadn’t abandoned her.

  Then there was the ring. She’d wanted to tear the emblem from his neck. She’d wanted to hurt him. Wanted to rend it from his throat just as he’d rent her heart. In the end, standing there, close, breathing in the heat and familiarity of him, broke her instead. She turned away then, leaving the chain intact, the ring and tooth still dangling from it.

  Delia hadn’t slept at all that night. She tossed and turned, too cold and then too hot. Her skin felt as tight as a waterlogged pair of boots.

  A few restless hours later, she was back at work. She asked for a depth measure and when it was reported, she called, “Take us up to six fathoms, heading…” Delia bent over the gyrocompass. “Heading fifteen degrees starboard.”

  “Aye, Captain, fifteen degrees starboard.”

  “We should be getting close, De—I mean, Captain. Could we take a look?” Dev asked.

  Delia sighed. “Very well. Crewman Caspar, open the viewing window.”

  The crewman rose, torquing a lever that opened up a section of plates at the front of the command station. When the steel peeled back, Ember saw behind it a thick, glass dome, much like the stateroom where Ember had slept. She gasped and wandered forward.

  Dev followed, his hands clasped behind his back and a pleased look on his face as he watched Ember. He glanced in Delia’s direction and she shook her head, the hint of a smile on her mouth as she lifted a finger to a crewman, who threw another switch before returning to his station.

  Ember gaped. The view was incredible.

  The witch lamps inside the ship dimmed and powerful beams located on the outside of the ship turned on, illuminating the area around them. With the lights on, Ember could easily make out the sea and everything in it. Tall rock formations jutted up from the ocean floor on either side of the ship, but Delia guided the Phantom Airbus easily enough between them without even looking out the dome.

  When she asked how it was accomplished, Delia explained they used various scopes and a detection device that emitted short pulses of witchlight in every direction. If the witchlight hit something, there was a small burst that made a nearly undetectable sound. One of her men sat at a station with a large cone pressed to the side of the ship. At the tip of the cone were thick copper wires that connected to some kind of earpiece. The young man had one in each ear and appeared to be listening to both sides of the ship at the same time.

  As she watched, Ember saw the crewman giving Delia hand signals every so often and when he did, she invariably announced a slight change in direction. “But what if the witchlight hits a fish?” Ember whispered to Dev.

  “Any fish who gets hit by the burst would scurry away immediately,” he said. “In fact, the witchlight levels can be raised to a degree that would drive off even the largest curious creature that might come across us. I once heard a tale of a kraken attacking a ship. Once the suckers attach, it’s very difficult to remove the beast. Witchlight in vast quantities seemed to do the trick though. The creature hasn’t been seen in our oceans since. Perhaps it’s crossed over and made a new home in your world.”

  “Oh dear, I hope not,” Ember said, aghast at the idea of such an animal. It wasn’t that she disliked animals. She quite appreciated them in all their varieties. But she didn’t think mortals were a good enough match for a sea monster such as Dev described. Perhaps it had found a nice cave somewhere. A place where humans wouldn’t bother it too much.

  Ember took great delight in seeing the fish of all types; some had fins so delicate, they fluttered like lace, while others looked like giant bats with wingspans to rival the greatest of birds. She spied several sporting large, sharp teeth. They moved fast and powerfully through the water while other fish followed them, some clinging to their backs and bellies.

  Ember felt like she could stand there forever, just watching the magical scene before her. It was peaceful and serene. That is, until she saw a fish so monstrous in size that it could surely swallow their ship. She gasped and turned to Dev, her face full of alarm. The vampire shook his head and said, “Don’t worry about that one. He’s harmless. His teeth are so small only the tiniest sea life can fit between them. He’s more frightened of us, I assure you.”

  Dev was right. As soon as the massive creature spotted them, he flicked his giant tail and disappeared down into the black depths.

  Jack and Finney soon joined them on the bridge, the pumpkin’s light making it so Ember saw more of their reflection instead.

  “We found several items you might deem useful,” Finney said. “We put them in your room.”

  “I appreciate it,” Ember said. “As soon as you’re ready, I’ll start brewing up some more potion vials. We’ll have to heat it with witchlight instead of fire but I think I can manage that. Dev?” she said, turning to the vampire. “You promised to give me some lessons in controlling my witch power.”

  “So I did,” he said, boldly lifting her gloved hand to his lips and kissing it. “But that will have to wait for another time.” He cleared his throat and looked at Jack and Finney. “And now that you have an escort,” Dev added, “perhaps you will excuse me so that I might speak with my sister.”

  “Yes, of course,” Ember said. Dev and Delia disappeared, leaving Frank to navigate the ship. Ember frowned, watching them leave. “I wonder what all that’s about?” she said and glanced up into Jack’s deep-set eyes. There was a sparkle in them. The one she saw when he was trying to look inside her. She knew it was a lantern thing and he probably meant nothing by it. But at that moment, it felt much more intimate.

  Jack was standing very close to her. The warmth of his body was at once soothing and electrifying. She found her own eyes wanted to linger on
him too. Jack’s face was very pleasing to her, even though, at the moment, he was frowning. There were sharp, brooding angles she wanted to smooth into smiles.

  Her fingers itched to brush against his and take his hand, pressing palm against palm. The very idea of such a thing made her draw in a sharp breath. Blushing furiously, she deliberately turned away. She knew she couldn’t blame the tightness in her chest on the corset this time.

  “What the devil is that?” Finney asked, pointing out the window, oblivious to the tension between his two companions.

  Jack leaned forward and spotted the flash of silver. Soon a school of fish darted toward them, their long bodies sparkling with their own light. Intrigued, Jack whispered to his pumpkin, which shined its light out the window. If Ember thought the sea bright before, it was doubly so with Jack’s pumpkin lighting the water.

  Several fish swam closer and the school broke up, as if confused. A few of them bumped against the glass dome, their bodies hitting with clinks. “Are they…are they metal?” Ember asked.

  Finney lowered his goggles over his normal spectacles and flipped the lenses up and down. “Fascinating,” he said. “It would appear that at least a portion of their bodies are indeed encased in metal.” He pointed to one flash. “That one looks to be armored in bronze. Two over there, in silver.”

  Soon they saw other creatures, some of them the very same type Ember had gazed upon before, but now they were all covered with a thin coat of metal across their spines. One larger animal blew bubbles at their dome and peered at them with an open, laughing mouth. It was missing a conventional tail, but a new one had been fashioned for it from silver. Flipping in the water, it knocked against the dome with its tail and followed them. It was joined by others, almost as if they were escorting the ship.

  In a quiet, murmuring voice, his eyes shining in the dimness of the command center, Jack said, “They are alive, but they’ve been fused with…with clockwork parts made of…made of…”