As Harley spoke, everyone could hear a low growling emanate from beneath the floorboards. The next moment, Natalia’s seat upended, throwing her into the aisle.
“What in the world?” she exclaimed, looking around in confusion. She was the only one on the floor.
“I think you made it angry,” Todd warned. “You better be careful.”
“Made who angry?”
“The Zephyr. I told you that the train was alive.”
“Are you kidding me? This piece of…” Natalia began, but she quickly found Harley’s hand clamped over her mouth.
The next moment, the lights reignited and the subway train resumed its course. Max looked around, but the cracks in the windows had been mysteriously repaired, and the floorboards were back in place.
Todd laughed and elbowed his brother. “I bet the Zephyr planned this all along. It was just testing us… you know, having some fun at the expense of the newbies.”
Natalia rolled her eyes at the preposterous notion of a living subway. She didn’t buy it for one second. Still, she kept her mouth shut for the rest of the trip, just in case.
The Zephyr raced through several stops in New Victoria, and a few minutes later it pulled into Iron Bridge Depot. Natalia’s book bag was promptly launched out the window by the train, where it landed in a puddle.
The subway platform wasn’t in much better condition than the depot they had left behind, but it was certainly busier. A flock of teachers in hard hats guided the students through a maze of yellow caution tape. It looked like a disaster zone after an earthquake.
“I wonder who built all of this,” Max mused, looking up at a cavernous ceiling.
“Faeries, of course,” announced the sharp voice of a nearby teacher. She was thin, fitting into her clothes like a blade into a starched scabbard. Her eyes were bright, and her white skin was flecked with small red veins near her temples—possibly from too much thinking. She smelled of cats, and her hands were arthritic rakes with glassy nails. “Though I daresay machines are more reliable. Now, which one of you is Tweeny?”
“Um… I am,” Ernie admitted, his voice faltering. The teacher’s narrowed eyes peeped out from two wrinkly bags, and Ernie squirmed under the scrutiny.
“I am Dean Nipkin,” she said. “And I believe that we’ll be getting to know each other quite well, my little changeling friend. Yes, I’ve heard a great deal about you….” Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell on another student of interest. “Ah… the impertinent mongrel has shown up,” the dean said to no one in particular. She turned on her heels and clicked toward her new target.
09
A CLOUD OF SMOKE
The escalators leading to the surface were elegantly appointed, but like the Zephyr, that elegance had been brutalized by neglect. The wood floorboards were rotten, and the leather handrails had been nibbled away by a hundred years’ worth of hungry mice. Worse yet, the escalator was pitched at a murderous angle.
“This thing should be condemned,” Natalia stated as she listened to the floorboards moan beneath her feet. Steam rolled out from the cracks as invisible engines worked to move the students up to an impossible height. “It’s a giant lawsuit just waiting to happen.”
“Look at that,” Max announced, pointing back to the bottom of the escalator. Dean Nipkin was arguing with a boy whose blond hair was spiked at impossibly sharp angles. He was dressed in jeans and leather boots, and his goggles were pushed up on his forehead like those of most of the other boys and more than a few of the girls.
“Maybe that’s the ‘impertinent’ kid she was talking about,” Natalia thought aloud.
As the argument escalated, the boy shook his head and, in a burst of black smoke, disappeared. An instant later he reappeared behind the Griffins, but only long enough to smile mischievously at the dean. Then he disappeared again, leaving another cloud of smoke. Up where the escalator ended, there was an explosion of books and papers, followed by a scream. Then the boy was gone.
“He’s a teleporter!” Ernie shouted with joy. “That means he’s a changeling, too. Holy cow! You were right, Natalia. I’m not the only one after all!”
“I wonder how many changelings are here,” Harley mused.
“They pretty much keep to themselves,” Ross explained. “It’s the rule.”
“Rule?” Ernie exclaimed. “What do you mean?”
“Welcome to Iron Bridge Academy!” Todd announced suddenly as they reached the top of the escalator.
Soaring above a cobblestone courtyard were buildings as varied and wondrous as Max could ever have imagined. Tall towers and gabled peaks rose above the mist, as walls of ornately arched stone bridges and hundreds of stained-glass windows peered out over a thick green court of flowering trees, hedges, and fountains. Each structure was an architectural marvel of intricacy, and the buildings reflected the majesty of each subject taught within.
Max looked over his shoulder to see the massive walls that concealed any possible view of the city of New Victoria. The Toad brothers had aroused his curiosity about what the city might look like, not to mention who lived there.
“This path is called the Green Corridor,” explained Ross, gesturing to a grassy lane that led to the school grounds. “It’ll take you straight to De Payens Hall. That’s where all the offices are. Everything to the left is controlled by the Sciences Council, which means it’s off-limits. The right-hand side is for students.”
“How do you know so much about the school?” Ernie asked.
“We have our sources,” was all Todd would admit to.
They followed the mass of students into a wide courtyard where colorful hot-air balloons floated overhead. Strange vehicles slipped along white gravel lanes that connected the various buildings, while airships hovered high above.
The school was still under construction, and most of the buildings were cocooned within scaffolding. “Once they’re done with this place, Iron Bridge is going to be the jewel of New Victoria,” Ross proclaimed.
They followed the Toad brothers through a set of double doors and into the three-storied brownstone that was called Apprentice Hall. Max looked for Brooke, but he couldn’t find her in the crowd.
When they got to the second floor, they could hear the sounds of cogs turning and holes being punched in paper. Lines of students were waiting in front of a console as Max watched Xander walk over and place his hands on an opaque ball. It lit up, and then a brass punch card emerged from a nearby slot.
“Is that his schedule?” asked Natalia.
“It’s more than that,” Todd replied as he pushed his glasses back onto his nose. “That’s a student ID. It has everything on it, from what doors you can open to what you’re having for lunch.”
“Meaning what?”
“The card knows you better than you know yourself,” Ross explained. “Diabetic? Vegan? Low on iron? The card can sense it and ensure you get the food you need.”
Harley whistled in appreciation. “It sounds like it reads your biochemical, or maybe your electrical, signals when you touch it. That’s pretty high-tech.”
Ross yawned. “The Cheiromantic Scheduler is an out-dated piece of junk. Stirling Academy has the Scheduler XT.”
Max watched as Xander entertained a throng of admiring girls before inserting his card into a second slot farther down the wall. As he did, a green light flared before a brass door opened, releasing a stack of books tied together with a leather belt. Xander picked them up, along with the books of a beautiful girl, and together they strutted down the hallway.
Max decided right then that he didn’t like Xander. He reminded Max of someone, but he wasn’t sure who it was. At first Max thought it might be his old nemesis, Ray Fisher, the superpowered freak who nearly blew up the Griffins in a cornfield. That wasn’t it, though.
“Why do you keep staring at Xander?” Ernie asked, catching Max’s gaze.
“What are you talking about?”
“We saw it, too,” Ross added. “Look, maybe y
ou guys will be friends.”
“Who knows?” Todd said with a shrug. “Stranger things have happened.”
“What makes Xander so special?” asked Natalia.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Ross said sarcastically. “He’s brilliant and athletic, and girls think he’s handsome.”
“Most important,” added Todd, “he’s the highest-rated Round Table duelist in the world. Well, for the junior division anyway.”
“Max nearly beat a Round Table Grandmaster last year,” Natalia noted. “So Xander better watch out.”
Todd pulled out his little black notebook and jotted something down. His facial expression said it all, though—he liked what he had heard.
Max was the first of the Grey Griffins to approach the console. He placed his hand on the globe, and a shock like static electricity shot up his arm. The light flashed, and Max took his card before making room for Ernie.
“What the heck is Transformational Science?” Ernie asked as he pored over his schedule.
“If you kept reading, you’d see that it’s a special class for changelings,” Max said. “Who knows, maybe you’ll end up in the same class as that kid who can teleport.”
Ernie broke into a smile. “That would be supersonic.”
“I have a class called Runes and Ciphers, and another called Forensics!” Natalia announced with enthusiasm.
Max scanned his own schedule. Physical Training. Arithmetick. Latin. Grammar. History. Lunch. Then it was Natural Science, followed by rotating electives—Bounder Care and Portaling. Not too bad, he thought… well, except for the Arithmetick part. Then his eyes went back to the Bounder class. He looked around at the students nearby, wondering if any of them had Bounders, as well.
“Why are you so happy?” Natalia asked when Harley’s eyes lit up.
“I got into MERLIN Engineering,” he answered.
“You can thank me later,” Logan said. Harley spun around to see the Scotsman smiling down at the Griffins.
“You got me in?”
“You got you in,” Logan corrected. “You already have the knack for engineering; I just let them know.”
“So you’re going to stay with us the rest of the day?” Ernie smiled hopefully.
Logan shook his head before scratching at the stubble on his cheek. “If I stay with anyone, it’s the young man whom I’m paid to protect.”
Max’s stomach sank. He loved Logan like an uncle, but having a bodyguard shadow him all day was going to draw the wrong kind of attention. He didn’t want everyone to think he was a wimp.
“Don’t worry, Grasshopper,” Logan said, catching Max’s discomfort. “I’ll be out of sight most of the time. Just let me know if you need anything, got it?”
Then a voice called over the intercom…
“All students are to report immediately to the Grand Auditorium. Repeat: All students report to the Grand Auditorium.”
10
A LESSON IN FASHION
The Grand Auditorium was in the heart of Apprentice Hall, and when Max walked in, he could hardly believe his eyes. Unlike the subway stations, there was no mildew, stench, or crumbling statues. Everything was rich and luxurious. Flanked by three levels of balconies and hundreds of plush leather seats, a central aisle proceeded toward a stage draped with a velvet curtain. The walls were brilliant gold, filling the room with a warm glow. Soaring nearly seventy feet above their heads, the ceiling was alive with interlocking designs and five of the largest chandeliers Max had ever seen.
Xander Swift and his flock of admirers were blocking the aisle as they waited for the assembly to begin. Max paused, knowing he’d have to cut through the middle of them. All he wanted to do was find Brooke and sit down.
“Hey, that’s the Sumner kid, right?” someone asked.
Max cringed.
When he turned around, Xander was standing there staring at him. The older boy was at least a head taller than Max, and it was obvious that he spent a lot of time in a weight room. He had green eyes, and his dark skin was flawless.
“Welcome to Iron Bridge,” he said, offering his hand to Max, as though he were welcoming Max to his personal residence. “I’m Xander Swift.” Max took it reluctantly. “Just transferred here from Stirling. Which academy are you from?”
Max looked around uncomfortably. “King’s Elementary,” he mumbled.
Xander looked puzzled for a moment. It was as though the idea of attending anything other than a Templar academy had never occurred to him.
“Nice work with that Medal of Arthur,” he said.
“Thanks,” Max replied as he stared at the ground. Xander’s charm was so contagious that Max was struggling to maintain his disdain.
“I hear you’re a pretty good duelist,” Xander continued. “Playing Round Table against a Grandmaster is crazy. You must have had some serious moves.”
Max sighed. The Toad brothers evidently couldn’t keep their mouths shut. The Grandmaster in question was a gargoyle named Throckmorton, and Max was convinced that Throckmorton had been toying with him.
“Hey, there’s Brooke,” Harley said, catching Max by the arm before he pulled him through the crowd.
“Sorry… got to go,” Max offered in relief.
Xander shrugged and turned back to his friends.
Max felt his face flush as he wound his way to where Brooke was sitting. They had been neighbors ever since Max could remember. He had even asked her to marry him when they were five. Thankfully, she hadn’t mentioned it since.
“I was wondering if I would get to see you,” Brooke said as she stood up to give Natalia a hug. Moments later the two girls were comparing class schedules.
“We really needed you the other day,” Natalia said as they sat down.
“What happened?”
“I almost drowned!” Ernie declared.
Natalia went on to explain the details of their adventure as Max pulled out his share of the mysterious Round Table cards from the bunker. “Look at this.”
He handed Brooke a card with a hideous monster called a Reaper painted on the front. The thing had long fingers, iron nails, and skin the color of coal.
Brooke shivered as she looked at it. “I don’t remember Round Table cards looking this creepy.”
“No kidding,” agreed Max. “The whole deck was full of monsters just like it.”
“Don’t forget about the Clockwork King,” Ernie added.
“Really?” she replied with curiosity. “My dad was just talking about clockworks the other day. Maybe he’ll know where the cards came from.”
“I was kind of hoping to keep this quiet… at least for now,” Max said, lowering his voice. “I’m not even sure we’re supposed to have them. Do you think you could help us find out where they came from? You know…”
“Without telling my dad?” Brooke slipped the Reaper card into her purse. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“What about you?” Max asked. “Do you know anything about clockworks?”
“Not really,” she answered. “I mean, they’re all over the school, of course. You’ll see some in the dining hall at lunch. They serve the food.”
“You’re saying a robot is fixing my dinner?” Ernie asked incredulously.
“They aren’t really robots. Anyway, after a few days, you won’t even notice that they’re there.” Brooke laughed.
“You wouldn’t say that if you’d been thrown into a nest of those things, as we have.”
Natalia rolled her eyes. “Good grief, Ernest. That was just a pile of junk!”
“A pile of killer robot junk,” Ernie maintained. “And what about those blueprints?”
“Excuse me,” apologized a boy in a bowler derby as he slid past the Griffins to reach a group of his friends. Max studied the hat thoughtfully, wondering if it would be as comfortable as his Twins cap.
“So why aren’t you dressed like everyone else?” Natalia asked, turning back to Brooke.
“I guess I didn’t feel like it,” Brooke sa
id. “Besides, I was running late and I didn’t want to miss the Zephyr. This was just easier.”
“I don’t get it,” Max said. “Why does everyone wear stuff like that?”
“It’s all the rage,” Brooke explained. “It’s sort of a mix of Goth, punk, and nineteenth-century England all rolled into one. You’ll see girls with pink hair and combat boots wearing crinoline and corsets. You get used to it.”
“What’s the point?”
Brooke shrugged. “Templar kids have their own sense of fashion. It’s a different culture than we’re used to. They borrow their style from different eras and mix them together to make it their own. It’s edgy, and I kind of like it.”
“What about the goggles?”
“You definitely need to get some,” she advised. “They’re critical. Besides, they come in handy if you ever ride in an airship with open windows.”
Harley snickered. “Yeah, that happens to me all the time.”
Natalia’s eyes roved across the auditorium. “Are all the rooms going to be this extravagant?”
“Eventually.”
Just then the lights dimmed, and a distinguished man with an elegant walking stick strode across the stage. Despite a slight limp, his heels clicked in perfect cadence as he stepped to the lectern.
“Can you believe your dad is the director of the academy?” Natalia whispered.
“It’s weird,” Brooke admitted as she regarded her father. “I just hope the other kids won’t hate me because of him.”
Baron Lundgren was discussing something with Logan, who was standing just offstage. The two men seemed to reach an agreement, and then Logan disappeared.
11
FAIR WARNING
Between his military posture and the streaks of noble grey around his temples, Baron Cain Lundgren looked positively regal. He might have been forty. Or he might have been two hundred. No one seemed to know for sure. His goatee was meticulously groomed, his suit was custom-tailored, and his eyes were filled with dark secrets.
Grey Griffins: The Clockwork Chronicles #1: The Brimstone Key Page 5
