“What about Genevieve?” I sat up but my head spun and I laid back against the wall.
Mr. Singh rested his hand on my shoulder. “Take it easy. I have not seen her. We were brought here after Hendrix gloated, and then they brought you in. Did you talk to Genevieve?”
“I did, but she doesn’t want to be rescued.”
Ershou stood up, paced across the room and back again.
“Wait, if you had explained we were taking someone against their will, I never would have agreed to help you.”
“No, it’s not like that,” I said. “I thought she was in trouble, but now, I think she’s working another angle.” Mr. Singh eyed me, I’m not sure he believed me, but he said nothing. I eased up, and said, “She was brought here by her mother, who has been filling her mind with the evils her father and the other Templar have committed. Plus, she doesn’t want to be forced to marry the Duke’s son. I think she’s confused—or, she has a plan.”
“I will not take anyone by force.” Ershou sat down on the other side of the room and crossed her arms.
For the first time, I looked around the cell. Though we weren’t in the dungeons I’d explored earlier, the door’s small window was covered with iron bars, same as the window. I stood and looked out the window. We were perched on the sheer side of the mountain, with a drop that didn’t stop until it reached the river far below.
Mr. Singh walked over to Ershou and sat beside her. “Were you taken by force from your home?”
Her head dropped, and slid closer to her. “I would not marry, so I ran away from my home.”
“Were you betrothed to an evil man?” I asked.
“The man I loved was killed and his murderer assumed the betrothal.”
“No wonder you ran,” Mr. Singh said.
“But in doing so, I dishonored my family, and was banished.”
“I am sorry, Ershou,” I said and pointed to Mr. Singh. “Indihar here had to leave India when he was young. Like you, Genevieve is betrothed to a man she doesn’t want to marry, and I have an over-bearing father who tries to run my life. You’re in good company.”
She studied both of us, but said nothing.
Mr. Singh bowed his head. “How did you come by your owl?”
“Kō’ilā was my first friend after I fled. I rescued her from a snare set outside a coal mine.” Ershou stood up and stepped over to the window. “I nursed her back to health, and she has been a good friend ever since.”
“How did you end up with the Spice Master?”
“He picked me up because he wanted the prestige of an eagle hunter within his caravan.”
“Falconry? Where did you learn that?” I asked.
“From my father. He served a noble house.” Her eyes focused on the far wall of the canyon, as if staring into a memory. “I was trained in music, art, calligraphy, but falconry was my favorite. My father hoped my beauty would bring our family a noble rank.”
“I’m sorry you are separated from them,” Mr. Singh said, his head bowed. “I understand the difficulties you faced. After my family was killed, Baron Kensington found me. If he hadn’t helped me, I’m not sure where’d I be. Eventually, I made my way to the Mediterranean, where I was able to join the Sparrowhawk’s crew.”
Heavy footsteps, the clatter of a door being opened and then slamming shut, silenced us. I heard Hendrix bark at the guards, “Get that door open, and be quick about it.”
I tensed. The Confederate colonel, who had apparently promoted himself to general, always made me uneasy. The embodiment of evil, I’d never forgotten that he’d kidnapped my father, or that he’d pierced Eustache through the heart. Yet, he’d also offered me the chance to be a horseman. He’d offered me great power, and although I knew he was evil, we agreed about the nobles, that a man’s worth was in his actions, not his birthright. Genevieve said he was obsessed with me. That he wanted me with him. Even more than the Knights Templar. But why?
The door swung open and Hendrix stepped inside with several soldiers right behind him. They wore thick wool winter uniforms and carried long rifles. Hendrix stared at me with his one good eye. The other, a bronze aperture with electricity sparking behind a crystal lens, turned as it zoomed in. It unsettled most people, but I’d stared into this man’s heart, and his mechanical eye didn’t scare me. I held his gaze. I didn’t falter or recoil. My eyes narrowed, and he smiled.
“There’s that fire.” Hendrix hit the palm of his mechanical hand. “The Inner Circle wants to torture you and your friends here for information, but I done told them, it ain’t gonna work. Alexander’s tough as nails.”
“My friends don’t know anything.”
“But you do, don’t yah?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I said, kicking myself for not having included me in my statement. He was right though; I knew way more than anyone else.
“Oh, I bet you do, I can see your mind working.” Hendrix pointed his mechanical finger at me. “You’ve seen that I treated the lass right.” His crooked smile made me burn. “I treated her and her ma right. I want you to remember that.”
“Thank you, but you know if you hadn’t, I wouldn’t rest until I avenged them.”
“See that’s what I like. You’re in my jail, cut off from your allies, not one of them infernal armors anywhere in sight, and yet you’re defiant and ready for battle.” He chuckled and it rattled my nerves. “We’re more alike than you’ll admit.”
I remained silent. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of agreeing with him, or the joy of my defiance.
“You’ll stay here for now, so get comfortable. You and your friends will be with us for some time. And I wouldn’t worry about the Sparrowhawk coming to your rescue. They are chasing the Milli-train on a little jaunt to the south. By the time they figure out you’re not on the train, we’ll have moved on.” He tipped back his Stetson and stood upright. “You see, I thought of everything. That imbecile Kannard ain’t in charge anymore.”
“You can let the girl go, she doesn’t know anything. All she did was show me how to cross the river.”
“No, I think she’ll stay right here, that is, until we sell her back to the Spice Master.”
Ershou cringed and I saw a burning rage seething in her eyes. She didn’t say anything. She just eyed Hendrix through narrow slits.
Hendrix turned, and along with the soldiers, walked out of the cell, his bronze plated leg thumping than the other, giving him his distinctive gate, that faded into the distance.
Mr. Singh turned to me. “I do not believe him. I think they will torture us to get you to talk.”
“I agree. But I’m not sure how to get out of here or what to do once we do escape.”
“The Sparrowhawk didn’t know about this place. They were focused on the Milli-train. That part of his story rang true.”
I nodded. “We might be stuck here for a while.”
Two soldiers stepped up to the window in the door and looked inside. One sneered and said, “The Inner Circle wants the one in the turban first.” He looked at the other soldier. “You get the manacles, and I’ll find out where we’re to take him. Meet you back here.” Their footsteps clattered down the hallway.
I tensed and saw Mr. Singh do the same. “Hendrix lied,” I said.
“The Inner Circle might be fighting with him,” Mr. Singh said.
“Or they’re just evil, and hurting people is what they do.” Ershou said with a huff.
I heard a pssst, coming from the window. I rushed over and saw Genevieve, dangling from a rope, like she was scaling the side of the fortress. “What are you doing?”
“I’m here to rescue you.”
CHAPTER 18
ESCAPE INTO THE MOUNTAINS
Mr. Singh and Ershou joined me at the window. I gripped the bars as I stared out at Genevieve, who now wore brown pants and a blue jacket. Another rope was looped over one shoulder. “Am I glad to see you!”
“Of course you are.” She winked, swung closer on h
er rope, and grabbed a bar. “We have to get you out of here, though.”
“You’re coming with us, right?”
“I can’t leave yet.” She looked at the bars and then at the window frame.
“I’m not leaving without you.”
“You have to. They’re going to torture you, and Mr. Singh.” She motioned her hand and Rodin flew down and landed on the window sill. “Rodin, I need your fire.” She pointed at the wooden frame.
The dragon wiggled his tail, stretched out his neck, and unleashed a column of fire. The wood charred, blackened, and turned to ash. Rodin inspected the frame, and with a quick flap of his wings I could tell he was pleased. Genevieve tested the edge of the sill, which crumbled at her touch. She wrapped a cord around three of the bars. She took the other end and slid down on her rope. Leaning against the bars I watched as she tied the cord around a stone. Genevieve pushed the stone away from the palace. The cord pulled on the three bars and ripped them from the frame. The bars and stone tumbled to the river below.
Genevieve climbed up her rope to the open window and climbed in.
“That was impressive,” I said.
Mr. Singh bowed to Genevieve, and she hugged him. “It is good to see you, Indihar.”
“I am pleased to see you are well.”
Genevieve extended her hand to Ershou. “Hello, pleasure to meet you.”
“They call me Ershou.”
Genevieve paused, let her hand fall, and then turned to me. “There is a ledge below us. Climb down and you’ll be able to get away.”
“But we can’t leave without you.” I wanted to grab her and run, but she was so defiant, so assured. I was back to being a school boy.
“Alexander, no. I’m not finished here yet.”
“Finished with what?”
Mr. Singh and Ershou moved to the window. Genevieve pulled off the rope slung over her shoulder and gave it to Mr. Singh who tied it to the remaining bars and tugged to make sure the whole rig would hold.
Genevieve ran her hand along the side of my face. “Hendrix and the Inner Circle have been talking for weeks. Soon they’ll be heading to some sort of secret lab or factory. They have a grand plan to seize control of the world and destroy anyone who gets in their way. They are searching for more Horsemen Hearts. They’ve even found one. My mother is taking me there soon. Then I’ll know for certain.”
“I know where the hearts are. I found a journal written by my ancestor, the one who hid them. From there, well... it gets complicated.”
Her eyes pleaded with me. “Then you have to go, now. Finding the hearts is an obsession around here. If they knew you had the information they seek, they’d kill us all to force you to reveal the locations.”
“I don’t like this plan.” I took her hand, intertwining my fingers with hers. “Come with us. We’ll rejoin the Sparrowhawk and find this place and the hearts together.”
“We may never find this place on our own. All I know is that it is hidden in the mountains, and it’s big. Big enough to drain much of their resources.”
“But if we can’t find the factory, how will we find you?”
“I don’t know, Alexander. I don’t have all the answers.” She looked at the door and turned back to me. “Rodin and I have been linked since birth. He’ll be able to find me; he always can. Follow Rodin and he’ll bring us back together. But now, you have to hurry.”
I pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “I will be back in two to three weeks. No longer.” I locked eyes with her, and almost lost myself. “And if you’re not here, I will find you.”
She kissed me and then ran over to Mr. Singh. After she hugged him, she climbed back out the window. Still connected by her rope, she swung out and scrambled up to the balcony above us with Rodin flying beside her. Mr. Singh and Ershou climbed down to the ledge. I climbed out and sat on the window sill. I didn’t want to leave. I never wanted Genevieve out of my sight again, but I’d seen that determined look before. The same as when we set out to rescue our fathers. She couldn’t be stopped, and she was right. She was in the perfect place to learn their plan. As Ershou landed on the ledge, I grabbed the rope and slid down. Mr. Singh helped me find my footing and we scurried on to more secure ground.
Rodin flew down carrying the straps of our bags in his talons. He dropped them at our feet and landed on my shoulder. He looked sad, and kept turning back to look at the palace, just as I did. I rubbed his head. “Looks like you’re coming with me, but that’s good. Together, we’ll find her again.”
Mr. Singh took his belongings, and Ershou slung her bag diagonally across her chest and picked up her cane. I grabbed my leather bag and checked to see what was inside. All of my gear, including the Thumpers were within. I took one last look at the palace hidden on the side of the mountain. I will be back.
The little dragon rubbed against my head and we hurried to catch up with Mr. Singh and Ershou.
“Which way do we go?” I asked. “Back to the village?” Mr. Singh shook his head. “The baron wanted to head south to the Punjab, for reinforcements.”
I looked around trying to get my bearings but with the towering mountains all around, the horizon was hard to find. “Which way is south?”
Ershou held out her arm. Kō’ilā, the owl, swooped down and landed on her glove. Kō’ilā folded her bronze and feather wings back and settled. “This way.”
CHAPTER 19
THE LOTUS
We followed Ershou down a narrow trail that clung to the mountain’s edge. I kept expecting riders or airships to come looking for us, but we never saw them. I wondered why, but Mr. Singh said, “They probably thought we went to the village.”
After a couple of hours, the path merged into a wider road. Although there were wheel ruts and it was flatter and easier to walk on, I noticed Ershou was slowing her pace, wincing, and leaning on her cane more than usual. She tried not to show her pain, but I could see it in every step.
I walked alongside her and Kō’ilā, “Why don’t we rest for a second? I could use a break.”
She eyed me, but nodded.
Mr. Singh pointed. “Those rocks will provide us with some cover.”
We sat in the shadow of a pile of rocks that had tumbled down the mountainside and blocked half the path. Rodin and Kō’ilā flew off to hunt, and I sat back as Mr. Singh removed a pomegranate from his pack and cut it up for us. Ershou rubbed her feet, but wouldn’t remove her tiny shoes.
“You have the smallest feet of anyone I’ve ever known,” I said.
Mr. Singh got an odd look on his face and tried to dismiss my comment with a wave. Ershou eyed me with narrow slits as if I’d said something wrong.
“Apologies if it’s a sore subject, I think they’re fine. Not everyone has big ol’ feet like me.”
Mr. Singh smacked his forehead. But Ershou laughed.
“This is your first time to Asia, I assume.”
I nodded. “It is, but I’ve always wanted to come.”
“To make me more desirable,” Ershou said, a hint of sadness in her voice, “my family gave me lotus feet. They bound my feet as a child so I could fit into these shoes.”
Mr. Singh said, “Before I went to Europe,” Mr. Singh said, “I traveled to China, and the lady of the house where I stayed had the same thing done to her. It can be painful to walk. Binding the feet of girls means they will grow up to live a life of pampering in a good house.” He handed Ershou some of the pomegranate. She bowed her head and accepted it.”
“I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
“Do not pity me. I do not. Chinese men desire women with feet like mine. British women wear corsets that reshape their bodies. It is no different.”
I’d never thought of it like that, but Ershou was right. I’d seen some women with waists so small I could wrap my hand around them.
“Thank you, Ershou, for educating me. I still think they’re cute.”
She cringed as I said her name, but quickly recovered and forced a smil
e as she said, “You wouldn’t if you saw them un-bandaged.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve offended you, I only want to know you more.” I leaned over and grabbed some fruit. “The Spice Master called you Ershou, and I assumed it was your name, but I’ve notice you recoil whenever I say it.”
“Ershou is the name he gave me.” She bit a piece of the pomegranate and let her short hair fall over her face.
“What does it mean?” I asked.
A soft voice replied, “Second hand.”
Mr. Singh snapped his head up and my hand went to my chest. I thought I’d been using her name, when in truth I’d been insulting her.
“Forgive me, please! I thought it sounded interesting, but please tell us your real name.”
“My name is Lianhua; it means lotus, but I’m not her anymore.”
“Well, you certainly aren’t second hand either.” Rodin returned and landed on my shoulder. He crawled down into my lap and circled until he found the right spot. “Besides, Lianhua is very nice name.”
Mr. Singh nodded. “Yes, the lotus is a beautiful flower.”
She pushed the hair from her face and finished off her fruit. “Tell me about your dragon.”
“You know about dragons?”
“I have heard many stories.”
“Really? I’d love to hear them sometime.” I rubbed Rodin’s head. “He’s actually Genevieve’s. They were born on the same day.”
Kō’ilā flew down and landed beside Lianhua. The tail of a rodent hung from her beak, and she tilted back her head to suck the last bit inside.
“That is a special bond,” she said, petting her owl. “She is all I have now.”
“After we find our friends, I think you should join us.”
“Join you? What do you mean?”
“We’re trying to save the world.” I smiled and held out my arms as if to encompass the entire globe, “I know, it sounds corny, but it’s true. The Knights of the Golden Circle want to enslave everyone and are searching for the power to do so. They want to unleash the Four Horsemen, to bring everyone under their control—and kill everyone who resists. They’ve tried before, but we,” I pointed to Mr. Singh and myself, “stopped them, with Genevieve.”
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