I didn’t like it, but I knew they were right. I brooded as we rolled through Lahore, but eventually noticed the baron studying Lianhua. I glanced at her, but her gaze was fixed on the baron, too. Finally, the baron turned his attention to her owl, who had trained her large eyes on the nobleman.
“A fine bird you have there.”
Her short hair fell over her face but her piercing stare never wavered. “He is.”
“I am—”
“The girl’s father. I see the resemblance.” Lianhua spoke softly, but her words cut like a blade.
“Yes. Genevieve is my daughter.”
“Do you control her?”
Mr. Singh shifted nervously, and I pulled my collar away from neck. Tension in the carriage thickened until it became hard to breathe. It was as if all the air had been sucked out by her question. I knew the real answer. Yes. Or at least he tried. I stared at the baron, though I wanted to turn away. He sat there, silent, as if absorbing her question, and thinking about his response. But like a typical nobleman, he remained cooler than the snow-capped mountains we’d left behind.
“I only want what’s best for her.” The baron said in a matter-of-fact manner. “But she very much has a mind of her own.”
“She is very brave.”
“Yes.” He relaxed his shoulders ever so slightly. His eyes flickered to Lianhua’s feet and then back to her face. “I see you were raised by a fine family.”
“Until my father demanded I marry a horrible man... for the sake of my ‘fine family’.”
I held my breath. The baron, too, was making Genevieve marry the Duke’s son, even though he was everything she hated. The baron stiffened and shifted in his seat. I’d seen him face henchmen, nobles, royalty, and even death, but this girl made him squirm. I stared at Mr. Singh and we had a conversation with our eyes. He couldn’t believe she made the baron uncomfortable either.
The carriage stopped and the footman opened the door releasing the tension like an open valve. The baron gestured for us to step out. Mr. Singh went first, and Lianhua followed. I hopped down and Rodin flew out, circled above us, and landed on the baron’s shoulder after he exited the carriage. Two soldiers in British uniforms snapped to attention, saluted the baron, then motioned for us to follow.
Above the door of the district office, several flags whipped in the cool breeze. One was the crossed bars of the Union Jack, but the other was a lion atop a shield with a sun over the wavy lines of water. We entered the double doors and the soldiers led us down the hall to a lavishly decorated waiting room.
A man with a twisted mustached rose from his seat and bowed. “Baron Kensington, a pleasure to see you again.”
“Fitzwater, how are you?” The two shook hands.
“Well as can be in this insect-plagued quagmire.” The two chuckled. “The governor will be with us in a moment, and I have word Mr. Shah is on his way.”
“Excellent.” The baron removed his gloves. “It will be good to see Sir Egerton again.”
“You didn’t hear? As of a year ago, we have a new governor, Sir Charles Aitchison.”
“Really? They appointed Aitchison?” The baron’s brow popped up. “Do you think he will help me?”
“It won’t be like Egerton, who would have given you whatever assistance you needed.” He leaned closer to the baron. “The Governor will want authorization from New Dehli.”
“That is time I don’t have.” The baron pinched his chin, as he rested his elbow in his palm. “My hopes rest with Mr. Shah then.”
A soldier walked in and nodded to Mr. Fitzwater who motioned with his fingers. The soldier saluted, spun on his heel and left the room. A moment later a man with an oversized turban walked in. A silver trident was wrapped within the center of his turban. He wore a blue tunic and his thick white beard came to a point. A smile adorned his face but his bright eyes pierced everyone in the room. Until his attention fell on Mr. Singh, then he cocked one eyebrow.
Mr. Fitzwater stepped forward. “Thank you for joining us, Mr. Shah.”
“I am here for the baron. I remember when he aided my people near twenty years ago.”
Baron Kensington walked over and bowed before Mr. Shah. The Sikh returned the gesture and the two men shook hands. “I thank you for agreeing to hear me out.”
“Will the governor be joining us?”
Mr. Fitzwater nodded. “He is supposed to, but his schedule is very busy today. We may want to get started.
Mr. Shah shrugged. “Let us continue with the introductions.” He stepped around the baron and walked to Mr. Singh.
The baron was quick to follow. He extended his arm. “This is Mr. Singh. He serves as boatswain on the aerodirigible the Sparrowhawk.”
Mr. Singh bowed and when he righted himself, stood as tall and rigid as one of the landing struts of the Sparrowhawk. I could tell he was trying to appear impressive, but he couldn’t stop staring at the large turban or the trident within its folds.
Mr. Shah looked my friend up and down. He studied his hands, his stance, his Katar, and Kirpan. Mr. Singh’s weapons and adornments were not as elaborate or immaculate as the Sikh before him, but Mr. Shah nodded his head slightly.
He moved on to Lianhua, and bowed to her, he pointed to her owl. “A stunning animal. Fearsome, with the demeanor of a warrior.”
She didn’t respond. Like her bird, she, too, had an almost disturbingly calm appearance.
Mr. Shah turned to me and I didn’t wait for the baron to introduce me. I bowed and said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shah. My name is Alexander Armitage, and I’m here to fight a great, tyrannical evil that remains hidden in the mountains to the north.”
I paused, thinking I would have to explain myself. But he knew.
“The strange noises and kidnappings. Yes, I know of what you speak.”
“They are preparing to enslave—or destroy—us all.”
CHAPTER 22
MARBURY AND THE GOVERNOR
The baron and Mr. Shah spoke for the next twenty minutes. Mr. Singh hung on their every word, but my attention kept shifting to the window, to the mountains sitting on the horizon. A couple of days had already passed. It would take several more to get back into the snow-capped peaks. If we didn’t leave soon the Golden Circle might have already left the hidden palace. Then how would we find Genevieve? What if she was counting on me?
Rodin sat on my shoulder, rubbing his head against mine. I was glad he was with me and hopeful that his connection to Genevieve would be strong enough to help locate her. But it struck me that Genevieve had another motive for sending Rodin with me. She knew the Inner Circle planned to torture Mr. Singh to get me to talk. Perhaps she thought they’d hurt her prized dragon in order to make her do their bidding. The thought of her in Hendrix’s clutches, surrounded by all that evil, made my blood boil. I kicked myself for leaving her behind. I should have sent Mr. Singh and Lianhua off and remained with her.
“I’d appreciate any information you can tell us about the Golden Circle,” the baron said.
“My men no longer wander the mountains,” the Sikh said with a frown. “Not since the metal millipede showed up.”
“The Milli-train,” the baron said. “We fought it in Africa.”
“The mountains were dangerous before, but now an entire village has disappeared. Vanished. No bodies have been found. And rumors are that more than one village has been emptied.”
“That’s horrible,” the baron said, his brows knit in worry.
“Sounds like they kidnapped them,” I said, giving voice to the thought that popped into my head. I didn’t mean to say it aloud.
The Sikh turned and stroked his beard. “What makes you say that? We assumed they saw something they shouldn’t have and were eliminated.”
I shifted in my chair. “The Golden Circle wants to enslave the world. They’re planning something big, and they’ll need workers. They’re building something, It’s big, it’s a weapon, and it’s meant to defeat us. They have secr
et lab or factory somewhere in the mountains.” I didn’t want to say that Genevieve had given me that information. “The villagers were probably taken as slaves.”
“How confident are you that they live?” Mr. Shah’s bushy eyebrow rose until it touched his large turban.
“Very,” I leaned forward, now convinced my gut instinct was right. “In London, they had a house full of slaves building the electromagnet. In France, they had a castle full of slaves, and most were put on the train. It only makes sense that if they are building some new wonder weapon, they’re using enslaved people as labor.”
“That is an offense to our very way of life. The British might have seized our land, but they leave us in relative peace.”
“Alexander speaks the truth,” the baron said, ignoring the last bit about the British. “Plus he was recently in their palace.”
“Thank you for your candor.”
“Of course. Mr. Singh has told me much about the Sikhs. I would never lie or mislead you. I find your beliefs quite honorable.”
“You speak very highly of my people.” He bowed to me and then nodded toward Mr. Singh.
The door opened and several soldiers stepped in, followed by Lord Marbury and a man dressed in a fine suit. The baron and Mr. Shah stood up to greet the men properly, and I hopped out of my chair. Mr. Singh rose and once we were all standing, Lianhua got up.
I was surprised to see Lord Marbury here, the baron hadn’t mentioned that he was coming, but from the friendly demeanor between him and the man in the suit, they were obviously friends. The baron stepped forward and extended his hand, “Governor Aitchison. Baron Kensington. A pleasure to meet you again. Congratulations on your appointment.”
So this was the governor, I should have known from his arrogant attitude. He eyed Mr. Singh and Lianhua, but ignored them and shifted his focus to Mr. Shah. They barely shook hands. The governor looked like he was going through the motions, but only out of a sense of decorum. Tension filled the space between the two men, and the baron stepped forward and motioned to a chair. “Sit, please.”
The governor waved the request aside. “I’m afraid I cannot remain long. I have come to listen to your request.”
“Thank you, Governor.” The baron twisted his hands around his cane, in seething frustration. “We are here to request the aid of Her Majesty’s army to fight the Golden Circle in the mountains.”
“Yes, Lord Marbury and I have been discussing this.”
The baron tried to hide his surprise, but I could see the concern in his eyes.
Lord Marbury said, “I’m afraid I may not have been completely convincing.”
“I need troops to put down the rebels here in India. Besides, the Himalayas are beyond my mandate.” The governor turned to Lord Marbury. “However, I have agreed to send a formal request to New Delhi. Perhaps in a few weeks I can get authorization.”
“But we need them now!” I said. Everyone turned, and I realized I’d done it again. If my father were here he’d scold me for speaking out of turn, but now that I’d captured their attention, I wasn’t going to waste it. “In a few weeks the Golden Circle will have finalized their plans. In a few weeks, it will be too late to stop them, and their tyranny will flow over the world like a great flood. In a few weeks who knows what will happen to the baron’s daughter who is at this moment being held prisoner. Forgive me sir, but we need troops now. The Golden Circle almost destroyed London. They cut a wide swath of destruction across Africa, and have terrorized the mountains, kidnapping whole villages. The time to act is now. Alexander the Great knew to look for the precise moment to strike, and we must do the same. Gentlemen, that time is now—before it’s too late.”
The baron smiled and Mr. Shah continued to stroke his beard., but the governor and Lord Marbury scowled. The governor shook his head and pointed at me. “And who might this be?”
The baron aimed his cane at me, “I would like to introduce Alexander Armitage, savior of London, defender of Africa, and scourge to the Golden Circle. An American, his father has been aiding us as a linguistics expert.”
“The fact that he is an American is obvious.” The governor shook his head and I could tell he didn’t like me. He reminded me of the Duke. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Despite your impertinence, I cannot send the army off without authorization.” He motioned toward Lord Marbury. “As I was telling his Lordship, I haven’t heard any of these reports. I’ve never heard of this Golden Circle. I find your accounts preposterous.”
Mr. Shah snorted. “I myself have stood in this very room with you discussing the strange happenings in the mountains. I’ve told you of the scourge of the metal millipede and of villages emptied of their inhabitants.”
Lord Marbury raised his hands. “What has transpired in the past is not what brings us here today.” He turned to the governor. “I thank you for submitting our request. We shall wait in Lahore for word.”
Mr. Shah shook his head causing all his adornments to jingle. “Baron, I pledge my warriors to you. This young man who stands with a Sikh has convinced me your cause is a noble one.” He looked from me to Indihar and back. “I shall send one thousand Sikh warriors.”
Lord Marbury’s face contorted, and the governor raised his hand to speak, but the baron cut him off. “Thank you, Mr. Shah. I truly appreciate your generous offer.”
“I cannot allow that,” the governor said. “Those warriors are not recognized by my authority.”
Mr. Shah squared his shoulders. “Precisely, Governor. As you just said, the mountains are beyond your borders. Therefore, I do not need your authorization. Indeed, with my men’s attention focused elsewhere, you can inform New Delhi that your troops won’t have much to keep them busy. Perhaps, they would even have the time to aid the baron in this worthy cause—that is if you are brave enough.”
The governor’s eye’s widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it. He turned to Baron Kensington. “Baron, you are a man of the crown and your exploits in the Punjab are the reason I agreed to this meeting, but I implore you to reconsider. Wait for word from the crown.”
“As Alexander said, we don’t have time. My daughter’s life is at stake. Everything we cherish is at stake.” He tapped his cane against his palm and then set the end down and leaned on it. “I will accept the help offered by the Sikhs, and hope Her Majesty’s army can join us soon.”
The governor turned on his heel and stormed off without even saying goodbye. Lord Marbury stepped over to the baron. “Maximillian, we need the British army to face the Golden Circle. A thousand Sikhs may not be enough. Let us go talk to the governor without the others. Maybe in a day or so we can get him to change his mind.”
“I agree with Alexander. We must move now, before it is too late.”
Lord Marbury nodded. “But we must do this the proper way.”
“Why did you speak with the governor without me?” the baron asked. “I had hoped my service here would sway him.”
“I thought my station would aid us, but he is tied up fighting the rebels of this wild province.” Lord Marbury stared at Mr. Shah and then pulled the baron to the side of the room where they spoke in whispers.
I stepped over to Mr. Singh and Lianhua, but before I could speak, Mr. Shah interrupted, “It is Mr. Singh, correct?”
“Yes, Indihar Singh, sir.”
“Who is your father?”
“My parents were killed years ago, sir.”
“Where are you from?”
“A village near Shimla.”
“Balkar Singh wouldn’t be your father, would he?”
Mr. Singh nodded and a large smile crossed his face. “Yes, that was his name.”
“Tragic what happened, but your father was a brave warrior.” Mr. Shah extended his hand and grasped Mr. Singh’s palm. “It is a pleasure to meet his son. I knew him well.”
I’d known Indihar for a couple of years, and he rarely talked about his family. They’d been killed by bandits when he was
young. The baron had rescued the young boy who tried to fight them off. Indihar only knew a little about his family, and I saw his face light up as Mr. Shah spoke.
I raised my finger to interject. “Mr. Singh helped save London from the four Iron Horsemen. He is a very brave warrior.”
“The Iron Horsemen?”
“The unholy warriors of the Golden Circle,” I said. “Four evil warriors, atop demonic iron steeds.”
“I must hear more of this battle.” Mr. Shah squeezed Mr. Singh’s hand. “Your family would have been proud to see you stand up to such tyrants.”
Lord Marbury left the room, and the baron came over to us. Mr. Shah dropped Mr. Singh’s hand and embraced the baron. “We are ready to stand with you, Iskender, and the son of Balkar Singh.”
He’d used the name Alexander the Great’s enemies used for him. I clenched my teeth together and tried not to show the wide smile attempting to break out from within.
The baron clapped a hand on the Sikh’s shoulder. “Thank you Mr. Shah. I look forward to fighting at the side of the Sikhs once again.”
CHAPTER 23
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE...
Days. Mr. Shah told the baron he’d be ready in a week. That meant we’d barely make it back to the palace within the time frame I’d told Genevieve. If there were any delays, we’d miss my target date and she might already be gone.
The baron insisted on remaining at the governor’s office to speak with Marbury further, and sent Mr. Singh, Lianhua, and I in the carriage back to the Sparrowhawk.
As the carriage came to a stop, waiting for a herd of cattle and goats being lead through the streets, I turned to Mr. Singh and Lianhua. “I think we should go... before the others.”
“The captain will not like that, and neither will the baron.” Mr. Singh stroked his beard.
Lianhua pointed at me. “I am with Alexander. He will miss his deadline if we wait for these people. Besides, I do not trust any of them.”
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