Amber Sky (C.O.I.L.S Of Copper and Brass Book 1)

by Claire Warner

  “Here.” The voice drifted from the window above her, and she clenched her eyes closed in anguish.

  “So I see.” The voice echoed in her ears. She tried to move, but her muscles were almost frozen as she struggled to hold onto the wall. “Do you require some help?” She chanced a glance upward. Jackson leant out of the window, his face mocking as it stared down at her.

  Tay wanted to shake her head to deny him the satisfaction, but her body screamed out for relief. With her muscles shrieking in agony and Jackson watching her, her chances of escape were limited. Gritting her teeth, she nodded once.

  His head retreated inside to be replaced by a guard. The man shuffled out onto the ledge and leant down.

  “Give me your hand,” he commanded, stretching his clumsy-looking fingers out toward her. Steeling herself, she reached out and gingerly took hold of his ample, calloused hand. His fingers curled about her wrist, and with a silent prayer, she let go of the ledge. Pain ripped through her right shoulder, the weight almost too much for one arm to support. With a grunt of pain, she reached out with her left hand to take hold of his wrist.

  “I’ve got her, Sir.” Exertion strained his words as he drew her closer to the open window. Another step and she would be back in the room and their clutches. In a panic, she looked back over her shoulder at the ground. A deep snowdrift laid piled against the side of the building, its height level with the windows below. Taking a deep breath, she tugged her hand free, falling away from the window and into empty space.

  Time sped up as she plummeted through the air toward the snow below. She slammed into the ground, the force of the landing driving the breath from her lungs. Pain seared through her legs and side, the freezing snow not quite deadening the sensations. She rolled over twice and came to a stop at the base of the drift. Pushing herself onto her back, she stared up at the window, watching as the guard disappeared. Scooting backward, she tried to stand, but she fell as her leg gave way beneath her. The guard poked his head through the window, watching as she struggled to get to her feet.

  Her feet sank into the cold snow, the sensation almost painful as the bare skin of her calves touched the powdery substance. Conscious of the need to flee, she tried to run, her legs wobbling painfully as she moved around the corner of the Palace and toward one of the outer doors. Her feet slipped uncomfortably in the unlaced boots as she staggered to one of the library doors and tried the handle. The door was locked. Desperate, she reached down and closed her fingers round the lip of one of the stone planters by the door. Cradling the heavy urn in her hands, she aimed it at the door. Shards of crystal rain fell as the glass shattered.

  Reaching through the jagged hole, and slicing her hand as she did so, Tay unlocked the door. The library was empty, but she could hear shouts from the corridor. Rapidly wiping her feet, she raced across the library toward the hidden door.

  The secret passage opened easily and she dashed inside, closing the door just ahead of the guards’ entrance. Hurrying rapidly along the passageway, she followed the route to the second floor. Reaching the exit, she came to a stop. The door to the upper floor laid before her, its solid bulk hiding her from view. Carefully, and as quietly as she could, Tay pushed the door open a fraction, leant forward and pressed her ear to the gap. Her breathing sounded loud in the small space, and she fancied that her pursuers could hear it.

  As the pounding of her heart subsided, the pain in her leg reasserted itself, and she took a deep, steadying breath. From along the corridor, she could hear approaching footsteps, and she ducked back into the hidey hole.

  “She can’t have gotten far,” Jackson’s voice sounded from the other side of the door, and she shrank back even further against the wall. “She’s probably headed back into the Palace, it’s far too cold for her to still be in the grounds.” There was a murmur of assent and Tay wondered how many were standing with him.

  “What about her brother?” a female voice interjected. “You don’t have any evidence to hold him.”

  “Oh, don’t I?” There was mockery in that question.

  “No.” Tay stilled; the woman’s voice was familiar. “Do you think the rest of the court will take kindly to an arrest purely on your whim?” A tense silence followed as Tay held her breath, trying to determine the speaker’s identity.

  “You forget your place,” the voice retorted, his tone sharp.

  “And you’re being over-eager.” Tay pressed herself as close to the door as possible. “You have no solid evidence, no credible eye-witnesses and the girl is a close friend of the Prince.”

  “That’s why I’m not arresting them,” he continued smoothly. “Once we have them both, we’ll clear out the suite and claim that they left as expected in the morning.”

  There was a hiss as the woman drew in a breath. “That’s playing a dangerous game.”

  “But a necessary one.” There was a creak, as though they had moved position. “They’re looking for the Coils. It’ll only be a matter of time before they find them, and with Kail too set on gaining access to the nobility…”

  “He can’t be trusted to deal with it.” There was a sigh. “Alright, let’s…” The sound of running feet interrupted the conversation.

  “We’ve had a report of movement from on the ground floor.”

  “That’ll be her.” Tay slowly backed away from the door, hoping that Jackson did not know about the secret passage. “Come on.”

  Pressed against the passage wall, Tay waited for the group to leave. As the noise of the elevator sounded in the distance, she hesitantly approached the door. Taking a deep breath, she caught hold of the handle and stopped. In the still coolness of the passageway, her palms clammy with sweat, Tay waited to open the door. Fear and adrenaline flowed through her body, shaking her fingers as she tried to build up the courage to leave her hiding place.

  Come on.

  With a mental shake of her head, she tried to push the fear behind her. Closing her eyes, she pressed down the handle and quietly stepped into the hallway. No shouts or cries of alarm assailed her. She opened her eyes and moved into the empty corridor. Pausing as she reached the centre of the hall, she glanced both ways, reassuring herself that the guards had left. Relaxing slightly at the sight of the empty landing, she took a few moments to think.

  She couldn’t leave Darius in their clutches, of that she was certain. For several minutes she dithered in place, constructing and discarding numerous scenarios. If she had any idea of where the Royal Apartments were, she would have woken Talon. Time weighed on her mind as she rejected scheme after scheme. Finally, driven by the necessity to move rather than anything else, she turned toward the main staircase. Her feet made no sound on the carpeted floor as she traversed the distance.

  She reached the lift and stopped, listening for any sounds of movement from the small box. Satisfied with the apparent silence, she continued forward, heart pumping painfully in her chest as she tried to stifle any noise. The corridor widened out as she moved toward the central staircase. Stopping at the balcony’s edge, she stared down into the dim hallway. The lamps were barely lit and long shadows swallowed the edges of the room. Hoping that the lack of light meant that the hallway was safe, Tay slowly descended the stairs. The large window offered a clear view of the sky, and Tay paused, remembering the strange darkness that had replaced the sky not fifteen minutes ago. As she stepped quietly toward the first landing, she wondered if this event had anything to do with the Coils of Copper and Brass. Certainly, the invasion of their rooms was an indication of such. Taking the final steps to the floor, she headed for the racks of spiders mounted against the walls. Carefully, quietly, she pried three loose before hurrying back up the stairs. Diving once more into the passageway, she carefully examined the spiders, looking for any hints to their operation.

  On the back of the spiders, and next to the key that wound them, was a small switch labelled:

  Delay

  Below that, she could see another lever. Tiny, elegant script mark
ed each setting. She brought the spider closer to her face and read:

  1. Windows.

  2. Minor Maintenance.

  3. Mouse Catching.

  She raised her eyebrows at third option, and continued to read.

  4. Snow Clearance.

  5. Floor washing.

  Tearing her eyes away from the list, she stared into space, tapping her toes on the floor as she tried to think.

  After a moment, she reached down and flicked the lever to 3, and glanced back toward the exit. There was still no sign of any movement. Gritting her teeth, she flicked the delay switch on.

  Tay left the passage with three fully wound spiders in her hands. As fast as she dared, she headed back to her suite. The main door to the suite was closed, but she could hear people talking from within. Taking a deep breath, she flicked off the delay switch. The spiders in her arms began to twitch, but she didn’t let it faze her. With a confidence she didn’t feel, she threw open the door to the suite, dropping the spiders as she did so. Slamming the door shut, she waited for the chaos to begin.

  The spiders hit the ground, their primitive sensors homing in on the moving sources of heat. Heading for the door, the first guard gave a yell of agony as a long scalpel sliced into the top of his foot, the spiders’ blind programming not seeing the difference between mice and feet. With a powerful kick, the guard launched the spider into the air as another spider slashed at his other foot. Protected by heavy boots, the man lunged for the crawling piece of metal, only to drag his hand back as a deep slash opened across his hand. The second guard charged forward, tripping over the third spider.

  Outside of the room, Tay listened to the chaos, her hand on the door handle. As another yell punctuated the air, she pushed open the door. The room was in a frenzy, the nimble spiders zipping away from the grasping hands of the guards as though they were alive.

  “Hey.” One of the guards saw her in the doorway.

  Tay ran, dodging past the first guard as she did so. One of the spiders loomed in front of her and she jumped back, hampered by the loosely tied boots. The blade skittered off the smooth leather and sliced into her ankle. A cry of pain escaped her lips as blood began to flow.

  “Got you.” A hand grabbed hold of her hair and pulled her backward. Fighting to be free, she reached for another of the spiders. Ignoring the whirling blade, she threw the metal contraption behind her, and was rewarded by the guard’s scream. The pain in her head subsided as he let go. Tay scrambled forward and dove into the other room. Darius was tied to a chair, a purple-black bruise livid on his face.

  “Are you alright?” She rushed forward, and began to undo the knots that kept him pinned.

  “Not particularly,” he answered, flexing his arms as the ropes fell free. “What did you do?” He nodded to the other door and the yells that punctuated the air.

  “Spiders on a mouse-catcher setting,” she replied tersely, undoing the bonds on his legs. “Come on.”

  Darius stood, stretched slightly and then headed for the door. Beside him, Tay stared at the scene in shock. The nimble, mechanical spiders were whirring about the floor, still aiming for the legs of the guards. The trio were bleeding from numerous cuts, and at least one was sporting the beginnings of a black eye.

  “Smart move,” Darius murmured. “Though I’m a little disappointed in their ineptitude.”

  “I’m sure they would be desolated to hear that,” Tay quipped, her spirits rising with each moment of freedom. “We’ll have to be careful.” She nodded at the spinning contraptions. “They’re dangerous until the mechanism runs down.”

  One of the guards kicked out, flipping over one of the spiders with a hefty blow. The clacking limbs flailed madly in the air as it tried to right itself.

  “Put them on their backs,” the guard called, as he kicked the struggling spider away.

  “Time to go.” Darius strode into the room, balled his hand into a fist, and punched the guard in the stomach. As the man bent double, Darius seized hold of his belt and upper shoulder, and threw him into the path of another guard. Both guards hit the floor, the spiders slashing at their faces with razor sharp blades. “Come on.” Darius held out a hand, and Tay ran to take it. Darius’ fingers closed about hers, the warm pressure sending a thrill through her.

  They ran for the door, and out into the corridor. “Where to?” Tay gasped out, as they sprinted away from the room.

  “Help.” Darius responded tersely, as they raced along the upper landing past the hidden passageway. Tay gave it a momentary glance as he rushed them toward the lift.

  “Wait.” She pulled him to a stop as they reached the top of the stairs. “They went down toward the library.”

  Darius nodded, and began to slowly walk down the stairs. Tay followed, the sound of blood thumping in her ears. It was a surreal experience, sneaking through the corridors of the palace, clad in nightclothes and Darius’ thick coat. The lace hem of the nightdress peeked out from beneath the heavy wool, its delicate tracery incongruous with the boots and coat.

  “Wait.” A thought flickered through her mind, and she caught hold of Darius’ arm. “We just need to wake the Palace.”

  “What do you mean?” Their voices were soft, yet they seemed terribly loud in the quiet of the hallway.

  “I heard them talking. They said that this wasn’t an arrest, that he couldn’t arrest us.” Her mind began to whir as she considered the possibilities. “He was going to make it appear as thought we had left for home.”

  “And then arrange an accident or bandits,” Darius finished, a grim look running across his features. “If that’s the case…” With quick steps, he descended the rest of the staircase and raced across the hall. Reaching forward, he smashed a small square of glass and pulled down the lever that laid beneath. There was a momentary pause, and then a bell began to ring. “Fire alarm.” He smiled down at Tay’s curious face. “Now we just have to wait until everyone evacuates.”

  Tay gave a small chuckle, which turned into a yelp of surprise as he pulled her into a small alcove, out of sight of the main hall. “Just in case,” he muttered, as he moved them deeper into the shadows. The bell continued to sound, the noise jangling Tay’s nerves. Darius’ hands were wrapped about her upper arms and his chin brushed the top of her head. A small shudder rippled through her, and she wet her lips nervously.

  “Thank you.” His rich, warm tones surrounded her. He was so close that his breath stirred her hair, sending another ripple down her spine. She looked up straight into his eyes.

  “For what?” It was difficult to breathe, his gaze rendering her tongue-tied with nameless anticipation.

  “Saving my neck.” He leant forward, lowering his voice. “You didn’t have to.”

  “I…” Her voice stuttered to a halt, strangled by the rush of emotion that was swamping her. Those eyes moved closer, and she felt herself leaning forward.

  “Tay…”

  The sound of running feet drew their attention, and they snapped apart, both stunned but what had nearly occurred. Concealed in the small alcove, they watched the first of the Palace guests head past them and through the main doors.

  “Come on.” Darius took hold of her hand and led her out into the hall. They followed the small group out of the building and into the snow. Behind them, people began to stream down the staircases, all fooled by the alarm.

  “What’s going on?” Darius stepped forward, the question ensuring that all eyes were on them. “Is there a fire?”

  “I don’t know.” Confusion rippled through the crowd as they stared at the solid stone structure.

  “Lyana.” A shout caught her attention, and she looked up to see Amira stumbling across the snowy courtyard.

  “Amira.” Relieved to see the other girl, Tay left Darius’ side to join her. “Exciting, isn’t it?” She forced her voice to sound jovial, trying to push aside the fears of earlier. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Kail leaving the building, his face filled with confusion. Turn
ing away from his stare, Tay threw herself into her role as Lyana. With such a large group it was impossible for Kail to drag them away. Thankful for Darius’ quick thinking, she glanced across at him. He winked at her grateful smile and returned to his conversation, leaving Tay to stare after him. Memories of being cramped together in the alcove ran through her mind.

  “Well, do you want to?”

  Tay turned back to Amira, conscious that she had missed the entirety of the girl’s conversation.

  “Do I want to what?” she asked, reddening slightly with embarrassment.

  “Stay at mine for a few days,” Amira replied. “You can return with me, and go home later.”

  “I would love to,” Tay began, wishing that she could accept the invitation, “but I have to get home.” Her thoughts roamed about for a plausible reason to refuse. “My Father’s expecting me back.”

  “Shame.” Amira turned back to look at the crowd. “I think you would have had fun.”

  They fell silent as more people left the confines of the Palace. The alarm still clanged loudly in the background, echoing across the frozen landscape. Tay’s feet were cold, the boots not quite able to keep her toes warm. She stared up at the sky, comforted by the familiar orange tint.

  “Amira.” She turned to the other girl, a sudden inspiration striking her. “Did you see the sky earlier?” Amira froze and Tay wondered if she’d said something wrong. “Amira?” The other girl’s eyes darted quickly to the left and right, as though searching for listeners, before she beckoned her closer.

  “Yes.” Amira’s voice was low, conspiratorial. “I don’t think we’re supposed to talk about it.”

  “Why not?” Tay argued, in a voice just as quiet. “You couldn’t miss it.”

  “But not everybody would have seen it,” came the response, as Tay opened her mouth to ask. “Only those awake at that time, which would have just been a few people.” Shuffling closer, she continued, “It’s happened before.” Tay’s brain stuttered to a halt, as she tried to comprehend Amira’s words.