Inquest

by Emily Thompson

  Frowning, Twist bent his attention closer to the quiet and elusive sensation. All at once, his mind’s eye sharpened the specter of emotions into a clear image. The horrific sense of loss at watching the woman in the blue hood disappear into the London fog reached out of Twist’s half-forgotten dream to make him shudder and cringe.

  “You all right?” Jonas asked as Twist sucked in a sharp breath and backed away from the gears.

  “My dream…” Twist muttered, struggling to shake off the cold of the thought. He rubbed his hands as if trying to wipe off the haunting emotions. “It was a memory. But not mine. It belonged to the man who built this. It’s still on the clockwork.”

  “You got a nightmare from touching this?” Jonas asked, looking at the astrolabe around them suspiciously.

  “I didn’t see the memory clearly while we were working yesterday,” Twist said. “I didn’t recognize it in my dream. But…” He paused with a sigh, looking over the machine unhappily. “I can see it now.”

  “Should we stop working?” Jonas asked uncertainly.

  “No, no,” Twist answered quickly. “We’ve only gotten started. We can’t stop now.”

  “But if it’s going to give you nightmares…” Jonas began.

  Twist shook his head. “I’ll be fine. I was just surprised. I can keep working.”

  Jonas looked at him with calculating, moss-green eyes.

  “Really, I’ll be fine,” Twist said more forcefully. “I’ve already seen the memory. It makes little difference now.”

  “All right, all right,” Jonas said with a sigh. “Just let me know if you need a break or anything.”

  “Yes, yes…” Twist muttered. He moved closer to Mars again—the apple-sized ruby sphere atop a column of complex and interdependent clockwork and its two orbiting jasper moons on fine brass rings. “Let’s get started, shall we?”

  To Twist’s great relief, Jonas said no more about the troubling thoughts that lurked in the clockwork. Instead, he turned his gaze on the clear blue sky and filled Twist’s mind with the heavens. Once the orbit of the ruby version of Mars was properly calibrated to match the planet, they worked on its moons before moving on to the huge sphere of cat’s-eye chrysoberyl that stood for Jupiter. Twist was nearly overwhelmed with wonder and delight to look on the face of the giant planet as its enormous red storm stared back like a curious eye.

  Moving on to calibrate the four major moons of Jupiter—though Jonas’s Sight showed Twist that there were truly a great number of moons orbiting the gas giant—Twist was fascinated by how diverse they each were. From the sparkling frozen surface of Europa, to the impact-scarred and pocked faces of Callisto and Ganymede, to Io’s volcanic deserts and poisonous skies, each moon was a unique world unto itself. He almost began to fancy a trip to visit them in person.

  Twist and Jonas worked quietly together, moving from one extraordinary vision to the next, without many words traded between them. Twist felt the familiar weight of constant work fall on him like a favorite duvet on a chilly autumn night. After a while, Myra climbed up onto the platform inside the astrolabe to join them, apologizing profusely for neglecting her duty to watch over Twist’s health.

  Twist did his best to banish her worry with kind words and smiles. Myra, however, refused to accept his kindness and declared that she wouldn’t leave his side again until his work was complete. Helpless to change her mind, Twist could only turn back to his task and let her do as she wished. Hours passed swiftly, and soon Skye appeared in the astrolabe to complain about hunger.

  “Darling, are you hungry too?” Myra asked Twist as he carefully wound a rather tricky spring.

  “Humm?” Twist muttered, hardly listening.

  “I could do with a bite,” Jonas offered.

  “I’ll go tell Samay,” Skye said, hurrying away to where the dragon stood at the worktable, absorbed in his maps and notes.

  “There,” Twist declared, snapping one last gear back into place. He looked to Myra and Jonas as the planets fell out of his attention. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re taking a break,” Jonas said, taking his hands away from Twist.

  Twist’s mind cleared as Jonas moved away, and his Sight emptied of visions. He stretched his back, finding everything just a little stiff after all of the time spent bent over his work. Surprisingly, he found his fatigue to be much lighter than he’d expected. When they climbed down the stairs back to the ground, Myra joined Skye and Samay to attend to lunch. Jonas sat heavily in a gilded chair that stood beside the worktable. He rested his head in his hands—his palms covering his eyes—and let out a weary sigh.

  “Are you all right?” Twist asked, coming closer to him.

  Jonas gave a tone but no other response, not moving for a long moment. While Myra, Skye, and Samay left the workshop, Twist leaned against the edge of the worktable and stared at Jonas quizzically.

  “That’s nice…” Jonas said, smiling softly as he let his hands drop but kept his eyes closed.

  “What’s that?” Twist asked, glancing over the room. The frosty breeze played languidly against the crystal outside, while the ring of low flame that circled the edges of the room held the cold at bay, the flickering flames only whispering in the silence.

  “No, keep looking at me,” Jonas said with a pleading note to his voice. Twist turned to him, frowning. His eyes were still closed.

  “You can feel it when I look at you?” Twist asked slowly.

  “Always have,” Jonas said with a shrug. He blinked his eyes open. “It makes the buzz in my neck feel a little stronger.” He looked up to meet Twist’s thoughtful gaze with sea-green eyes. “You can feel when I look at you,” he added lightly.

  “Well, yes…” Twist muttered.

  “Why aren’t you tired?” Jonas asked, frowning now. “We’ve been at it for hours.”

  “I am,” Twist answered instantly. “But I’m all right. I’m used to working when I’m tired.”

  Jonas shook his head. “I’m really not. I never use my Sight like this.” He smiled up to Twist. “You’re stronger than me.”

  Pride washed over Twist suddenly, filling his face with a smile before he could stop it. Jonas chuckled at him.

  “Nonsense,” Twist muttered, struggling to calm his expression as he turned away. “Where did Myra go?” he asked, peering in the direction she and the others had gone.

  “You really don’t give yourself enough credit, Twist,” Jonas said, grinning at him. “You might not do well in a tavern brawl, but you’re hardly weak.”

  “Yes, well…” Twist cleared his throat and kept his face turned away from Jonas.

  Jonas laughed quietly to himself but thankfully stopped speaking. Not a moment later, Myra came running into the workshop, looking frightened. Twist immediately took her in his arms, while she clung tightly to him and filled his Sight with anxiety.

  “Myra, what happened?” Twist asked urgently. Jonas got to his feet, coming closer as well.

  Before Myra could answer, an orange tiger bounded in after her. For a dizzy moment in the sudden confusion, Twist didn’t recognize Kali as she rushed closer. Terror stung at his heart until Kali’s huge and worried brown eyes caught his gaze. She came in close and then turned and planted her massive claws, as if ready to defend Twist and Myra from anyone else who might come through the open doorway. Twist heard Skye and others shouting at each other outside, coming closer.

  “I said, back off, blue boy!” Skye’s defiant voice broke above the din as she hurried inside, her back to Twist. She held her fists up as if expecting a fight, though she moved steadily backward.

  An instant later, Shiva followed her into the workshop. His gaze found Myra in Twist’s arms, and he paid Skye and Kali no attention at all as he stepped closer. Myra’s fear burned at Twist’s Sight, but he forced himself to hold his composure. Jonas moved to stand beside Kali, directly in the Cypher’s way.

  “Princess, please,” Shiva said sweetly, his blue hands open to Myra. “You shouldn�
�t be frightened of me.”

  “That’s far enough,” Jonas said darkly, as the Cypher came within swinging distance. Kali let out a low growl and brandished her sharp, white teeth.

  Shiva paused, glancing at Kali, but then looked back to Myra with a smile. “I don’t know what my colleagues have done to frighten you, Princess,” he said, his voice smooth and soft. “But I mean you no harm whatsoever. I’m delighted to meet you,” he added with a brighter smile.

  “Well, you’ve met,” Jonas said darkly. “Now go about your business and leave us alone.”

  “Do you think you might ask your entourage to allow us to talk properly, Princess?” Shiva asked, sparing a displeased glance at Jonas. Kali gave a low, reverberating tone.

  “I don’t want to talk to you,” Myra spat acidly, still clinging close to Twist’s chest. He felt her fear begin to give way to anger as she stared back at Shiva.

  “Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Samay asked. Twist hadn’t noticed him return. He stood near the door in his human form, his arms crossed and a frown on his face.

  “These bloody Cyphers,” Jonas said with a vicious point to Shiva, “have tried to steal Myra from us at every turn.”

  “She doesn’t belong with you simpletons,” Shiva sneered. “Don’t you know who she is?”

  “I repaired her puppet,” Twist scoffed. “I know exactly who she is.”

  Shiva tutted and shook his head. “You don’t have a clue. Your simple little mind couldn’t even begin to comprehend what this girl’s existence means.”

  “Yeah?” Jonas snapped at him. “Well, why don’t you try us? Why the hell do you cretins even want Myra?”

  “Because she was the first of her kind,” Shiva said with a sigh. “Her memory holds the only remaining keys to finding the rest of the clockwork people. And they are the most powerful beings in this world.”

  Twist’s attention latched on to Shiva’s words sharply as he suddenly recalled buried memories of his own. He’d found an entire city full of clockwork people, all apparently of the same design as Myra and her puppet, hidden deep inside the crystal caves under Indonesia. There could have been hundreds of them down there, living peacefully in their city of softly glowing crystal. Without their help, he never would have been able to replace Myra’s broken crystal heart and bring her back to life.

  All they had asked for in return for their aid had been his complete silence about their existence. He’d kept his promise to them so well that he’d nearly forgotten all about them. Thinking back on them now—and remembering the beautiful and infinitely kind golden clockwork woman who ruled them—Twist couldn’t believe he’d ever let the extraordinary memory slip from his mind.

  “What are you talking about?” Myra scoffed at Shiva. “I’m the only one. There aren’t any other clockwork people.” Twist held his tongue; he had specifically promised to never speak a word about the clockwork people, not even to Myra herself.

  Shiva gave Myra a patient smile. “Don’t worry, Princess. We can make you remember.” Twist felt Myra’s ire rise sharply at the thought. “Don’t you see?” Shiva went on. “You belong with people who understand you and can truly care for you.”

  Myra’s anger flared hot and dangerous against Twist’s Sight. “You don’t care for me at all!” she snapped, pulling away from Twist just enough to shout at Shiva. “I hate you nasty Cyphers! You’re worse than princes, all full of your own pride and ambitions.” Twist struggled to weather the storm of her heated emotions—the air in the room felt cold by comparison—but refused utterly to release his hold of her.

  “Princess, don’t trouble yourself—” Shiva began imploringly.

  “No!” she yelled back, her anger boiling hotter than ever. Twist felt her spirit erupt with rage inside her clockwork puppet and lash out at Shiva. A blast of freezing air shot directly at the Cypher, tossing him back and into the air. Shiva let out a startled cry and then fell onto his back ten feet away.

  Everyone stared in shock at the fallen Cypher. Kali looked back at Myra wide-eyed and gave a soft, whining sound. Skye shivered, and Twist saw her breath leave her in a white cloud as he realized that the air inside the workshop had truly grown ice cold. Somewhat stunned, Myra only stared at Shiva as he pulled himself back to his feet.

  “Did I do that?” she asked softly, looking to Twist with new fear tingling at the edges of her spirit. Looking back at her sweet and beautiful copper face, Twist could barely believe her capable of the violent emotions needed to utilize the ghostly abilities of her true nature.

  “There, there, dear,” he said soothingly, patting at her back. “You’re only defending yourself, and you have every right.”

  “Oh, I don’t like to get so angry,” she muttered, clinging closer and nuzzling her copper nose into his neck.

  Twist held her clockwork body tightly and petted at her wire hair, as he looked to Shiva silently. Shiva stood very near the door now, staring at Myra in obvious concern.

  “Well,” Jonas said lightly, “it seems that the lady doesn’t want to talk to you, blue boy. Maybe you should be on your way,” he added with a cold smile and a gesture to the door.

  “Yes, yes…” Shiva said distractedly, already stepping back. “It was nice to meet you, Princess,” he offered meekly at the threshold.

  When Myra made no response, he turned and walked out. The moment he was gone, Myra pulled slightly back from Twist and appeared to let out a heavy sigh, though he felt no breath from her.

  “Well, that was exciting,” Skye mentioned.

  “You all right now, poppet?” Jonas asked Myra, coming closer with a soft smile.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” she responded bashfully, putting a hand to her face as if to hide an imagined blush.

  Jonas reached out to pat the top of her head. “Good of you to knock that bastard on his backside. He deserved it.” Myra laughed lightly and nodded, while Twist smiled to feel her emotions lighten.

  As the others tended to Myra, Samay stood to one side and watched her thoughtfully.

  For the rest of the day, Myra remained close to Twist and Jonas as they continued to work on the astrolabe. Skye eventually managed to take her to the adjoining library under the huge telescope, where they found a wide array of fairy tales among the science books that filled the shelves.

  Since Myra couldn’t read the English text herself, Skye read to her in the flickering firelight while the sky outside darkened slowly into night. Skye even acted out some of the more exciting scenes, as if she were putting on a play. Myra was easily enthralled by the old tales, sitting on the floor to watch and listen while Kali lay curled around her like an orange divan—just as enraptured by the tales as Myra was.

  After having decided to stop working for the day, Twist stood at the door to the library for a long moment, watching quietly as Skye finished a tale. Myra’s shining metal face reflected the golden fire in the hearth and shone with delight to hear that the beautiful princess and the daring rogue lived happily ever after. She clapped her clockwork hands gleefully as Skye took her bows. Twist clapped as well, smiling to Skye.

  “You’re rather good at storytelling,” Twist said to her when the women turned, clearly not expecting to find him there.

  “Oh yes, just marvelous!” Myra added brightly. “Better than any jester, that’s for sure.”

  “Wow, better than a jester?” Skye asked, appearing astonished. “And I didn’t even have to juggle anything.”

  Myra laughed. “And you’re just as funny, as well.”

  “I guess I missed my calling,” Skye said wistfully. “I do love stories. Maybe I should have stayed a circus clown instead of getting into the adventuring business.”

  Kali gave a gruff, unhappy-sounding grumble, looking at Skye as if admonishingly.

  “The tiger’s right, love,” Jonas added, having joined Twist in the doorway. “You’re not cut out for a life as mundane as one in a traveling circus.” Twist glanced at him skeptically. Jonas’s especially dry mome
nts of humor always managed to surprise him.

  “Yeah?” Skye asked Jonas, a new, sharper note to her voice. “And just how well do you think you know me, handsome?”

  “I’ve never seen you in anything but trouble,” Jonas responded with a smile.

  “Says the guy I had to rescue from monsters in outer space,” Skye said, narrowing her eyes at him.

  “Oh, I adore trouble as well,” Jonas said with a shrug. “Nothing wrong with a good swashbuckling.” Skye smiled at him, though Jonas kept his blue gaze well clear of hers.

  “You’re both highly disturbing,” Twist muttered uncomfortably. Jonas and Skye looked to him fondly, which confused Twist slightly more.

  “But I like adventuring, too,” Myra said, getting up to come closer to Twist. “You don’t think I’m disturbing, do you, darling?” she asked with a sweet smile.

  “I would never say such a thing,” Twist said quickly, startled by the question.

  Myra gasped. “Does that mean that you do think so and are just too polite to say?”

  Twist’s mind stalled with shock. “What? No!” he responded very quickly. Myra looked at him suspiciously. “Help me,” Twist shot to Jonas in a whisper.

  “Sorry, mate,” Jonas said with a laugh. “You dug yourself into your own hole there.”

  Confused by Jonas’s mirth in this situation, Twist paused. Skye was also laughing quietly into a hand, and Kali was watching everything with the shade of a grin on her furry face and a happily swinging tail. Looking at Myra more carefully, Twist thought he saw a smile hiding in the shine of her topaz eyes.

  “Dear, are you…teasing me?” he asked Myra quietly.

  A giggle broke free of her grasp and brought the hidden smile out to cover her gleaming copper face. “Of course, you silly dear,” she said, reaching up to put her arms around his neck. Her emotions hit his Sight like daybreak: sunny and warm.

  “Oh heavens, you gave me a fright,” he said on a long exhale as his fears calmed. Myra made a cooing tone and kissed him on the cheek, dispelling everything but her delight from his mind.