Escapement (The Neumarian Chronicles)

by Ciara Knight

  Penton searched the last one. “They aren’t here, but don’t worry. I know they boarded without incident.”

  “There’s no way Ryder can stay in his trunk much longer. I barely fit. We need to find him.”

  “Don’t worry. We will. Come.” Penton took me by the elbow and led the way to a silver door. We ducked below a square window and he popped his head up and back down. “Looks clear.”

  I opened the door and grabbed the railing. The platform underfoot convulsed and I struggled to remain standing. Penton opened the next car door and we found another cargo hold.

  Wow, the elite sure loved their clothing. We spent an hour searching and knocking on trunks as the train sped to Acadia East.

  “What are we going to do if we can’t find them before we stop?”

  “We’ll find them,” Penton assured me.

  We searched several more cars until we reached the passenger cars and turned around. Hours passed and no sign of either of them.

  I rubbed my elbow at the memory of being locked inside that trunk. “Ryder is going to be in rough shape when we find him.”

  We reached the car I’d been in and made our way to the other end. Exiting out to the platform, Penton grasped the handle to the next car. Three guards stood only paces away. “Wait.” I pointed through the glass window then yanked his arm from the handle.

  “We’ve reached the end. There’s no way we can get through that car,” Penton said.

  “Guess we’ll have to wait until we stop then scramble through. There shouldn’t be more than a couple more cargo cars.”

  Through the window, a gold emblem on the side of one of the trunks on a wooden shelf caught my attention. I squinted to make out the writing. It was the emblem of the elite with the queen’s seal. That was the cargo car we were all supposed to be in.

  I clutched the door handle so tight it bent. A guard leaned against the trunk, smoking a pipe. It was the largest of the three trunks. Ryder’s.

  “Semara, no.” Penton shoved me from the door and we backed into the car we’d just left. “Listen, I’ll help but don’t be stupid.”

  His face scrunched and he tapped his upper lip with his pointer finger. “Okay, I’ve got a plan. You’ll go out to the platform. There’s a ladder on the side of the car. Grab on and stay hidden.”

  “What are you planning?”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve been a snake in the sewers of Acadia West most my life. I can slither into some hidin’ spot on the train. Trust me. It’s what I’m best at.”

  “But—”

  “Do you want to get Ryder and Raeth out of there or not?”

  “Yes, but—”

  Penton wrapped his charcoaled fingers around my raised hand and I knew where he had stowed away on the train. If the site of black dust wasn’t a big enough give away, the strong chemical odor confirmed my suspicions.

  My chest ached for him, but there were no other options. “Please, promise me you’ll escape. You understand what they’ll do if they find you.” I pleaded with my eyes for him to heed my warning. Flashes of mangled bits of a boy on the tracks during my last steam train ride made my mind scream not to let him go.

  “I promise. Now go. We can’t be too far from Acadia East.”

  I squeezed his hands, wanting to tell him how much I appreciated his sacrifice, how I was in awe of his bravery. But I couldn’t find words that didn’t sound condescending. Instead, I let go and checked the guards’ positions through the window. They remained sitting on the trunks smoking and carrying on. If the queen caught them, they’d be thrown in the brig or tossed from the train like a stowaway.

  I swallowed hard and yanked the door open, ducked down, and crawled to the edge of the car. The wind hit with the force of a sand storm. I clung to the railing and stretched out to the ladder. The rush of air knocked me back.

  With one last shove, I wrapped my fingers around the rungs and propped my foot up on the railing. My heart beat faster than the rhythmic cadence of the metal wheels against the track.

  I bent my knees and jumped for the ladder. Only one foot caught. The other dangled in the air. I yelped before I could stifle it. But no one could hear me over the thundering wind and rattle of the tracks. The ground sped by with fierce speed as I fought to stay on board. Finally, I managed to find my footing.

  I heard faint shouts over the neck breaking air rushing by my ears. There wouldn’t be much time. I needed to get into that car and retrieve Raeth and Ryder before they returned.

  With a deep breath, I let go of the ladder and reached for the railing. The train jerked right and my fingers grasped the rail, but my feet remained on the rungs. I hung between the two, unable to recover in either direction.

  The train snaked left. The cars bent right and I threw myself over the railing before the cars had a chance to change direction again.

  My limbs shook so hard I thought my tremors were the shimmy of the platform until I tried to stand and my legs were like gelatinous blobs.

  Forced to move quickly, I crawled back to the door and pulled myself up by the handle. I looked through both windows. No sign of any guards in either direction. Penton had kept his word, but for how long?

  I managed to stand with my arm bracing my body by hanging onto the door handle. My weight pushed the handle down and the door swung open. I fell through and landed with a thud on the floor.

  “Ryder. Raeth. Where are you?”

  Two swift knocks came from the trunk I’d suspected was Ryder’s home the last three to four hours. The sound of his acknowledgment shot enough adrenaline through my body I stood and shuffled to it. Unhinging the buckle, I tugged the security strap free then lifted the lid.

  Ryder squinted up at me and I leaned in to help him up. The sight of his large eyes and touch of his strong hand warmed my inside.

  “Ah,” he cried out.

  I stroked his cheek and he leaned into my hand. “Sorry, I tried to get to you but there were guards and we couldn’t find you. We need to hurry before they return.”

  He lifted his head a little further while I tried to unfold his body. Every time I touched him he cried out.

  Grimacing, I finally admitted he wasn’t moving fast enough. We still needed to find Raeth. I pressed my lips to his and relished in his salty taste. One day I’d finish that kiss, but for now I needed him out of that trunk. “Ryder, drain some energy from me.”

  His eyes blazed. “Never.”

  “Only a small amount. Enough to get you out of this box before the guards return and we’re discovered.”

  “Never ask such a thing again. I refuse to take life from you.”

  I leaned in closer. “Be reasonable.”

  He took my lips hungrily. My head swirled and I couldn’t think of any words to argue with him. “No, stop. Not fair.”

  “You t-two always going t-to be doing th-that?” Raeth’s voice sent a wave of joy through me. I spun around to find her sitting on a trunk with a big grin.”

  The train screeched to a stop and I fell. Scrambling back to my feet, I yanked Ryder half way up. Not sure where I found the strength but if we were at Acadia East, we needed to move quickly.

  Raeth started humming and moaning behind me and the tingling of warning moved across my skin. “What is it?”

  Raeth lifted a finger to the window. The hats of guards bounced up and down. They were headed back. No doubt to the front passenger cars to escort the queen to her palace.

  Ryder managed to get to his knees.

  I ran to the door and melted the handle. Nerves interfered with my concentration and I melted some of the door. Our only hope was that the general didn’t see my signature work. If he did, he’d know we were here. I crawled back to Ryder. “Raeth, you want to play a game?”

  Her eyes lit up. “Game?”

  “Yep, we’re going to play hide and seek. You need to help hide Ryder so no one can find him.”

  “I love hide and seek.” She jumped down and I wrapped my arm around Ryder’s wa
ist to help him from the trunk, Raeth took the other side. Struggling under his weight, we shuffled quickly to the other door, while I held my breath and prayed we’d make it out before the guards caught us. Pounding sounded behind. We dived onto the platform and darted over the side. I clutched Ryder’s vest and rolled him under the car, then shimmied in beside him. Raeth squeezed in at our feet. We remained hidden, listening to the passengers disembark.

  We’d made it to Arcadia East. I never dreamed we would make it across the desert let alone all the way to the rebellion, but we had. I smiled at Ryder as he stretched and moved his body around.

  Now, we had to make it to the ocean south of the city. Once there, we’d board the ship and for the first time in a week, we could fall into each other’s arms and sleep for days.

  He rolled over and stroked my face. “I know the rebellion will want your help. Neumarians never sacrifice people. They aren’t murderers. We’ll have a chance to be together, really together, soon.” He smiled and his dimples sent tingles of hope through me.

  The train whistle blew.

  “I can walk now. We better find a way to reach the rebellion before dark, because I plan on spending the entire night with you.”

  My body warmed with nerves and excitement.

  We shimmied out from under the train and looked around. The sun sat low in the orange sky, signaling another day behind schedule. “What if the rebellion’s already left?” I didn’t want to think about it, but we were late.

  “We have no choice but to try. The communication codes are too important. Hopefully they’ll still be there.”

  My stomach churned. I was about to turn myself over to the rebellion so they could trade me to the queen. So much for days of slumber in Ryder’s arms. Yet, if anyone could convince the rebels to keep me safe, it would be Ryder. Also, Fallon never would have sent me to them just to be turned over to Mother.

  We raced to the station platform. Raeth’s leg caught on the tracks and Ryder lifted her up and ran to the shadows.

  “Psst. Over here.” Penton’s familiar voice drew my attention. He waved us down to the end of the building. “You need a lift? Hear you’ve got somewhere to be.”

  I chuckled inside, not having the strength to laugh aloud. “Yeah, sounds good.”

  Penton waved his arms and a horse and carriage came around. We climbed in and the driver snapped the reigns, sending us backward. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Penton. I thought for sure you’d been captured.”

  He snickered. “Can’t catch a snake that easily.”

  “You shouldn’t be here.”

  I bit back a smile at the worry in Ryder’s voice. Every time Ryder worried for someone, he barked at them for doing exactly what he would have done.

  “You wouldn’t have made it to the ocean without my help,” Penton retorted.

  Ryder nodded. “And you,” he turned to me and I braced myself for his reprimand that so often came.

  “I’m so glad you’re safe.” He cupped my face in his hands. “No matter what, you’re gonna stay with me. You’re also not gonna run away the minute we reach the rebellion. Promise you they ain’t gonna turn you over to the general. Won’t let them.”

  My stomach knotted. “You can’t guarantee that. But know this, I’d rather die on the run then marry the general or be converted.”

  “Promise, that’ll never happen.”

  The carriage jolted left and right. We were off the main road and headed for the ocean.

  My mind turned back to the people we’d left behind. I couldn’t let them down. “Raeth, are you sure about Bendar?”

  “Yes. He t-told me not to t-tell you he was part of th-the rebellion. Th-thought it was t-too dangerous for you.”

  I twisted my hands in my lap. My heart ached at the thought. After all we’d been through he didn’t tell me he was part of a rebellion. “He didn’t trust me?”

  “Wanted t-to protect you.”

  The carriage bounced about then stuttered to a halt.

  Penton opened the door and jumped down. “We’ve got to walk from here. It’s on the other side of the hill. Carriages can’t make it over the rocks.”

  We climbed down and thanked the driver but he didn’t stay long enough to chat. Obviously, someone had paid him handsomely, but his job was over and he didn’t want to be a part of our lives a moment longer.

  Ryder held my hand while I laced my fingers through Raeth’s small ones. With each step, my legs burned.

  We managed to stumble to the top. I’d never been this exhausted. All I longed for was to reach the ship and collapse into Ryder’s arms.

  And here was the rebel ship waiting for us.

  Only we weren’t the first to find it. The large ship lay in smoldering pieces along the beach.

  I fell to my knees. The European Neumarian Rebellion had been destroyed and with it, all our hope.

  Raeth covered her ears and cried out, falling into the sand by my side. I cradled and rocked her.

  “B-but w-we—” Raeth’s body convulsed in my arms. The weight of her small frame was nothing compared to the gravity of the situation pulling me down.

  Penton starred at the carnage with a distant gaze. “It can’t be. I was meant to deliver the Triune.”

  I clung to Raeth. “There have to be survivors.” I pushed Raeth into Penton’s arms and tumbled down the hill toward the wreckage. “Anyone out there?”

  Raeth’s pleas to come back choked me with the knowledge that no one could survive the devastation sprawled in front of us.

  Ryder stumbled down the hill after me. He landed at the bottom on his backside in the soft sand and ran to my side.

  Lifting pieces of metal, I searched under them for life.

  Ryder tugged my shoulder. “Semara, stop. Your hands will burn.”

  They were blistered from the melting hunks of ship I’d combed under, but unlike a few days ago, I didn’t feel a thing.

  “Stop.” He pulled me close and locked me into a hug tight to his chest, restraining me. His heart pounded against me, matching the thunderous beat of my grief.

  “We have to find survivors. There has to be someone to tell us what happened or what we can do.” My own voice sounded foreign to me.

  He squeezed me tighter. “No one’s here. No one could’ve survived this.”

  I clutched his arm, trying to cling to something on earth that still existed.

  He led me to the edge of the surf and sunk into the damp sand, holding my hand in the frigid water. I only knew it was cold because of Ryder’s teeth chattering.

  The surf beat against our skin, sending small debris onto the beach around us.

  “They died waiting for us. If we’d made it here sooner—”

  “Don’t think like that. We did everything we could.” His words sounded empty, hallow with his own grief.

  “They died because…because of us. Their bodies…” I stopped shaking and jumped to my feet, sliding from his grip. “Ryder.”

  “What?” He pushed to his feet and tried to hold me, but I pushed from his arms. Scorching metal and chemical fumes carried on the ocean breeze, but no smell of flesh or blood, no bones.

  “No bodies.” I pulled a few more pieces of ship from the ground. My damp hands sizzled. This time the heat burned my hands and I dropped the shrapnel and cried out.

  Ryder raced to my side and blew a small amount of energy over my hands. Only enough to fade some blisters.

  He froze and scanned the beach. “No bodies,” he hissed. He dropped my hands and kicked a few more shards of the ship around. “You’re right. No charred skeletons. Nothing.”

  A zing of hope raced through my body. Renewed energy drove me forward. We both searched through more wreckage. “Nothing,” I agreed.

  I pointed to a long piece of the bulkhead. “ENR. It was definitely their ship. Did they escape?”

  “Escape…or captured.” He pivoted and I glanced behind me to see Penton waving his arms madly.

  Engines roared.


  Sand spun up around us.

  Ship.

  Queen’s ship.

  Trap.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Assassins marched into view. Stopping in a line on the ridge, they captured Raeth and Penton in their grasp.

  Surrounded on all sides except for the ocean.

  The queen’s ship landed. Ryder laced his fingers through mine and stood tall. “It won’t end here. I won’t let them take you.”

  I stopped trembling and stepped in front of him. My hands glowed bright red. Wind spun Ryder’s hair. It reflected off the debris and resembled a silver halo. The landing gear sunk into the sand and the engines rumbled, shaking the ground beneath us.

  I directed my energy at the three metal supports and it bubbled before the ship sunk an inch further into the ground.

  The bay door slid open and I redirected my attention before I could completely melt the supports.

  Ryder stood by my side, icy energy sliding down his veins in bluish-white streaks. “Monster or savior, I’ll take them all down. Damn the consequences.” Ryder said.

  This had to be a replay of Raeth’s rescue. Pain showed in the deep lines above his furrowed eyebrows.

  The gangway smashed to the ground. Sand bellowed up in a plume of tan mist.

  I went to work, cylinders sizzling in the bay. I remained controlled despite the fear bubbling up inside. I’d be facing Mother. The one person who made me feel less important than a sand flea in her presence.

  Methodically, I concentrated on what would cause the most damage to the ship before we were shot.

  At the first sign of a Slag appearing on the gangway, Ryder’s hands lifted, his fingers arched toward the enemy.

  Flaming red hair dancing in the bay of the ship, taunted me. My blood froze, despite the heat of my gift. Every ounce of hatred centered on that figure.

  Cackles echoed from inside the ship.

  She laughed? Of course she laughed. This was all a game to her. She’d controlled me at every turn. No more.

  A body rolled down the bay door and bounced onto the sand. “Bendar?”