Quicksilver Soul

by Christine d'Abo

  “Are you hurt?” Samuel shouted for a doctor, even while he dropped to his knees to check for a pulse on the clearly dead men. “Fuck.”

  “I’m fine. Banged my head. Where’s Nicola?”

  When Mary had lifted her from the ground, Emmet thought his heart would never start beating again. The woman was mad, infuriating, and if she got herself killed, he’d never forgive her.

  “That metal monster is heading toward the Clock Tower. I’ve sent word ahead to the men stationed at the castle. They will build a barrier and hopefully that will slow her down enough for us to make it there in time to take her down.”

  “We’ll need bigger weapons than what we have here.”

  “What we need is a clockwerker.” Samuel spun until he spotted Timmons. “Where’s David?”

  “I had one of the lads fetch him when I heard that thing was coming. I’m surprised he isn’t here already.”

  David was mad, but both Samuel and Timmons trusted him. Emmet didn’t much care for the man one way or the other, but he’d offer him every bit of wealth he had stashed away if he could help stop Mary and save Nicola.

  The sight of her hanging limp against the metal made his heart ache. She was in pain, and there had been nothing he could do to help. While he was good with a pistol, the Sentry men wouldn’t have allowed him to stand in their way. His authority with the Archives meant nothing here. His standing as the third son of the Duke of Bedford meant nothing here.

  Standing there, forced to do little more than look at the woman who’d captured his heart be held hostage, made him sick. What kind of man was he if he was not able to protect the ones he loved? Pitiful. Exactly what his father had always accused him of being.

  “I’m going after them.” He snatched a pistol from the ground as he passed by, shoving it into his waistband.

  “Like hell.” Samuel tried to stop him, but Emmet spun, landing the unseen punch square on his friend’s jaw.

  “Not this time.” Emmet shook his hand, glaring at the men who stopped to stare. “If you think I’m going to sit by while others flounder around, you’re as much of an idiot as they were for shooting at that thing.”

  Emmet turned and broke out into a run. Mary was heading toward the Clock Tower. The city itself, with its twists and turns, would slow her down, as would the terrified citizens who would no doubt get in her way. He’d be able to take a more direct path to the Clock Tower and would be able to get word to the men there about what they were facing. With luck, they’d be able to set a trap.

  He’d made it nearly to the iron walk when the sound of a dirigible engine echoed off the buildings. Looking up, he briefly saw a dark head poke over the side of the hull before it disappeared. The ship itself was a smaller version of what the King’s Navy used, with only one smaller balloon and an engine fan that would have been used as a secondary propeller on a normal ship. A long rope ladder dropped to the ground a few feet away from him, which was soon followed by the dark head poking over the side again.

  “Hurry up!” David Timmons sounded very much like a man on his way to a carnival—excited and eager. “This is faster.”

  He must be mad to even consider boarding a ship that could easily slam into the side of a building, be torn to shreds, or explode if they got too close to a steam vent. Emmet shoved his pistol back into his pocket and leapt onto the ladder. David didn’t wait for him to reach the top before he began to retract the ladder into the ship. He barely managed to throw his leg over the side before landing in a heap on the deck.

  “You’re fucking insane.”

  David chuckled. “I believe the saying is, it takes one to know one.” He spun the ship’s wheel and turned the direction of the ship toward Big Ben, clearly seen now that they were in the air.

  Emmet got to his feet. “How fast does this thing fly?”

  “Well, I haven’t finished conducting all my tests, but the last time I had it out—”

  “That metal fiend is taking Nikki to Big Ben. If she is hurt or, God forbid, dies, I will tear this city apart to punish everyone who had a hand in it. How fast?”

  David’s jovial mask dropped and coldness filled his brown eyes. “I, too, would kill to protect someone I love.”

  “Then you understand.”

  “I do.” David stepped onto a pedal near his foot, which sent a blast of steam pounding through the engines. The ship lurched forward and he smiled. “Let’s go save your lady love.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Nicola had closed her eyes as Mary lurched through the guts of the city, sending her citizens running this way and that. Men would sometimes try to stop her, or children would throw bottles, but each time Mary would cast them aside. Nicola was helpless, unable to do anything but bear witness to the destruction, until it became unbearable. She had to close her eyes, leaving her little to do but pray to a god she didn’t believe in and plot a means of stopping her.

  They’d turned along the side of the Thames and Mary now followed it. Nicola recognized the path from her earlier trip with Emmet. It wouldn’t be long before they reached the Clock Tower and the prison cell that held Thomas.

  Despite his failings, his crimes, she didn’t want to see him hurt. Not like this. What he’d done by stealing her ideas was unforgivable, but it wasn’t worth the price of his life. Even his crimes since arriving in New London could be understood as those of a grief-mad husband, unable to cope with the loss of his beloved wife. He’d pay for his crimes, but in a court of law, not at the end of a metal fist.

  The automaton wasn’t Mary Edison. It might contain her memories, but the kind soul of the woman Nicola had worked side by side with wasn’t present. With luck, it had passed on to the heaven she and others believed in so much and she was truly at rest. This was little more than a perverted echo of the woman, a thing that needed to be put out of its misery.

  Mary’s steady progress came to a lurching stop. Nicola barely had enough time to brace herself and stop her face from slamming against the metal. She couldn’t hear anything at first, and being unable to see left her more frustrated than before.

  “Mary, what’s going on?”

  She didn’t think the automaton would respond, but was shocked when the metal hand that had held her fast in place moved, lifting her up once more. With a jolt, she was perched unceremoniously on top of Mary’s shoulder. The sudden change in position had her head spinning and her vision blacking out. She had to shake her head to try to clear it, though she wished she hadn’t the moment her vision cleared.

  The King’s Sentry was ready for them. A barrier had been erected with overturned carriages, merchant carts, and heaps of scrap metal. Resting on top the haphazard pile were two large cannons. It was hard to tell, but they appeared to be quite old and covered in rust. While there were newer machines available to them, these would be sufficient to blast a hole into Mary. The impact would have the unfortunate side effect of killing Nicola.

  “Stop where you are!” The voice was tinny, amplified so as to reach them. “We won’t allow you to come closer.”

  She cupped her hands before her mouth and shouted as best she could. “I have no control over this creature.”

  “You need to. The king is in residence and we cannot allow any harm to come to him.”

  Wonderful. “I can’t. She won’t be satisfied until she has what she’s come for. She’s not listening to me.”

  “Then you’d best get yourself away.”

  Mary began her approach once more, though slower and more deliberately than earlier. The unmistakable sound of weapons being prepared to be fired reached her as a whisper would into her ear. This was it then. Her life was forfeit so they could save their precious monarch. Not that she suspected it would be as easy as they thought. But she was far too exposed to stay safe for long, which meant she needed to find a way to get free.

  “Mary, please put me down. They’re going to fire upon you and I will only get in your way.” The metal fingers held fast. “I’m no go
od to you any longer. They’re just as likely to put a bullet in my brain as they are to try to rescue me.”

  Several of the Sentry men emerged from around the side of the barricade and opened fire on them. Bullets ricocheted off Mary’s body and flew off in alternative directions. When one of them lifted the barrel of his rifle higher than the others, she knew he was aiming at her on purpose.

  I’m so sorry, Emmet. Sorry I never had the chance to tell you how I feel.

  The crack of a shot letting loose rang in her ears, though the flesh-rending impact never came as Mary jerked her from her perch, moving her from the bullet’s path before it connected. Nicola stared at the automaton’s head in shock. “Thank you.” Perhaps there was a small part of the real Mary buried in there after all.

  The infantry and their barrage had distracted Mary enough for the cannons to be prepared. A flash of fire being pressed to a fuse drew Nicola’s attention long enough for her to brace for the inevitable blow. The twin explosions were quickly chased by the cannonball itself, which slammed into Mary’s chest and right shoulder.

  Her world turned upside down as Mary screamed and they were both launched into the air, only to come crashing down on the frozen banks of the Thames. Nicola had gone deaf, her brain slowed and body numb. It hurt to turn her head, but she did so, seeking out what had become of the automaton.

  Mary lay a few feet from her, a jet of steam exploding upward from the joint of her arm. She didn’t appear to be moving. Nicola forced herself to move, pushing the ground so she could roll onto her stomach and crawl toward what remained of the automaton. The stench of burned wires, melted metal, and sulfur were the first indication that her senses were slowly beginning to right themselves. Her fingers dug into the frozen soil as she pulled herself along.

  Steam hissed as the frozen ground melted from the superheated metal. Nicola pushed herself to her knees in the hopes of getting a good look at the damage, to confirm that this nightmare was in fact over.

  The chest plate was dented inward, but miraculously had stayed together. The cannonball wasn’t as large as some she’d seen, only ten inches in diameter and nowhere near enough to obliterate an automaton of Mary’s size. Keegan had done an admirable job at reinforcing the metal, give how her hull had survived. The right arm was another matter, having been blown completely off. The eyes were no longer illuminated, and there were no sounds indicating that Mary’s internal systems were still functioning.

  With a groan, Nicola sat down on the ground and let relief wash over her. It was over.

  As her hearing improved, she could make out the sounds of shouts and something far stranger—a dirigible engine. She shielded her eyes with her hand and looked up, trying to catch a glimpse of what manner of airship could fly so close to the buildings. The setting sun made it difficult at first, but finally she saw it circling high above her. Two dark-haired heads poked over the side of the hull, and one of the men waved.

  “Hullo, Miss Tesla,” David called down to her. “Did we miss all the fun?”

  “Are you hurt?” Emmet’s voice had her laughing.

  “You’re alive!”

  “Of course I’m bloody well alive.” She didn’t need to see his frown to know it was there. “I’m coming down.”

  A long rope ladder was cast over the side of the ship and left to dangle many feet from her current position. Emmet swung himself over the side of the ship and began to descend. The moment he was safely on the ground, she was going to kiss him. She didn’t care who saw, if it got reported back to Simon, the Archives, or anyplace else. Somehow, without her realizing it, she’d grown to love this man, and there was nothing to stop her from telling him.

  Before Emmet got a quarter of the way down, David began to shout. “Tesla! Move!”

  She couldn’t imagine why she would need to move, if there was a problem with the airship and he needed to land it, or what, but she knew better than to not listen. Emmet froze on the ladder, only to fumble for his pistol inside his greatcoat. “Nikki, get out of there!”

  Hearing her pet name spoken with such frantic fear served as more of a motivator than anything. She struggled to her feet at the same time that she looked over to where Mary lay. The eyes were black no longer, the twin orbs now growing brighter as the soft whirl of a motor deep inside her started back to life. The metal squealed as the automaton sat itself up, a low buzzing noise spilling out from the mouth.

  Nicola backed away as slowly as she could. The earlier shouts started again as several of the Sentry started to come down the riverbank to where they were. They opened fire, forcing Nicola to jump out of the way of the stray bullets. Pressed flush to the ground once more, she watched in horror as Mary got back to her feet, her head no longer sitting straight upon the constructed neck. She turned and snatched the closest attacker from the ground. Using him as a child would a bat, Mary swung him at the others, striking them down as she went.

  The Sentry weren’t ready for a second attack, most having come out to inspect the destruction and congratulate themselves on their easy victory. They now were left unprotected, easy targets for Mary to pick off a few at a time. Nicola wanted to rush to their defense, somehow find a way to stop the monster, but she was hurt and without resources. If a cannonball couldn’t damage the clockwerk heart within, then there was little chance the Sentry would easily be able to stop her.

  What they needed to do was short-circuit the creature, overrun her heart to force it to not work. She immediately wished there was a way she could use one of her inventions to stop the thing, but even the best of her ideas would require months to construct. Her energy coil would be the perfect thing, generating and forcing electricity into Mary’s heart.

  Nicola sucked in a breath and spun to face the Clock Tower that housed Big Ben. The tower that was crowned with an iron top, giving her both the metal and the structure she needed. It wouldn’t be perfect, but if she were very lucky it would give them a chance.

  One single opportunity.

  “Emmet!” He was still hanging from the ladder and craned his head around to find her. “I’m coming up.”

  Nicola was fearless when it came to heights, throwing herself onto the rope ladder and dashing up the swaying rungs. It was slightly terrifying as the bitter winter wind began to blow off the river, tossing them both and forcing them to cling to the rungs. David shifted the position of the dirigible, bringing it closer to the nearest building, allowing it to act as a shield from the wind, giving them the ability to make their way to the top. Emmet was waiting for her, hands outstretched to assist. Slapping her hand to his wrist, they clung to one another for a moment before he helped her climb the side of the ship and set foot on the deck.

  She’d no sooner managed her footing than she was pressed against the rail and engulfed by the man she thought she’d lost.

  “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.” He spoke the words against her temple, kissing her skin between each one. “From now on you stay safe in a lab somewhere.”

  “Me, stay safe?” She pulled back and punched him in the shoulder, enjoying the way he grimaced. “I thought you’d been killed.”

  She shouldn’t be this close to tears. The burning in the back of her throat should be easily swallowed down, pushed aside, but it refused to move. Emmet gently pulled her in once more and cupped her cheek with his hand.

  “Let’s take care of Mary, then you and I need to have a talk.”

  “No.”

  His frown pulled at his bottom lip, begging her to lean in and suck on it. Giving in to temptation, she kissed his mouth until he gave in with a groan and returned it. Their tongues sought and found each other, caressing until Nicola moaned with want. She pushed her hand beneath his greatcoat and waistcoat, until she could feel his beating heart against her frozen fingers. They broke apart at the same time, and Nicola knew she couldn’t wait a single moment more.

  “I love you.” They weren’t her words, but his. Cupping her face, he kissed each eyebrow then
the tip of her nose before ending with a chaste kiss on her lips. “I love you more than I can express. I want to spend hours telling you, showing you how deep my feelings run, but I can’t. We can’t. Mary is down there and people are dying.”

  Shit. Nicola blushed as she stepped back. “You’re right. David?”

  “Hullo.” She hadn’t seen him standing the short distance away in front of the large wooden wheel. “I hate to rush your reunion, but it appears my brother has arrived with reinforcements. If you have a plan, I say now is the time to enact it. I’d prefer Rory is alive when this is all said and done, despite him being a massive pain in my side.”

  With one final look at Emmet, Nicola shoved all her tender feelings aside for the time being. “Don’t think we are done with this.”

  His smile, one of the few genuine one’s she’d seen from him, had his eyes sparkling. “I wouldn’t assume otherwise.”

  “David, can you bring me close to Big Ben’s tower?” With Emmet at her side, she strode the length of the dirigible up to the bow of the compact ship. “I think the only way we’ll be able to stop Mary is to overload her power source. It’s well protected in the casing, so we’ll need a strong blast of electricity.”

  Emmet shouted above the increasing wind. “How will you do that?”

  It would have taken her too long to explain, and as much as she loved Emmet, his wasn’t a mechanically oriented mind. Rather than waste any more of their rapidly decreasing time, she dropped to her knees and began to empty her pockets of the items she’d been collecting over the course of the day.

  “I have this… device that I’ve been experimenting with. It’s the aether, you see. The atmosphere generated by tiny, energetic particles as they jump between copper. I can generate a path for the electricity to move. Simon had me working on a way to generate light and heat back at the Company.”