“Are you all right?” he asked as he pulled his jacket away and looked at her torso for injury, but found none.
The girl held her hands in front of her. Skin melted from the thumb of her right hand, exposing the brass bones and joint underneath. Another automaton. Jack blinked hard. These unusual creations seemed prevalent in Ipswich but he’d never seen one in New Haven.
“Thank you so much, sir.” The jovial baker patted him on the shoulder. “She often gets a little too close to the fires of the kiln. I’d let her run the front, but her twitches cause some customers discomfort.”
“Twitches? She’s a prototype?”
“Of course. Is there any other kind of Catlett automaton?”
“Catlett?”
The baker narrowed his eyes at Jack. “Yes, the company that manufactures ’em?”
Jack shrugged his shoulders back into his coat. “I’m sorry, but I’m from New Haven. I’ve never seen a Catlett Automaton before my arrival in Ipswich.”
After a knowing nod, he slapped Jack on the back once more and chuckled. “Of course! I’m going to throw in another loaf for your help, young man. You likely saved me a bundle. She’s an older model, but I see no reason to upgrade, yet.”
“Thanks,” Jack said and returned to the other side of the counter. “Much appreciated.”
The bell rang over the door announcing the entrance of another customer. A woman and two children entered. With a hand on each shoulder, the baker directed the automaton back to the kitchen once more. The look of horror remained frozen over the mechanical woman’s face like a mask. After a moment, the baker returned with the three loves in a parcel. He reached into his glass case, removing the biscuits and hardtack. “I’m giving you a full dozen of these, as well. I am obliged to your quick thinking.”
Jack shook his head. “Thank you. Also, do you mind telling me where the Catlett Automaton factory is?”
The baker straightened and set another sack upon the counter. “Of course. It’s across the river, in main Ipswich. If you go across this bridge, it’s not more than a kilometer down the street.” He smiled wider and said, “That’ll be two coppers, if you please.”
Jack nodded and handed him one New Haven gold piece.
With a hesitant hand, the baker took the piece, his eyes wide. “Wow, you are certainly from New Haven.”
“Yes, sir, and keep the change.” Jack turned from the door and nearly ran into one of the two rug rats who were pawing at the glass cases.
The petite young woman tipped her head in a half curtsey. Her delicate features and accent betrayed her French background. “Pardon my children, monsieur.”
“No problem, madam.” Jack skirted around the threesome and started for the door. He couldn’t help but wonder if the woman was human. How many of the people he’d run into in Ipswich might have been automatons rather than humans? The thought of it made him shiver.
Raven had hardly slept. Marietta snored. The constant noise coming from her open, drooling mouth kept Raven from ever getting anywhere near restful, deep sleep. Still she remained in the bed until the room gained the white hue of early morning. The witch rolled over, and the snoring finally ceased.
With a sigh, Raven pulled herself inch by inch from the mattress. She gathered her things with as much stealth as possible. There was no purpose in rousing the witch any earlier than necessary. After a quick glance about the room, she turned the handle slowly.
The light in the hallway shone a little brighter than it had been in her west- facing room. She didn’t feel good about exploring the city, and since the first floor had no windows, Raven opted to head for the roof. The unnecessarily long zigzag trek made her ready for some exercise. On the fourth floor, she found no spiral staircase and no window on the end–instead she found a door. Curiosity had never been a fault with her. She had no interest in trying any of the closed doors in the halls on the way up, but this one she opened.
It led to a small staircase. At the top, a heavy metal trap door with a bar across it blocked her path. She moved the bar aside and heaved against the rusted door. The hinges protested with a squeal, but at this height, Raven did not fear waking any of the downstairs' inhabitants.
The trapdoor opened to a corrugated copper roof. Raven nodded and pushed herself up on the gently sloping metal. The ice cold copper chilled her hands, but she ignored the cold and sat on the slope. Black smoke filled the otherwise clear sky in two columns from the factory across the street. The muted light reflected off the burnished surface on which she sat. To her right, the river rippled in golden waves. A cold wind blew the hair from her neck, and she smiled. The icy chill refreshed and revitalized her.
Once she felt accustomed to the slope of the roof, she pushed herself slowly to a standing position. The view from the building would have been a complete circle save the factory across the street. She started toward the peak. Her cobbler had scored the wooden sole on her boots with a pattern that gave her reasonable grip on the slick surface. She reached the peak and set her feet on the narrow, rounded edge. The surface reminded her of the balance board her father had taught her to use back home. After a few deep breaths, she began to practice her martial arts.
She continued her exercise until the sweat beaded on her forehead. The sun reached high enough in the sky, she knew the crew in the building could no longer be asleep. She sat on the edge of the roof and slid down the copper, using her feet to keep herself from sliding too quickly. At the trap door, she let her feet dangle for a moment before she lowered herself to the top step below.
After closing and latching the trapdoor, she started down the stairs and along the zigzag of the hallways. On the second floor, nothing stirred. She continued to the first floor, where the bustle of conversation and cutlery welcomed her.
“Ah, there she is,” Monroe announced with a smile when her heel clicked against the first step of the spiral staircase.
The group of men was at the table in all four chairs while Marietta moved about the kitchen. She lifted a plate in Raven’s direction and smiled. “Here you are, dear. If you’ve never had Ipswich Sweet Loaf, you’re in for a treat.”
Grant and Colton both bolted to their feet, each offering their chair to her. Colton sat nearer to her entry, so she took his chair with a nod of thanks. Grant remained standing. He leaned against the back of his chair and grinned at her. “We were wondering where you might have been.”
The group stared at her. She glared back at them and then down at the bread on the plate in front of her. “I found a quiet place and did some training.”
Monroe stood and nodded with approval. “As you should.”
Because Raven was last at the table, she rushed through her meal. The sweet loaf tasted warm and light, comforting like a hug. But instead of savoring each bite, she shoveled it all down. The bell rang at the door, and Marietta rushed toward it, followed closely behind by all three guardsmen. Only Monroe stayed with her in the kitchen. His eyes sparkled as he smiled. “On the roof?”
Raven gave one nod but raised an eyebrow. How did Monroe reminded her so much of her father? In all honesty, the man even resembled him, except her father stood taller, and Monroe was thinner. The beard obscured the man’s features, but his blue eyes held the same joy. He even seemed proud when he looked at her.
After her last bite, Raven stood and headed to the counter with her plate. The wooden bowls from the night before sat in the sink, dirty and unattended, as did the plates from the breakfast. She stared at them, fighting the urge to begin cleaning. It took all of her strength to set the plate on the counter with the others and walk away. The thought of the plates remaining dirty while they started their trip irked her all the way to the door and niggled the back of her mind like a worm.
Marietta fluttered between the door and the closet, handing the members of the guard extra coats and blankets for the road. The carriage driver stood inside the doorway and wrung his hat nervously as the group stood around him. “I’m sorry I’m
late madam. I hope to be getting on the road soon. I’ll take you to the bottom of Cirrus Mountain. Since the trip will take us the better part of the day, I’ll be needing to stay at the inn?”
The witch shot Grant a questioning glance. He cleared his throat. “Not a problem, we will all stay at the inn tonight, at the duke’s expense.”
Relief washed over the coachman, and his shoulders relaxed. He smiled wide and took the last blanket from Marietta’s hands. “Right then. Let’s be off!”
Monroe, Colton, and Rupert started after the coachman, their arms loaded with blankets and fur coats. Grant stayed back just a bit, balancing the stack he held between his chin and his arm as he checked his pocket and took inventory of his coins. A look of satisfaction crossed his face and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When his eyes opened again, he met eyes with Raven and smiled. “After you?”
Raven stepped up to him and took the top two blankets from his stack.
“I was fine. You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. You do know that women don’t always want to be a burden to the men around them, don’t you?”
Grant pushed the two blankets he held under one arm and said, “Most of the women I’ve met would call it chivalrous when a man offers to do everything for them.”
“Well, I’d call it ridiculous.” Raven smiled at the wide eyes he made at her and turned on her heel for the door.
The bumpy ride in the back of the carriage actually lulled Jack to sleep. When the coach pulled to a stop, he noticed he wasn’t the only one. Colton and Rupert both sat up and rubbed their eyes. Marietta turned toward them in front seat and announced, “We’re here.”
Monroe hopped out of the carriage and into the ankle-deep snow first, gathering up the blankets quickly. With Raven’s assistance, they folded them and piled them back into stacks. Jack set a hand on the elder reaper’s shoulder. “Let’s roll up one each to take with us up the mountain and maybe an extra fur coat each as well.”
“Great thinking,” Marietta said with a wink. “I brought along extra belts to hold the rolls.”
Clouds and mist shrouded the mountain, obscuring the top from view. The inn was a rectangular two-story building with a thatched roof. Frost clung to the black rock walls and icicles hung like white fingers. The path in front of the door had been swept clean. It seemed a well-kept place where it mattered. He pulled one of the furs over his shoulders, as did the rest of the group.
The sun had ducked over the other side of the mountain. He’d thought they should have had another hour or so of daylight, but the light had a dusk-like glow to it. The coachman lead the horse to the livery stable next to the inn, and the rest of the group made their way inside.
Radiant heat from dual fireplaces embraced them the moment they walked in. Boots stomped on the brick floor in the doorway, knocking the snow from toe to knee. The scent of fresh furs and old fires filled the room.
Jack stepped up to the wide mahogany counter and nodded to the wide-eyed keep. The innkeeper scratched his chin. “We seem to be attracting the strangest of folks this weekend. You do know the almanac is predicting a blizzard tonight?”
Colton’s face turned grave as he asked, “What do you mean strangest folks?”
“We’re unaccustomed to receiving people from New Haven here, and those brown coats declare it your origin. Duke’s Guard, correct?”
Jack nodded. “Right, but who else have you received this weekend?”
“Well, I’m not one to put my nose where it does not belong, but there was a very old woman here yesterday with a dazed young man. The boy just sat there, unresponsive, wouldn’t partake of our generosity in any way. Meanwhile his grandmother ate everything in sight. More than you’d think a woman of her size capable of consuming. What made her most strange though was she appeared to be blind, but never once ran into anything. It was like she could see just fine.” He leaned toward Jack as though confiding a great and ponderous secret. His eyes were wide as he nodded.
Jack swallowed hard, certain it was them. “Yesterday, you say? Are they still here at the inn?”
“No, sir, they left first thing this morning. I warned them not to go. We’re expecting a blizzard, like I said.”
Colton and Rupert both gave Jack a stern glance, but no words were exchanged. They weren’t necessary. He turned back to the inn keeper. “I’ll need to reserve a room for the coachman and care for the horse and carriage. Any chance you have dinner available now for the rest of us?”
“Well, usually we don’t serve dinner until six pm. It’s only 4:30.”
Jack slid the gold coin across the counter. “If you can conjure something up, you may keep the change.”
The innkeeper’s eyes grew wide again, and he palmed the coin. He called over his shoulder as he started toward the kitchen. “Of course, I’ll have something ready momentarily.”
Rupert set a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Should we even wait for a meal?”
Jack nodded. “The way I see it, our endurance will remain high if we have some fuel to go on. I slept in the carriage, so hopefully we all have had enough rest to keep going.”
“I, for one, am ready to stretch my legs.” Colton stretched his arms before eyeing the two women. “But will the ladies mind?”
Raven gave him a severe look. “Of course not. Like Rupert, I’d be happier if we left now.”
Jack smiled. Rupert and the female reaper failed to get along because they were too much alike.
Marietta shrugged. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
The small group found a table and stripped their fur coats. Jack's cheeks flushed from the change in temperature. True to his word, the keeper returned with a tray of breads, cheeses, and sliced meat.
Marietta and the three guardsmen feasted in an attempt to consume as many calories as possible. Monroe and Raven pecked at their food like birds. Jack wasn’t the only one to notice.
Rupert tore a large bite from the sandwich he’d made. “You two must be hungry. Why are you acting as though you couldn’t eat another bite?”
After she set her cup of tea back to the table, Raven just glared at him with no answer. Monroe smiled and shrugged. “It’s a reaper’s way. During a mission, where battle might be engaged, a reaper tries to keep it light. No need to be weighed down by a full stomach.”
Rupert set his sandwich down slowly and downed his tea in one gulp. Afterward, he didn’t eat heartily, but took smaller bites. Jack even found himself eating less than he would have. He couldn’t argue with sound advice.
The group finished their repast in record time and started for the door. Outside, dark clouds gathered in the sky. A golden sepia hue fell upon everything, making the scene outside surreal. Vapor clouded in front of Jack’s mouth before he covered it with the scarf attached to his fur coat. Flurries weaved and danced around them. Raven didn’t wait another moment, but gathered her coat while she started the trek toward the mountain path. The remaining group trudged through the snow in her determined wake.
Snow pelted Raven’s face. Like icicles, the flakes stuck to her eyelashes, but she trudged on through the knee-deep snow. She ignored the burning sensation in her exposed skin while the wind blew at her back. Wisps of hair pulled free from her bun and lashed about her face. The snow glowed seemingly of its own accord, lighting the winding mountain trail. An easy and wide path of six feet separated a wall of sheer rock from the drop off to her right. At least a trail existed. Raven would have hated climbing the forsaken mountain in this weather.
“Up ahead, there is a three-sided shelter set up by the hikers of this mountain. We should stop there and camp for the night.” The roaring wind whipped at Marietta’s voice, breaking up her words.
Raven would rather keep going. Whispering accusations and desperate pleas carried by the wind drove her on. How would she redeem herself if she lost Darius? She’d never killed—never would kill—a child. The tears she shed froze and cracked on her face. Was it selfish of he
r to be thinking about her needs while Darius suffered under the hands of the witch? Raven’s heart broke more as she thought about what a terrible person she had become.
She could hardly do more than stare at her black boots. Her numb toes froze within. The momentary worry of frostbite crossed her mind, but she chided herself for her continued train of selfish thoughts. If she was this cold, how could Darius feel right now?
Up ahead, the path widened a bit, and the shelter came into view. Smoke trickled from under the roof. Raven paused and the rest of the party came to a standstill beside her.
The trail of smoke dissipated high above the small cabin. Raven's heart beat faster.
In the face of uncertainty, training comes into play.
When training fails, it’s best to rely on one’s partner.
A reaper was never meant to be alone.
RAVEN spun to face the remainder of the group and hunched down, motioning for them to stay quiet and do the same. The men reacted to her position immediately, but Marietta stood there asking, “What’s going on?”
Monroe pulled the woman down and put a finger to his lips. Raven knelt on one knee and faced the group crouched around her. Grant peered over her shoulder. “The shelter is occupied. It might be them. Do we have a plan?”
Raven pulled the other glass tube from her bun and her hair fell freely, whipping away from her. “I’ve got this, but I’d have to make sure it hits a hard spot and breaks on the first try. It will knock out the baron as well.”
“Not to mention we still don’t know for certain that it’s them. We need to be sure, somehow.” Grant gritted his teeth and started to stand..
Raven grabbed him by the arm and shook her head. “I’ll do it. You’re so loud–it’s like a bull coming around the corner. A reaper is trained for stealth.”
Chronicles of Steele: Raven: The Complete Story Page 19