“We’re almost there,” he yelled over the whipping wind. “Get ready to drop!” He held up his thumb and I did the same. I closed the visor.
Turning my attention to the battlefield, I looked down at the national mall. Sinclair had done his part: troops, artillery batteries, the Templar Aircorps, and the cavalry— all forces of the Templars and Freemasons—were lined up in front of, or hovering above the White House and the Capitol Building. All the marble and columned buildings reminded me of the Acropolis, and where this journey had started. Looking toward the southwest, coming over Alexandria, I saw the Vimana with the Dragonship circling around it.
The sky still burned bright orange. I couldn’t tell if it was dawn, dusk, or midday. As if the horror of the sky witch and the power she’d unleashed loomed over the entire world.
The Vimana crossed the Potomac and landed on the riverbank. Huge doors opened and the armors, cannon carriages, and two of the Iron Horsemen charged out. Hundreds of gun ports slid open and large cannons emerged to hurl lead and fire at the troops protecting the capital.
With the Vimana on the ground and the Dragonship flying toward the armies, we had the perfect opportunity to board the Vimana. It might be a fortified base but every castle could be besieged. In the air, it would move about the battlefield raining death, but on the ground it was vulnerable.
The Sparrowhawk dove toward the Vimana. I was in front and had the perfect view. I could see the top, the huge propellers atop the towers, and the large windows of the control deck. Hunter pounded twice on my helmet and released the chains. The Black Knight dropped toward the Vimana, barely slowed by the chute I was dragging above me. I braced myself for the impact, uncertain if I’d bounce off the armored shell or punch right through.
I slammed down on the top ring of the Vimana, and rolled forward to get out of the Bronze Knight’s landing space. I spun around and saw Genevieve’s armor land in the same spot I’d just left. I raised my shield to salute her and when she did the same, I knew she was okay.
We lurched as the Vimana lifted off. I gathered myself and aimed my cannons at one of the towers, but before I could fire, the glass windows of the control deck shattered. Two Iron Horsemen burst through and landed in front of us. I recognized the Horseman of War right away, General Hendrix atop his new red-shrouded steed. It was bigger than the last one, with more weapons, but the same inner fire glowed within the iron plates of the steed. The iron horse snorted fire and smoke, and its glowing eyes made we wonder if it was alive or just demonically possessed metal. Hendrix, in his dark, black cloak with the hood drawn far over his face, roared and lifted a huge sword in the air.
The wind whipped the hood off the horseman beside him. Sitting on the back of the green shrouded steed of famine was the baroness, Genevieve’s mother.
CHAPTER 51
FORCES OF NATURE
General Hendrix charged forward and slammed his sword down on me, trying to cleave me in half. I blocked with my shield as I drew the large sword from the Black Knight’s back. I thrust the large slab of metal and tried to impale Hendrix. He slashed at my sides and I parried his blade with my shield.
Through the visor of the Black Knight’s helmet, I saw Genevieve and her mother locked in combat. My heart raced, the last time they’d faced each other, in the Zulu village, her mother had bested Genevieve with a sword. However, Genevieve had been conflicted. Her mother was saying what she wanted to hear. This time was different. This time she knew better. This time, she wanted to defeat her mother.
I couldn’t watch her, Hendrix pressed his attack, and I defended against each strike My shield was dented, scratched, and nicked, but I knew it would hold, for now. I had a mission. I wasn’t here to keep Hendrix occupied. This Vimana had to be brought down. I rolled back and aimed my cannons at one of the towers. Hendrix charged. I had only a moment before he reached me. I fired. Smoke and fire exploded from the top barrel and the shell pierced through the armor plating protecting the propeller mechanics.
Hendrix slammed his sword down and I blocked it with my steel plate blade. The Gatling guns on the flanks of his steed roared to life and my chest plate was pelted with bullets. I pushed my shield between us. The bullets bounced off, and I tried to impale Hendrix but the Horseman of War leapt back and avoided my blade. I quickly checked the tower I’d shot, but the propeller still spun at full speed.
Explosions and saw Genevieve’s Bronze Knight blasted one of the towers with both her cannons. The shells ejected and two more rounds slid forward into the breach. Her mother slammed her hooves against the Bronze Knight’s shield. Genevieve took the hit and pushed the black shrouded steed off.
We fought atop the Vimana in a desperate attempt to damage it, but from what I was seeing, we wouldn’t be enough. I needed part two of my plan. I charged Hendrix’s red steed of War as it reared up. The Black Knight’s shoulder smashed into the hooves and I used the shield as I’d seen Owethu do at the Zulu village. Coming under the hooves, I lifted the steed up exposing its belly. I pushed forward on the controls and shoved the Iron Horsemen back into the control room of the Vimana.
As Hendrix smashed through the glass, I rolled over to the edge. Opening the visor, I fired off a flare. The bright red ember soared over the battlefield below, drifting on the wind. I searched for my father in the field below. I spotted a carriage by the unfinished Washington Monument. Finn drove the steam-carriage with the Tinkerer’s tornado engine. My father and the baron jumped out to set up the machine. They arranged nine fans in a circle. Each fan had a metal covering to direct the wind. As the fans started to churn, I saw a whirlwind form in the center.
Owethu, in the Iron Zulu, fought the Golden Circle armors. He sped back and forth engaging all their forces with the cannons on his armor and his giant Zulu short spear, the Iklawa. He fought with the ferocity of a lion and plowed through his enemies. I raised my sword in salute. The Templars and Freemasons fired from their positions, and the batteries blasted the Golden Circle’s forces, but Owethu was in the thick of it, single-handedly keeping the armors away from the White House and Capitol Building.
Then I saw the Dragonship circle to make another pass. A swath of fire had already engulfed some troops. Lianhua and Mr. Singh maneuvered into position under the metallic dragon, and as it blew fire from its gaping jaws, the Iron Lotus and Iron Templar fired the two grapplers on their hips. The hooks sank into the sides of the dragon and both armors were pulled into the air. Retracting the cables, they pulled themselves onto the Dragonship as it undulated back into the sky and tore through a Templar airship sending the flaming wreck crashing to the ground.
Turning to search for Genevieve, I caught a glimpse of Hendrix charging on his Iron Horseman. I pivoted my armor to get my shield in front of his hooves as he slammed them against me. The force was so intense, it knocked the Black Knight off the edge of this ring. I smashed into the tower one level down. The Horseman of War jumped down onto my tier.
Hendrix laughed from atop his steed as I struggled to free myself and stand again. “You cannot hope to win. Look,” he gestured to the battlefield. The Vimana’s guns were decimating the troops below. Most of the artillery batteries were already destroyed. He appeared to be targeting them first. “Next my machines will destroy the very houses of democracy. I will build my new empire on its ashes just as Emperor Burr wished.”
“Never!” I pushed forward on the controls and the armor ripped free. I charged with my sword lowered like a lance. He jumped out of the way, but rounded his horse. The iron plates on the steed’s chest opened up and revealed three cannon barrels and a Gatling gun. Hendrix fired. The first slammed into my side, I pivoted the shield intercepting the second and third. Bullets pinged off the armor.
I closed the distance between us and slashed with my sword. Hendrix blocked with his large blade. I pulled on the controls in the arm and pushed on his sword. We struggled against each other, both attempting to assert our dominance. I wanted to send my blade through him, to separate the metal half from
the half of flesh. My anger rose, and rage burned on the back of my neck.
His wide eye screamed while the other sparked; we both wanted to kill the other.
A tornado whipped up beside the Vimana. The swirling wind arced toward one of the four towers, but missed and struck the side of the Vimana. The tornado ripped a cannon from its port and destroyed several gun installations. The winds churned up the side of the fortress and slammed into Genevieve and her mother on the level above. Genevieve rolled back using her shield to deflect as much of the wind as possible. The Horseman of Famine jumped out of the wind, landing on the far side of the Vimana.
The cyclone ripped through the armored troops below us. I saw a couple of men in Golden Circle armor whipping about in the wind, only to be tossed out. The winds dissipated as it moved off from the generator below.
Hendrix roared. “Do you think a little wind will bring my flying castle from the sky?”
“The forces of nature can stand up to the power of the Hearts.” I raised my sword, pulling on the controls of the Black Knight, preparing to strike.
“Nothing is as powerful as the Hearts. You could know this power, but no, you refused me. I offer the world and you raise your sword to me.”
“It’s my duty to stop the Hearts.”
“Duty.” Hendrix threw back his head and laughed. “Whose duty? The Templars? The Freemasons? The nobles? You’re none of those things.”
I charged, swinging the sword, but the Horseman easily leapt over me. But I wasn’t trying to hit him, I wanted to give myself an opening. I aimed the two cannons under my shield at one of the towers. I squeezed the triggers and both cannons fired. The rounds slammed into the tower. I saw the explosion before I heard it. Black smoke billowed from the top of the tower, but the propellers continued to spin, and the Vimana remained aloft.
I rolled to the edge and looked over. My father and the baron were setting up to generate another tornado. Owethu in Iron Zulu kept the armored army at bay. I only had to keep Hendrix distracted a little longer and the Vimana would fall.
I spun around and faced the Horseman of War. “Hendrix. I fight because it’s what the Armitage do. It’s what my friends do. Indihar stands up to tyranny in all its forms. Lianhua stands up to those that would put her in chains. Owethu defends his family and friends. Genevieve fights to redeem her mother. I fight... I fight for all them.”
Rage flamed in Hendrix’s eye, the right one sparking bright white with electricity. He charged, firing the chest cannons, and swinging his sword. I set my shield to take the hits and parried his blade with my own.
My shield started to buckle under the constant fire. He moved faster than I ever could, and hit my armor in one of the joints. I pulled on a lever inside the armor to eject the shells, and pushed another to load two more rounds. As I did, he dropped the blade under my shield and thrust. It pierced the armor and ran right past me. I looked down, fear rising that I had been stabbed, but no pain overtook me. My vest was cut but not my skin. I moved the arm with the shield and cannons, pressing the barrels against the side of his steed. I fired both barrels, knocking the Horseman of War into the tower.
Another tornado ripped up the side of the tower, shearing the armor plating, and ripping the mechanics to bits. I lost Hendrix in the maelstrom. The Vimana lurched and tilted to one side. The Black Knight started to slide and I had to speed up to remain in place. The Vimana twisted as it fell and the tornado shredded the side.
The flying fortress was heading toward the Potomac. I had to get off, but that didn’t look possible. The Sparrowhawk flew over and Bronze Knight dangled from a grappling line. I saw Hunter manning the second grappling gun, which was usually used to snare airships to be raided. He fired and the line zipped down in front of me. The grappling hook didn’t penetrate the thick armor plating of the Vimana’s hull, but it didn’t need to, I sheathed the sword on the Black Knight’s back, and grabbed hold of the line. Pulling back on the controls, I secured the Black Knight’s grip and we were yanked off as the Vimana fell out from under me and the Sparrowhawk soared off.
CHAPTER 52
THE MOMENT
Twisting beneath the Sparrowhawk, I saw the Vimana crash into the water. Crunching up like a piece of paper, the flying pyramid sent the river cascading over the banks. Smoldering ruins sent smoke and steam into the air, and I pumped my fist in celebration. Then the glint of orange light off the metallic hide of the Dragonship drew my eye to the undulating craft. The large open jaws of the Dragonship tore through another airship, and I realized they were flying toward us.
I was spinning too much to get a clean shot and would never be able to grab my sword while holding onto the line. The Dragonship approached from the side. Baldarich hadn’t maneuvered out of the way. He might not have seen them, and I had no way of warning him.
On the back of the Dragonship, I saw the Iron Lotus hooked onto the shoulders, and the Iron Templar secured to the midsection. They were the only hope for the Sparrowhawk. The cannons above me fired, but the first shots missed the undulating Dragonship.
Iron Lotus fired her cannons at the port shoulder propeller, and threw one of her large blades into the other side. The Iron Templar fired at the two propellers on the hips. The rockets in the feet still held the Dragonship aloft, but thick black smoke streamed out of its shoulders and hips.
The Dragonship opened its jaws and maneuvered to get the best shot on the Sparrowhawk. I tried to raise my cannon, but I spun as the wind caught my shield. I felt useless, forced to watch as the Dragonship was about to destroy the Sparrowhawk and send us all crashing to the ground. Trailing wisps of shadows and streams of black smoke, the Dragonship positioned itself to strike from underneath the Sparrowhawk. The Iron Lotus drew two knives, long, sharp sheet metal, and slammed them into one of the overlapping joints of armor on the dragon’s back. She pried open the armor. Shoving her cannons inside the metallic beast, Lianhua fired, then she immediately rolled forward along the back and pierced the Dragonship right behind its head with her knives. She stuck her cannons into the back of the head and fired again. The eyes of the Dragonship exploded out and smoke billowed from the ports. The Dragonship plunged to the ground, as it fell, Lianhua opened her visor and released Kō’ilā. The bird swooped into the head of the plummeting airship and emerged with one of the Hearts, the red urn that we’d found on Malta. The owl spiraled downward in a large circle, following Lianhua as they dropped to the ground.
The Dragonship smashed against the grassy field beside the Washington Monument. The Iron Lotus and the Iron Templar retracted their grappling lines and rolled down the Dragonship’s spine. They sprang off and landed on the ground as the Dragonship crumpled into a mangled mess around them.
Kō’ilā swooped down and landed on the Iron Lotus’ arm. Mr. Singh yelled something, reaching out from inside his armor. Lianhua collected the heart using the Iron Lotus and raised the urn in the air. As it had in London, time slowed, the wind barely rushed around the Black Knight, and the twisting motion of the cable halted. The Iron Lotus shattered the urn by squeezing its hand and a surge of power exploded out of the Heart in a circle.
There didn’t appear to be any damage to the armors, but they didn’t move. The Iron Lotus’ arm remained in an upright position. The wind resumed rushing around my armor, and I continued to turn around the cable.
Owethu in the Iron Zulu continued to fight the armored Knights of the Golden Circle. I checked on my father and the baron. They worked on the tornado generator, but I couldn’t tell what was wrong. As my armor pivoted toward the other two Iron Horsemen, I saw them charging the idle Lianhua and Mr. Singh.
The Sparrowhawk continued to descend, lowering Genevieve and I closer to the ground. When close enough to not destroy my armor, I pushed forward on the controls and released the cable. As the Black Knight smashed into the grass, dirt and dust flew up around me, but then a swarm of bugs engulfed me. I rolled forward leaving the swarm behind, but a thought instantly crossed my mind. The
Horseman of Famine—Genevieve’s mother—her steed had the tuning fork tail. The same one Zerelda used in the Battle of the Thames to summon swarms of bugs. I spun around and saw the black-shrouded Horseman of Famine. Bugs swarmed around the steed like a black cloud.
Genevieve in the Bronze Knight dropped in front of her mother and raised her sword. I knew she had her, a continuation of their duel on the Vimana. I turned toward the two Horsemen: Pestilence, covered in a tattered white cloth, and Death, one covered in a pale-green shroud.
Lianhua and Mr. Singh still didn’t move. Smoke no longer poured from the stacks on their backs. The urn’s explosion had dampened the flames and cooled their boilers. They couldn’t move until the fires were restarted. That would never happen before the Horsemen attacked them. I pressed the pedals all the way forward, forcing as much speed as I could from the Black Knight.
Antiocus on the Horseman of Pestilence, and Lord Marbury on the Horseman of Death, tore up the ground as their steeds’ hooves slammed into the ground. I raised my cannon and fired in front of Antiocus. Both Horsemen turned toward me. The Horseman of Pestilence fired the huge bows on the steed’s front hips as the Horseman of Death charged.
I raised my shield and one arrow bounced off, but the other pierced through the shield and the chest plate. The point stopped a few inches from my chest. Looking at the large arrow, I breathed a long sigh, but I couldn’t rest. Death approached and Pestilence turned back to my friends.
I pushed hard on both pedals and the Black Knight rolled forward. I sped toward Death. At the last moment, as he swung the large scythe, I eased up on the left pedal and the Black Knight veered to the left and raced past Death.
I drew the Black Knight’s sword and lowered it like a lance. Charging Pestilence, I heard Death slam its hooves against the ground as it turned around. But, I was focused on Antiocus and the side of Horseman of Pestilence. I could see the bows being mechanically drawn back by a series of gears. The large black arrows, identical to the one poking through my armor’s chest plate, slid out of the steed and loaded into each bow. In a moment he would fire. With the armors unable to move, the arrows would rip right through. I couldn’t let that happen.
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