The Dragon Machine (Magebreakers Book 3)

by Ben S. Dobson

  The building was a modest suite of rooms, a housing unit converted into offices at the edge of Greenstone near the Citadel District—a compromise between staying close to the people they represented and having access to the center of power in the city. When Kadka opened the door, she was greeted with a flurry of noise and activity throughout the large common room just inside. People moved in and out, held shouted conversations between rooms, argued over slogans for the banners draped over long tables to either side.

  Gurtle Hruve was rummaging through a cabinet just to the side of the door. The potbellied goblin woman had been the brains behind one of the Silver Dawn’s small cells of agents throughout the city, but of late she’d been acting as Iskar’s administrator for the organization’s more respectable operations. “I need the list of volunteers for the Citadel march!” she shouted over her shoulder. It was only then that she turned to the door.

  “Oh, Kadka!” She smiled in greeting, and offered Carver a less enthusiastic nod. “Here for Iskar I suppose? Go on back. I’d take you, but who’s got the time?”

  “New protest to plan?” Kadka asked. Gurtle and Iskar always seemed to have a new non-violent demonstration in the offing of late.

  “After what happened at the last one, we can’t just sit around,” said Gurtle, crossing her long, thin arms with a scowl. “We’re going to march on the Brass Citadel and demand action. The Senate wants to cool their heels and hope these violent idiots stirred up by the Knights of the Emperor go away. They need to wake up. People are getting hurt.”

  Kadka nodded. “Is not good to let this go without answer. Tell us when, and we will come.”

  “I’m not much of a protest—” Carver started to object, but Kadka elbowed him in the side.

  “We will come,” she said again. This was important. She’d come to realize over the last months that it was everyone’s fight, whether they wanted to take part or not.

  “Well, that helps,” said Gurtle. “People know the Magebreakers. Should get a bigger crowd on our side. We’re still working out details, but I’ll let you know.” She raised a slightly suggestive eyebrow. “Or Iskar will. See him first, I’d bet.”

  Kadka just grinned. “He is in back?”

  Gurtle nodded and waved them through. “Tell him I said not to get too distracted.”

  “Astra, I hope not,” Carver mumbled under his breath.

  Still grinning, Kadka led the way into the back offices, weaving her way between Silver Dawn activists.

  A large orcish man—rare in the Protectorate—stood guard outside Iskar’s office in the back. The sides of his head were shaved, leaving only a crescent of thick black hair atop his head. “Shishter,” he greeted Kadka warmly, lisping around the tusks that jutted from his mouth. Audish wasn’t a language designed to be spoken by full-blooded orcs.

  “Vladak,” Kadka said warmly, and clasped his offered arm. Another of Gurtle’s old cell, they’d met when Vladak had ambushed Kadka to take her weapons the first time she’d been brought to see Iskar. Despite that, she’d come to like him very much—he wasn’t like the harsh Svernan warriors she’d grown up with. One of Audland’s vanishingly few native-born orcs, he was surprisingly gentle for his size and strength.

  “Ishkar ish working inshide,” Vladak said. “He’ll be happy to shee you.” He rapped on the door with the back of his hand. “Bosh, it’sh Kadka.” A moment’s pause, and then, “And Mishter Carver, too.”

  “Glad I merit a mention,” Carver said, a tinge of insult in his voice. It still made him a bit sullen, sometimes, being second to Kadka among Silver Dawn devotees. But he’d get used to it.

  “Ah, splendid. Let them in.” Iskar’s voice, through the door. The powerful rumble of it was always pleasing to Kadka’s ear.

  Iskar had already risen and rounded his desk to greet them when they stepped inside. He crossed the room to circle Kadka’s waist with both arms; she put a hand against his bare silver chest—a sight she never failed to appreciate—and planted a kiss on the end of his snout.

  “You are not busy?” she asked, glancing over his shoulder at the substantial amount of papers on his desk.

  “For you? Never.” Iskar smiled, revealing sharp white teeth. “I assure you, you are a welcome respite from administrative work.” He released her and turned to Carver. “And it is always a pleasure to see you as well, Mister Carver. I assume if you are here, it means this visit is more about business than pleasure. Does this concern Miss Vreeg?” The question was casual, but Kadka thought she detected that keenness in his eye she’d noticed before, when he’d brought the case to them.

  “Good guess,” said Carver. “We’re chasing a lead that you might be able to help with.”

  “Anything you need, of course,” said Iskar. “My resources are at your disposal.”

  “Is angry at Thorpe because father loses work,” Kadka said. “We think she sneaks around quarries, sees something. Is maybe where missing people are. Just need to find which.”

  Iskar’s sapphire eyes were fixed on her intently now, and not for the usual, more enjoyable reason. “A quarry owned by Thorpe Manufacturies? You are certain about this?”

  “Well, certain is a strong word,” said Carver. “Kadka overheard a conversation, and it’s the best lead we have. But I’d put good money that they’re hiding something there, if we can find the right one.” He raised an eyebrow. “Does that mean something to you?”

  The end of Iskar’s silver tail tapped repeatedly against the ground. “No, no. Nothing specific. I can of course ask my agents if they’ve seen anything strange. But… could this be a mistake? Perhaps Miss Vreeg’s dismay over the loss of her father’s job has led her astray?”

  Kadka shook her head. “Felisa Thorpe has hand in this. Hires investigator to find Tinga. This we know.”

  Iskar nodded slowly, obviously dismayed. “Ah. Of course. You wouldn’t act without foundation, I’m sure.” He hesitated, as if he was about to say something, and then closed his mouth.

  “Iskar,” said Carver, “if you know something else—”

  Kadka put a hand on Carver’s arm. “Give us moment, Carver. Please.”

  He frowned, but when she tipped her head toward the door, he nodded. “Right. I’ll be outside.”

  When Carver was gone, Kadka stepped close to Iskar, and took his hands in hers. “Iskar. We have fun together, but you know is not just your pretty face I like, yes? You know you can trust me?”

  “I do, Kadka. It isn’t that…” Iskar swallowed, shook his head. Clearly he knew she’d seen through him, but he was still hesitant. “There are things that I…”

  “There are things you can’t say,” Kadka finished. “I know this. And I do not ask. I trust you have reasons.” Then, gently, “But now there is girl who needs help. If there is something you know, is time to tell.”

  He looked at her for a long moment, and then, “Brokepick Quarry, down Brightfield Road, perhaps a half-hour outside Thaless. If there’s anything to be found, I suspect you’ll find it there.”

  Kadka cocked her head. “You are sure?”

  “I cannot say why, but I am.” Iskar looked absolutely miserable, as if saying even that much was a betrayal of some kind.

  Kadka cupped a hand behind his head, turned his eyes to meet hers. “I care for you very much, dragon-man. I will not tell your secrets. Not just for case. If is more you need to say, I will always listen.”

  Iskar hung his head. “I wish that I could. But some secrets are not mine to reveal.”

  What he was hiding she couldn’t guess, but it was obvious how much it hurt him to say as much as he had. There was a part of her that deeply wanted to know more, to get the answers she’d wondered about these past months, but more than that she just wanted to take his pain away. “I understand,” she said, and ran her hand along the ridged spine on the back of his neck. “This is right thing. I promise you.”

  “I know,” Iskar said. “If it keeps Miss Vreeg safe, it is worth whatever the price
may be.”

  Kadka didn’t like the sound of that. “What price?”

  Iskar pulled back, and smiled sadly. “Perhaps none. Perhaps I am only being foolish. But right now, you have work to do.” He’d apparently reached the limits of what he could say. All that remained was a soft, sorrowful plea:

  “Bring her home, Kadka.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  _____

  FOR THE SECOND evening in three days, Tane found himself walking through the growing dark in soaking wet clothes without an umbrella, hoping it would prove to be worth the discomfort.

  The discs went as far as the outskirts of Greenstone, so that the quarry workers could get to work without hiring carriages they couldn’t afford, but it was still a quarter-hour walk from the last station to Brokepick Quarry. A quarter-hour down a stretch of dirt road between tree-lined hills without mage- or gas-lamps to brighten the way. And of course, it had started raining again while they’d still been below ground. Now it was pouring down in a torrent, turning the dirt underfoot into slippery mud. Now and again, wagons rumbled by, loaded down with quarried stone and ancryst so that they dug deep ruts in the muddy road. Tane had to fight the urge to flag one down and hitch a ride back to Thaless to find someplace dry.

  Over his shoulder he could still see the evening lights of Greenstone, yellow gas-light turned unearthly green by the ancryst haze in the air. A number of quarries broke the darkness across the grassy hills to either side, marked by the magelights they used to keep the work going at all hours. They didn’t look like much in the dim light, darkened by the rainwater into lumps of near-black. The pale green ancryst deposits were invisible from so far away; everything close enough to the surface to see without getting down in the pit had been dug out long ago.

  “Is this one.” Kadka pointed ahead as they rounded a curve, toward a grey gash in the earth that had just come into view behind a hill off the side of the road. Silver-blue luminescence spilled over the lip of the pit. “Where Iskar said.”

  Holding a hand over his eyes to shield them from the rain, Tane nodded. “Alright. I don’t think they’re just going to let us in, and if they see you it’s pretty likely they’re going to think Magebreakers.” He pointed to the hill that had hidden the quarry from sight. “I think you should try to find a vantage point, somewhere you can avoid being seen. Try and get a look at what’s down there. I’ll head closer and see if I can find someone to talk to.”

  Kadka nodded, sending droplets of rain flying from her soaked, furry hair. “Will be waiting, when they chase you away.” She grinned at him, and then turned off the road and loped up the hillside.

  The quarry was nestled in hilly terrain, well covered from all sides, and as Tane drew nearer he noticed a sentry patrolling the perimeter, silhouetted by the magelights glowing within. A path sloped down from the road into the pit, cordoned off with a chain that stretched across its mouth. Under a small open-sided structure beside the path, a pair of guards were taking shelter from the rain—a stout dwarven woman and an ogren man twice her height.

  “Hello there!” Tane raised a hand in greeting and closed the distance. “I was wondering if you could help me. I was out walking the hills when the rain started, and I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. I thought I might hitch a ride back to Thaless on the next wagon, and maybe wait somewhere a bit dryer?”

  The ogren man had a scarred lip and a scowl that looked out of place on his statuesque face. “You’ll have to look somewhere else.”

  The dwarven woman crossed her arms and nodded. “Safety rules. Can’t let anyone in. Best move along.”

  “Are you sure? I could just huddle under there with you. I don’t see anything dangerous around here.” He gestured down the path demonstratively, trying to get a look in the process. The angle was too steep; he couldn’t see anything but the wet stone walls of the pit.

  “She said move along.” The ogren man took a half-step forward, the light from behind casting a gargantuan shadow toward Tane. “Don’t make us say it again.”

  Tane held up his hands and backed away. “I don’t want any trouble. I’ll be on my way. Sorry to bother you.” Making an ogren angry wasn’t going to get him anywhere, and this one seemed unusually temperamental. But they’re definitely hiding something. The question is, what?

  A few minutes later, he was thoroughly soaked and miserable, creeping low to the ground over a wet hill beside Kadka as she searched for a better vantage point. Astra, it would have been nice to stand under that shelter for a few minutes.

  Kadka came to a halt, crouching, and leaned forward, trying to get a better look. “So many guards,” she said. “Must guard something, but I see nothing.”

  From the hilltop, it was clear that no one was doing any actual quarrying in the quarry, but there were a great many armed men keeping watch over something. The problem was—as far as Tane could tell, at least— that there was nothing much to guard, and no sign of any missing people from the Nest. The quarry went further down than he could see, though; the magelit path descended down out of sight, blocked from view at this angle by the lip of the pit. Up top, there was nothing of note, but he had to wonder why they’d dug so deep.

  “There’s got to be more down there,” he said. “We’re only seeing the top levels.” He rose up on his haunches, trying to get a better view, but his foot slipped on the wet grass and he fell on his ass with a grunt.

  Kadka chuckled and offered him an arm as he got his footing again. “Won’t see anything so far back. Need to get closer.” She pointed downhill toward the quarry.

  “They’re watching the perimeter,” said Tane. “And there are probably detection spells. We can’t help anyone if we get caught.”

  “Can’t help if we find nothing, either,” Kadka countered.

  “Fair point,” Tane said. “Alright, how are we doing this, then?”

  “Will sneak between guards. I have been watching. Patrol has gaps—they stay too long out of rain. Maybe have detecting spells, but this does not stop me. You keep watch here, make signal if anyone comes close.”

  “I can do that. I’ll… do like this.” He cupped his hands around his mouth and hooted, trying to imitate a bird call.

  Kadka grinned. “Sounds like man hooting. Would alert every hunter in Sverna.”

  “I don’t think these guards are going to know the difference,” Tane said. “They don’t strike me as great hunters. Just go.”

  But before she could, Tane felt something press sharp against his back. He strangled his cry of alarm in his throat, but it was loud enough to make Kadka whirl toward him.

  “She’s not going anywhere,” a female voice whispered from just behind. “Except straight into that pit, if either one of you moves.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  _____

  TANE DID AS he was told.

  Mostly.

  He stayed where he was, but glanced over his shoulder to verify his hunch. Even over the rain, he was sure he’d heard that voice before. High and slightly nasal—a goblin voice.

  Tinga.

  Her hair was slicked to her head and water beaded off the end of her pointed green nose. She was soaked and shivering—the dirty, tattered clothes that she must have been wearing since she’d run away from home provided almost no protection against the rain.

  But there was no mistaking the determination on her face. Or the wand she had at his back.

  Somehow, she’d gotten the drop on Kadka’s orcish ears—impressive, even behind the noise of the rain. Goblins had a reputation for being sneaky, and some theorized they had a magical gift for stealth, masking sound instinctively the way gnomes camouflaged themselves from sight. Magical purists fought the idea that goblins had any innate magic whatsoever, but Tane was inclined to believe it. Not many could take Kadka unaware.

  Kadka took a step toward her. “Tinga—”

  “I said don’t move!” Tinga swung the wand in Kadka’s direction. “This is a force wand. I can throw you both into th
e pit in one wave.” She prodded Tane in the back again. “Over there. Beside her.”

  “A force wand?” Tane asked as he moved to Kadka’s side. He was more impressed than afraid—nothing he’d learned about the girl implied that she would hurl him to his death. He turned back to face Tinga. “Those aren’t cheap. How did you get your hands on that?”

  “Same way I’ve been keeping myself masked,” Tinga said, jutting out her chin with defiant pride. “I stole it. I’d have thought the Magebreakers would have figured that much out already.”

  “If you know us, you know we are not enemies,” Kadka said. “Don’t need threats. We want to help.”

  “I couldn’t be sure until I saw you, Miss Kadka. I recognize you from the rallies.” Tinga jabbed her wand at Tane. “He said so, but I didn’t believe him until I saw you come out of that warehouse.”

  “But you believe me now,” said Tane. “We aren’t with Thorpe. Your parents asked us to find you. We’re on your side.”

  Tinga shook her head. “No one’s on my side. If my parents sent you, then you’re here to take me home. They won’t let me out of their sight again. I can’t go back until I find Cestra and the others. No one else is going to help. The bluecaps don’t care about people like them.”

  Tane understood how she felt. More than that, he remembered it. He’d been there himself. “Your parents hired us to bring you back to them, that’s true. But if the only way to do that is to help you find these people first, then that’s what we’ll do.”

  The tip of the wand wavered, just slightly. “I… I can’t risk it,” Tinga said. “Even if you want to help, you know bluecaps, and if they found me… they’re going to think I burned that man. I didn’t… he just burned up. I don’t know why.”

  “I told them that wasn’t you. We’ve seen it happen too.” Tane could see how badly she wanted help, but she’d been in this alone for too long to trust the offer. She needed to be convinced. “I promise you, we won’t turn you over to them, or to your parents. We’ll see this through with you.”