Gears of Brass: A Steampunk Anthology

by Jordan Elizabeth

  I’d be on my way to Easton or some other kingdom, but Lance read my mission. He’ll go look for me at the giant’s home, and when he finds the child, he won’t hesitate to slaughter it. In good conscious, I can’t let that happen, so I’ll need to move the small giant to another safe area. Then, and only then, can I be on my way.

  Crickets chirp as darkness falls across the land. I slip into my small cottage, gathering up spare clothes and blankets as well as all of my money. My personal belongings—paintings, my mother’s apron, my father’s books, will have to remain here. I’ll miss them dearly, but it must look like nothing is amiss. Lance isn’t daft. This will be the first place he checks once he realizes I’m missing, and he knows exactly how I left it.

  Leaving no more room for doubt, I pick up my travel bag and make my way into the night.

  The streets are empty for the most part, but I’m not taking the roads. I head west. Weaving through the thick brush, thorns dig through my heavy woolen leggings. It’s not entirely proper attire for a woman to wear, but neither is swinging around a sword and hunting giants.

  When I reach the woods, it takes a few minutes for my eyes to adjust fully to the darkness shrouding the ground, but I manage by taking smaller strides. If I continue to travel at this pace though, it’ll take me a lot longer to get to the mountainside, that’s for sure. Time is something I don’t have.

  I should’ve stayed at the castle, but the fear that Lance would come with me was too great. Maybe I’m being silly—probably over thinking this. They’re probably all at the castle enjoying some great feast, not even noticing the guest of honor is actually not there.

  A rustling of leaves from my left causes my body to still. A chilling wind brushes against my face, making me shudder. My heart hammers while I try to quiet my breathing. Staring at the area, I silently pray whatever is coming my way isn’t Lance. A tree sways. Branches part. A moment later, a tall shadow looms over me. 142Fear wraps my insides like always. Instinctively, I grip the hilt of my dagger strapped at my side.

  The figure comes closer with a towering height over me, and I wait. My body screams, “Run.” My limbs, however, aren’t following those orders very well. Listening intently, I hear light breathing, a scraping of something against a sandpapery surface. An orange flame illuminates the space between a tall man and me.

  I stand motionless and he closes the gap. “Are you lost?”

  “No. Are you?” I’m surprised at how harsh I sound. This man hasn’t done anything to me, just asked a simple question. I’ve never seen him before now, so there’s a good chance he has no idea who I am.

  He snorts. “I’m not lost. Then again, I’ve never seen a lady in the forest without an escort or a horse for that matter. Did you lose either of these things?”

  Is he for real? “You better get a candle. Your match is about to go out.”

  He smirks and tosses it to the ground. “Or do that.”

  I try to move around him but he blocks my way. “I appreciate the concern for my wellbeing and all, but I can assure you I’m perfectly fine. Now, if you don’t mind I must say good night and be on my way.”

  I bow slightly and attempt to head around him again. Fingers wrap around my forearm, while his deep voice reaches me, “Wait. Let me walk with you a bit.” I start to protest, but he interrupts, “I’ll feel better. This forest isn’t the safest place. Haven’t you heard about the murders?”

  Murders? The only murders in these woods were committed eight months ago. I should know because I did them. I don’t tell him this though. He’ll think I’m a freak, just like everyone else.

  “No, I haven’t. But I don’t walk with strangers,” I state while marching on. He follows though—step for step.

  “That’s a good rule, I suppose.” He lights another match and hands it to me. “Hold this.” I do. He breaks off a branch full of leaves and then says, “Go ahead and light the leaves.” Again I do. I shouldn’t, but the attention the stranger is giving me warms something inside me, and I like it. Plus if he turns out to be crazy, well, my sword or my dagger can take care of that problem.

  “I’m Colten, by the way.”

  I smile. “I’m Jackie.”

  He nods. “Nice to meet you, Jackie. So what are doing traveling these parts of the woods without an escort and at this time of night?”

  “I’m on my way to visit my nephew. I’ve made the trip a few times and my heart misses him so much, I decided not to wait until sunrise.” Worst lie ever! A sour taste forms in my mouth. I hope Colten leaves my side by dawn.

  I study him. He’s tall. Facial stubble speckles his chisel jawline. There’s a slight cleft in his chin, and a dark freckle on his right cheek. He looks over at me, and I quickly avert my own gaze.

  “Where are you from, Jackie?”

  “Culpepper. How about yourself?” Not exactly a lie. I was born in Culpepper. My parents moved to Beantown when I turned ten. Two years later, the peddler showed up.

  “Everywhere. Don’t stay in a place longer than a few months. But for now, I live outside of Beantown.”

  I let out a straggled laugh. “There’s a great tale about that place.” It’s stupid for me to say this, but I need to be sure he hasn’t heard anything about me. Because if he does know, then he’s sure to figure out my lie and heaven help me if he tries to come with me into the giant’s cave.

  “Don’t all towns have them? But yes, a tale in particular brought me here.”

  “Oh. Which one?” I swallow.

  “It doesn’t matter.” He offers a smile. “So… um… how far is your nephew’s home?”

  “Oh… it’s a ways. I should probably stop pretty soon and take a rest.”

  He nods. “My home is a little ways. Would you like to take a rest there?”

  Should I nap in Colten’s place? Trying to think out all the pros and cons in a timely manner I finally give up and nod. Please don’t be a crazy person.

  Colten leads me into a small log cabin set deep in the heart of the forest. He takes off his coat and hangs it on a hook near the door. I do the same while he takes my bag from me. I notice his eyes flick to my weapons, but he doesn’t say anything. He swaggers away to the other end of the room, and bends down next to the fireplace. I slowly enter the sitting room and watch Colten build a fire.

  “Thank you. For everything.”

  He turns away from the fireplace, revealing the most gorgeous pine green eyes I’ve ever seen. My breath catches in my throat and I blink a few times. “It’s no problem. The room should warm up pretty soon. In the meantime, would you like something to drink?”

  “Sure. That’ll be great.” I sit in one of the small chairs with a leather hide stretching across the back. “Did you make this?”

  He pops his head up from behind a long table in the back and nods. “I hope you aren’t offended.”

  I shake my head. “I think it’s wonderful. Most people wouldn’t think about doing something like this.” Which is true. Most hunters I know just take the meat and discard everything else. It’s a little sad.

  While Colten works away in his kitchen, I stare at him. He sweeps a hand through his long light-brown locks and stirs something upon his stove. He cocks his head in my direction and I quickly look away. It’s not polite to stare, that’s what my mother always told me before she died, but it’s hard not to gawk at Colten. From his broad shoulders to his lean midsection, and those eyes. Wow. I could get lost in them.

  Snap out of it, Jack! You’ve got a mission and you can’t afford any sort of distractions right now. That’s true. I can’t afford any distractions. Move the child to a protective area and leave. That’s it.

  “Um… here’s some tea.” Colten hands me a cup, and says with a crooked smile, “Sorry. You looked lost in thought.”

  I take the cup from him. “Thanks. I’ve been a little heedless.”

  Colten takes the seat next to me. “You may have the bedroom for the night.”

  Shaking my head, I say, �
��That’s okay. I can take the floor out here.” I’ve slept in rougher places, but he doesn’t need to know this. He doesn’t need to know the real me. From here on, no one does.

  Silence brews between us. Should I ask him something? Nah. I stare at the crackling fire, and drink my tea. My gaze slips from the hot ambers to Colten. He sighs, and rises from his chair. “I’m going to grab a change of clothing from my room. Please take the bed for the night. It’s only right.”

  I nod. There seems to be no stopping him on the matter of where I sleep. Once he leaves, I return my attention to the fire. It takes me back to that night the peddler came. He sat so close to our fireplace, I was sure the spitting embers would reach his ragged clothes and set him on fire. He looked back at me with a wickedness filling his brown eyes. Dirt smudged his cheeks and forehead, as well as his clothes and hands.

  “Shall I draw you a bath?” My mother asked.

  “That’s mighty kind, ma’am, but these are the only clothes I brought with me. Lots of items to cart, and luggage is just another thing to haul around.” The peddler looked a little bashful to admit this. My mother smiled though. She offered him a change of clothes, and washed his things.

  I remember sleep came early for me. Before I entered my room, the peddler—all clean, wearing my father’s clothes—had called me into the sitting room. “Do you believe in magic, Jackie?”

  “I don’t know. People in town say magic is bad. But wishes are like magic and I love making wishes. My mommy says I should always make a wish on my birthday.”

  He smiled. It was a full toothy smile, but there was something not quite right about it. Yes, even at ten I spotted this, but ignored it. “I have something for you then.” He opened his trunk and pulled out a small thing, wrapped in green cloth. His beady eyes watch as I yanked on the twine keeping the treasure closed. The cloth fell away revealing three multi-colored glittery beans. “These are magical beans.”

  My mother called for me before I could inquire what was so magical about those beans. The peddler was gone in the morning, leaving no trace that he’d even entered our house. For a whole year, I was scared of those beans. Scared of the magic they could hold. But at fourteen, I was no longer afraid of the magic.

  At first, I wished. Nothing happened. Then I thought about ingesting one. So, I took a tiny bite out of one of them. Again nothing happened. I got so mad I threw the beans out the window. They landed into my mother’s garden, and the magic… it happened. But at fourteen, I wished for a boyfriend, and a figure, not a beanstalk and giants.

  “Your room is ready,” Colten says. I blink and glance around the log cabin.

  “Thank you again. For everything.” I sound like an idiot. He tips his head and shows me to the bedroom.

  “I started a fire because it was a little chilly back here. If you need an extra blanket though, there is some in the trunk at the foot of the bed.”

  He leaves the room, and I look back at the bed. I shouldn’t sleep in it, but it’ll probably be years before I get a luxury like this again. Is saving one baby giant really worth all this? I hope so. By God, I really hope so.

  The sun has barely risen. I’m already a good hour away from Colten’s cabin when I hear the trumpets. Oh no, the royal guards. To hell with it all. I look upward at the nearest climbable tree and sigh. “This is so not on my list of things to do this morning!” I growl as my fingers bite into the rough bark of the tall oak tree.

  Sitting up high, I glance down and recognize the set jaw, and then see his hand pushing back long dark locks. He points an arm to the left. “Search the high grounds. She’s got to be around here somewhere.” Three men on horses head off in that direction. He points his right arm in my direction. “You two go this way. There’s a set of cabins that way, she might be staying in one.”

  The men shuffle away, sloshing around leaves and twigs in their path. I stare at Lance. A worried look sets on his face, and he mutters, “Where are you, Jack?” He turns his head upward to the sky. “God, please keep her safe.”

  Have I been wrong about Lance? No. He just wants me alive for the king’s sake. I won’t get suckered in again.

  I study him. His movements are slow. He scans the ground and touches the bushes. Please don’t let him find me.

  Lance walks a little ways, and I release a straggled breath.

  “Sir Lance,” a guard shouts. He scurries up to Lance. I can’t hear what the man says, but Lance looks over the guard’s shoulder. His eyes are wide and he nods. He tells him something and then they separate. The guard goes off toward the mountainside while Lance heads back toward Beantown. Colten…

  Caught between something I need to do and something I shouldn’t, I curse under my breath and climb out of the tree. Once my feet hit the ground, I rush back to Colten’s cabin. Lance is yards away from me. However, every stride he takes equals three steps for me, so catching up to him, let alone surpassing him, means I need to run. Running will give away my position though.

  We approach Colten’s cabin within what feels like seconds, but I know we’ve been walking for a good twenty minutes. Lance stalks up to the front door, glances around, and lifts a hand to the wood. This is my chance to break into Colten’s and get him out of here.

  No one deserves to be property to the King, and that’s what will happen if Lance gets to Colten before me.

  It’ll start out as a simple conversation about a girl gone missing. Colten will answer him, and that will be the end of it. Lance will claim Colten knows more than he’s telling, take him straight to the king where he will be tried, and possibly forced into slavery or hung for treason.

  And after a few years of slavery, if Colten is still sturdy and useful, they’ll recruit him to becoming a royal guard in order to make amends for the crime he committed against the crown. But this would be far worse than slavery, because they’ll ask him to carry out debits that even the devil himself would probably turn away from. Colten’s soul would be forever condemned carrying out the king’s wishes—killing innocent people to destroying their homes for lack of payment made to the king’s taxes.

  The pit of my stomach tightens at the thought. For years, I’ve done things I haven’t been proud of—sure it was to beasts, but that’s no excuse. I’m a monster.

  Lurking around the house, I spot an open window and hurry to it. The knocking sounds like a drum-boom-boom-boom-boom. Slipping through an opening easy enough, my heart pounds while my feet shuffle through the kitchen area. Keeping myself low, I whisper, “Colten?”

  “Jackie?” he asks in a louder tone than I wanted him to.

  “Colten, don’t open the door.” He stops mid stride and glances over at me. “They’ll kill you. I’m sorry. I’ll explain on the way, but we’ve got to leave.”

  The pounding on the door starts up again with Lance bellowing, “Hello?”

  Colten quirks up an eyebrow, but soon follows me out the side window.

  “Jackie, what kind of mess did you get me into?” he asks as he and I make it a few yards from his house.

  “It’s me they’re after, not you. But if they start to ask about me and my whereabouts… well, they’d think you knew more than what you might have told them. They’d take you back to the King and claim it was grounds for treason.”

  We’re deeper in the heart of the forest now, but I’m still not able to breathe freely. The guards could be hiding out here or close by. There’s no reason to take such a chance.

  “I’m not understanding.”

  He wouldn’t. I lied to him. I look at him and sigh. “You know the story about Jack and the Beanstalk?” He nods. “That’s me. The King…” I swallow not able to get it out in one breath. “He wants me to slaughter the last giant. The measurements indicate it’s far younger than any I’ve killed and I just… can’t.”

  Colten looks angry for a minute, then his eyes shift. “I see. What do you plan on doing with the beast when you find it?”

  “Move it to a safe place and leave it be.”
/>
  “That’s mighty kind for a slayer.”

  I shift a little and notice the glare of hatred pouring from his eyes. “Oh god. It’s not a baby. It’s a half blood, and … “

  “Yes, Jack. I’m it.”

  Dread fills me. How could I be so stupid? No one lives this deep in the forest, not even the monks or the hermits. And he knew about the killings. I slept in his bed. He was kind and sweet. Maybe I was wrong about them all this time.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

  They say death is peaceful. Your body goes to a floating state and everything is just peaceful. Whoever said that was the worst sort of liar ever. There is nothing peaceful about dying. Colten hit me so hard, I flew back into a tree. My back smacks against the bark—dragging and tearing into my flesh. I don’t move.

  I can. I just don’t want to. He stomps over and examines me. His fingers brush against my chin and lift my head slightly. My eyes flutter open and close, and open again. Colten’s eyes narrow and he cocks back a closed fist. I know he’s going to hit me. Preparing for it, I sit up a little straighter against the tall pine.

  “I’ve waited years and years for this day. You killed my mother. My father died at the hands of the King for marrying out of his species.”

  I shake my head and mumble, “I didn’t kill him. I’m only responsible for the giants. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re not even going to fight, are you?”

  “No.”

  “Why? Because I’m part human? Do you feel sympathy for me?”

  “I’m tired. Nothing I do will bring back my parents. Nothing I do will bring back your parents. I can’t undo what I did. I would if I could. I would have never planted those beans if I knew what would happen.”

  He stares at me, drops his fist, and paces in front of me. “There once was a girl, beautiful, kind, and strong as anyone could be. Heart of gold, hair of ebony. The girl will be the holder of the beans. She breaks the curse by setting the slaves free. But be warned if she’s not accepted, she’ll slay and kill the freed.”