Secrets in the Mist

by Morgan L. Busse

  Bert led them down the plank and onto the walkway. Even with the solemn cause for their visit, Cass couldn’t help but be impressed by Decadenn as they entered the city. There was modern feel to the metropolis, with its polished metal buildings, smooth steam pipes, concrete streets, and gas lamps on every block. It smelled different, too: spices drifting out of open doors and windows as food was prepared, elegant perfume and fragrances, a metallic smell rising from the well-oiled gears that kept Decadenn running.

  They caught a steam-powered shuttle that resembled a short train and ran along rails built over the streets. Cass pressed her face to the glass and watched as towering buildings rushed by. Half of her was thrilled by the overwhelming beauty of the city while her other half wished to go back to the Daedalus, to the familiar and comfortable.

  A zipper flew up and over the shuttle into the fog-filled sky. She wondered what it would be like to fly in such a vehicle and be able to go wherever she wanted.

  Twenty minutes later, the shuttle stopped somewhere deep inside the city. Cass followed Bert and Lucas onto the ramp and down the stairs. Smog hung in the air, and the buildings were smudged with soot and filth. She wrinkled her nose and took care not to touch anything. Why was the captain’s brother in this part of town?

  Her answer came a minute later when Bert turned toward a small wooden door built into a dull brick building with three golden balls suspended above the post. The sign of a pawnbroker. So the captain’s brother was a pawnbroker in Decadenn. It made sense. The occupation would provide him with large network of people, not only those needing a couple of sterlings to make it to the end of the week, but also the wealthy looking for valuables at a discounted rate. Or even the service of a diving ship.

  A bell rang within the shop when Bert opened the door. The three of them went in. The interior was made from the same brick pattern as the outside, with copper pipes running along the low ceiling. A wooden counter ran along the right wall, while the left side of the room was filled with furniture, paintings, clothing, and even a gilded cage with a white bird inside. It bobbed its head, then hopped from one side to the other as if to get a closer look at the newcomers.

  Moments later, a man emerged from the door in the back. He was taller and thinner than Captain Gresley, but his face was almost identical. A pair of spectacles hung on the tip of his nose, and his dark eyes came to rest on them.

  “Can I help you?” He tucked a cloth away into the pocket of his pinstriped vest.

  “Mr. Gresley? It’s me, Bert, first mate and diver for the Daedalus.”

  “Ah, yes, I recognize you now.” He glanced past the three to the door. “Where is my brother?”

  Bert’s face tightened. “That’s why we are here.”

  “Oh.” The man stilled. “I see.” He stood motionless for some time before he spoke. “Let’s go to the back room, and you can tell me what occurred.”

  He headed back through the door he had exited moments ago. The three of them followed. Lucas looked as sick as Cass felt. The back room was smaller than the front, and even more cramped, with everything from a mounted deer’s head to what looked like an automaton made of various metals and parts. There was a small couch near the back next to a desk with a single candle lit on top and a pile of papers.

  Eli Gresley took a seat behind the desk. Bert sat down on the couch with Cass in the middle and Lucas on her other side.

  Bert carefully described the mission, then the deaths of Oliver and the captain.

  Eli shook his head. “I had a feeling the Mist would finally catch up to my brother. So where is the box now?” he asked curiously.

  Bert seemed a little taken aback. “It’s on the ship. Our plan was to deliver it to the Staggs family for the compensation promised us.”

  “I’ll be visiting the Staggses next week. Why don’t I take the box?”

  Bert shifted. “Perhaps we should talk about the future of the Daedalus and her crew first.”

  “Oh, yes, of course.” Eli ran a hand over his head. “Well, the way it stands, I’m not sure if I can keep the Daedalus.”

  Cass’s eyes went wide, and her heart started thumping wildly. Not keep the Daedalus? There was a quick intake of breath beside her from Lucas.

  “What do you mean?” Bert asked, his voice icy.

  “My family owes the Staggs family a lot of money. And the Daedalus is almost worth the amount due. My brother had hoped that a couple lucrative jobs would cover the debt, but now that he is gone . . .” Eli let the words trail off.

  “You do realize that if you get rid of the Daedalus, not only will you be putting a lot of good men”—Bert motioned to Cass—“and a woman out of a job, the world will be losing the best diving ship out there.”

  “Yes, yes, there’s that to consider. But to be honest, I know very little about commanding a ship. And the last time Victor and I talked, it seemed the need for divers was diminishing.”

  “As long as there is the Mist, there will always be a need for divers,” Bert responded. “However, to ease your mind, I have an idea: what if we also used the Daedalus as a cargo ship? I would be happy to stay on as captain.”

  “As captain?” Eli lifted one eyebrow. “What will you be wanting in return?”

  Bert’s eyes hardened. “I’m not looking to fill Captain Gresley’s boots, and I’m not demanding that I be compensated as much as he was. I only want to see the Daedalus continue to fly.”

  “Hmmm.” Eli stroked his chin. “Cargo ships bring in half what a dive makes. I’m not sure if I want to fund such a venture. On the other hand . . .” He seemed lost in thought. “Tell you what. I’ll give you a year to show me the Daedalus is worth it.”

  “And how much would that be?”

  “Enough to pay the Staggs family. In fact, I’ll give you the Daedalus if you end up getting me the amount she’s worth.”

  All three took a quick intake of breath. “That much?” Cass’s words were barely audible. Bert’s lips tightened, and Lucas shifted uncomfortably beside her.

  “What about the job we did for the Staggs family? Will it count toward that?”

  “No.”

  What?

  “Your debt starts now.”

  Bert worked his jaw. “Then I have two conditions of my own. First, we are paid what we would have received for the Staggs job.” Eli started to open his mouth but Bert stopped him. “It is only fair. And we lost a lot with this job. Namely, one of our crew and your brother.” He emphasized the last word. It did seem Eli had forgotten about his brother’s death.

  “Fine. And what is your other condition?”

  Bert turned toward Cass and Lucas. “I still need a diving crew. I know that a handful of our comrades are thinking about moving on. You two are my last two divers. I need to know at least one of you will stay on.”

  “I will,” Cass responded instantly. As long as there was the Daedalus, she would be on that ship. She would do all she could to keep her home.

  Lucas rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll have to think about it.”

  Bert nodded. “Good enough.” He stood. “One year.” He extended his hand. “Like Captain Gresley, my hand is my word. What about you, Mr. Gresley?”

  Eli scowled but took the proffered hand. “I always stand on my word.”

  “Good.” Bert replied. “We will deliver the package to the Staggs family, then start our next job, whether it’s cargo or dives. I’ll be sure to bring your payment, then when we have raised the rest, we will come for the Daedalus.”

  Eli grinned. “We shall see. I have nothing to lose.”

  Cass bit her lip. Eli was nothing like his brother, and a hearty dislike of him was slowly growing inside her.

  Bert ignored the jab. “Cass, Lucas, time to head back to the ship. We have a lot of work to do.”

  “Aye, Captain,” they responded. It felt odd to call Bert captain, and she wasn’t sure if there was still some tension between them. But compared to losing the Daedalus, she would follow Bert,
tension or no tension.

  As Bert led the way out of the pawnshop and to the steamshuttle, fear crept across Cass’s heart like thin shadowy fingers. She knew enough to know it would take nothing short of a miracle to raise the kind of money Eli wanted.

  They just had to keep the ship.

  Theo nodded to the young man behind the counter before putting on his hat and heading out into the grey drizzle that covered Belhold. For months he’d secretly continued his research into the Mist. He also watched the other great Houses, especially the Staggs family, and saw more and more how the Mist gave them the control to empower them. Anything that disrupted that was undesired.

  It didn’t help that the Staggses’ new mechanical man seemed to be trailing him. Even now he could feel those unseen eyes behind the blank metal plate observing him. Theo tugged on leather gloves, then entered his zipper. He had one more errand today, perhaps the most important one since the death of his grandfather. He might have finally found a diving ship to take him to his family’s pre-plague estate in Voxhollow.

  After checking his surroundings, Theo eased up on the clutch and pulled the steering wheel inward. The zipper responded and lifted into the air with its whirr of metal wings.

  The ship in question was docked over on the industrial side of Belhold near the factories. More and more ships were turning to running cargo across the Mist to the cities scattered between the western and eastern mountain peaks and Halicour River, leaving only handful of diving ships. And out of those, so far none had been willing to take him to the western mountains. Hopefully the Daedalus would.

  The air grew thicker with steam and smog as he approached the factory district. There was a small landing pad along the outskirts. Apart from his zipper, he made sure to appear as a commoner. He scuffed up his shoes and dirtied his tunic. The less his potential client knew of him, the better, both for their sake and his.

  After securing the vehicle, Theo started out across the labyrinth of metal walkways and plumes of steam that ran between the factories. According to his sources, the Daedalus was docked on the southern side, about a twenty-minute walk from where he parked.

  As Theo made his way southward, he rehearsed what he would say, then uttered a short prayer, the same one he’d been praying for the last couple of months. Prayer for guidance and courage.

  He slowed his steps, then came to a stop at the convergence of two walkways. There, half-hidden by the drizzling fog, floating in the unseen ocean of air and tethered to the dock by a thick coil of rope, was the Daedalus.

  She was a beautiful ship, with sleek wooden lines and a curved bow, three stories high, with rows of portholes and windows, and a single gas balloon looming overhead, the device by which the diving ship stayed afloat.

  It was a mechanical masterpiece.

  Theo stepped off the metal walkway onto the plank that connected the ship to the dock. It was two feet wide with a chain hanging on either side for a railing. He took a deep breath once he stepped onto the deck. So far he hadn’t spotted any sailors. He assumed they were working inside the ship or preparing the next cargo load. He looked around, admiring even more the beauty of the vessel. It was in good condition, and well taken care of, given how clean and organized the deck was, from the wooden floor to the coiled ropes and secured barrels.

  The rain began to drizzle again. Theo pulled his hat protectively over his forehead, when he heard a loud bang coming from a room to his right. The engine room?

  He ducked inside the doorway. As his eyes adjusted, the engines came into view. He wasn’t a mechanic, but he could appreciate the mechanical marvel before him. The engine itself was almost as large as his zipper, with large spherical features, thick bolts, a fan, and a dozen cogs of different sizes all moving in smooth precision. Enclosed gas lamps were attached to the sidewalls, illuminating the area.

  “Amazing,” he murmured as he approached the machine.

  There was another loud bang. “Ouch! Confound it!”

  A head came up, covered by a scarf. The face was hidden behind a set of goggles with multiple lenses.

  Theo cleared his throat. “I’m here to speak to Captain Gresley.”

  There was a pause. “Captain Gresley isn’t here,” the voice replied in a higher pitch than he was expecting.

  “Well, who is? I need to speak to someone about hiring the diving services of this ship.”

  “Why?”

  “That is between me and the captain.”

  “Captain Gresley won’t be coming back,” the mechanic said in a dark voice.

  Theo was becoming irritated. “Listen, just take me to Captain Gresley or whoever is in charge here.”

  The mechanic stood up. It took him a moment to realize that the person before him was a woman and, at full size, she only reached halfway up his chest.

  She pulled off the scarf holding her hair back, letting strawberry blonde curls loose around her face, and pushed her goggles up across her forehead. Bright green eyes stared back at him.

  His breath caught in his throat. What in the gales was she doing here? He had never forgotten those eyes. Green, like emeralds.

  “Well, I’m the one currently in charge, so what do you want?”

  “What?” She was in charge? Since when? It was only less than a year ago that he’d seen her.

  “Not what you were expecting, huh?” She gave him a slight smile as she walked around the engine, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket and rubbing the oil from her hands. She eyed him as she continued to rub her fingers. “You’re not really good at hiding what you are.” The way her overalls hung across her body reminded him of a kid playing dress-up with adult clothing.

  He frowned. “What do you mean?”

  She came to a stop less than a foot away and waved the dirty handkerchief at him. “I can tell you’re trying to hide your class. But you’re too clean. You’re hands are too soft. And your face”—she lifted her chin until she was staring up at him, reminding him just how short she was—“it’s clean-shaven. No one down here has time or the ability to have such a clean-shaven face, Mr. Echelon.”

  Mr. Echelon? “Actually, that’s not my name.”

  “I know, Mr. Echelon. It’s what we call you folks from the top.”

  “The top?”

  She tucked the cloth back into her overalls. “The mountaintop. Or maybe even”—she glanced at him again—“one of the sky islands?”

  Theo blushed. For the first time, he felt conscious of his position as a member of one of the Five Families. He’d taken great care to wear what he thought were normal clothes. Was he really that . . . what did she say . . . soft?

  “So what are you here for?”

  “I’m here to hire your ship and diving services.”

  He was surprised when her eyes lit up. “You want to hire the Daedalus?”

  “Yes. Your ship and crew are famous for being able to retrieve anything below the Mist.”

  Her eyes dimmed. “Yes. Yes we are.”

  “One of your divers is especially renowned.”

  Her head lowered. “Yes.” After a moment, she straightened and was all business again. “What do you need retrieved, and where is its location?”

  Well, that was right to the point. Now came the hard part. “I’m looking for a family artifact, one that I’ve recently become aware of. It is very, very important to me and my family.”

  “And where is it located?”

  “Voxhollow.”

  “Voxhollow? Never heard of it.”

  “It’s a city from before the Plague Wars. The item I’m looking for is in my family’s estate from that time.”

  Her jaw tightened. “A family item? Can you be more specific?”

  “I’m not sure yet. It might be a book, or a collection of papers. Because of that, I will need to go down with you—”

  “No.” She shook her head. “We don’t take civilians down into the Mist.”

  “I will pay you extra for the excursion.”

  “
No.” Firm.

  “Please, just hear me out. If it’s not money, then let me know what else you desire. I will pay whatever I need to. I just need to get down into Voxhollow.”

  The young woman sighed. He took in a hopeful breath. Would she do it?

  “First.” She looked at him squarely. “I need to know where Voxhollow is.”

  Theo reached for the parchment tucked inside his coat pocket. At least he’d gotten her this far. He unfolded the paper. “From what I’ve been able to gather, it’s near the western mountain range. Near a place called . . .” He looked closer at the parchment. “Duskward.”

  “Duskward?” Her voice pitched.

  “Yes. There’s another old pre-plague village nearby. Magmire I believe.”

  “No.”

  He looked at her. “No? You mean you don’t know where it is?”

  “I mean no. We won’t go near that place.”

  He slowly refolded the piece of paper, a little bewildered. “Why? Is there something wrong with it?”

  “It’ll take almost a month to fly there, not to mention it was recently made a no-fly zone by the House of Lords. The penalties for going into a no-fly zone are not worth the trip.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “It was made a no-fly zone by the House of Lords? Since when?”

  “Since last month. The law was posted in all the ports.”

  When did that happen? He was part of the House of Lords and never heard of this development. Why wasn’t he informed? Or allowed to vote on it?

  It didn’t matter. “I can get us past the authorities there.”

  She tilted her head. “How?”

  “I have my ways.”

  “You don’t look like a spy to me. How will you do it?”

  “Trust me, I’ll get us past them.” He had to convince her. “All I need from you is to fly me there and get me to the surface. I’ll pay whatever you charge and acquire whatever you need. It’s worth everything to me. Everything.”