The Cog Chronicles Box Set

by P M Cole

  My arm was bruised, but I managed to sit up.

  The carriage was in another street, but smaller, the buildings being closer. I pushed the door open and stepped down onto the snow.

  Byron was stroking one of the horses. A noise alerted me to a presence to my right. Grace stood on the pavement. She smirked and I stepped away from the carriage. I wanted to shout and scream at her about why they were doing this, but instead a resolute anger filled my being. I was tired of being a victim.

  “Corine… or do you prefer Cog?” said Byron.

  My eyes remained fixed on the man I hated, but in my mind, I scoured the buildings around us. I pushed my senses to find any scrap of metal from large machinery down to the smallest of nails.

  “What do you want…” I said.

  Auto chirped and landed on the roof of the carriage.

  Byron scoffed. “You have made a pet! How endearing!”

  Auto chirped something derogatory.

  “But yes of course, you would need one wouldn’t you, now your master has moved off to the celestial plane.”

  My eyes flicked between him and Grace, who pulled a large sword from her back.

  “I trusted you. But it was all a game wasn’t it? To get back with Hades! He who owns you!” I said.

  He grimaced. “He doesn’t own me! Because of how I fooled you before, he respects me! And once we help him achieve what he wants, I will be properly awarded!”

  “I’m going to ask you one more time. Why are you here?”

  He went to reply, when a woman with a child appeared from around a nearby corner. They looked at us, then the woman pulled the child closer to her, and they hurried along near the wall with their heads down. Byron watched their every step.

  “Don’t even think of harming them.”

  His head whipped back to me. “Or you will do what? I could kill them before the next pump of your heart!”

  The woman and child disappeared around a corner but before I could sigh in relief there was a gust of wind and Byron's hand was around my neck.

  “You need to be taught a lesson young Corine…”

  I smiled as I looked into his dark eyes. “You know. You really shouldn’t wear metal fastenings if you want to attack me.”

  His eyes grew large, but not before his hand was pulled from my throat. He desperately tried to untie the belt and the nickel buckle that was now dragging him across the snow but was unable to do so before I slammed him up against a nearby wall, and bent the iron railings above it down, entrapping him in a cage.

  A glint of silver caused me to instinctively jump to my right as a sword smashed into the side of the carriage splintering the wood.

  “Kill her!” shouted Byron pulling on his iron bars.

  It then occurred to me how stupid I was being. I stood and smiled at the tall woman, who now had the blade held aloft. Where with a little concentration it stayed. She gritted her teeth trying to pull the broadsword down from the height it was hovering at. Giving up on that, she pulled a knife from her side and pushed it forward just a few inches before it too became stuck by an invisible force.

  I frowned. “Neither of you are that smart, are you?”

  She yelled in anguish, pulling a shard of glass from the broken carriage window.

  “Oh…”

  She lunged forward, but with a flick of my hand the sword dropped, hitting her hard on the head, and dropping her unconscious to the snow.

  I turned in victory and went to walk towards Byron when I became bathed in shadow and something landed behind me. I whirled around ready for the next attacker, then stopped.

  Charlotte had her hands spread in front of her, each one a storm of fizzing green energy. “Where are they!” she shouted, then looked down at the woman half-buried in the snow, and the man trying to escape.

  *****

  A blur moved from wall to wall, in and out of the shadows of the small cell.

  “It won’t matter how fast you move boy, your ain’t getting out,” said the unshaven man next to me. I had seen him earlier with Charlotte in the monitoring station. I hadn’t known it then, but his name was Hugo Shaw and he was head of security at the Shadow Factory.

  Byron shuddered to a standstill, standing on the other side of the bars. “He’ll come for me, you know that, right?”

  “No magic on Shadow Factory grounds. That’s the rules, for god or man,” said Shaw.

  “Pfff,” said Byron, turning, and sitting on the single bench. “There are no rules anymore. That’s the point.”

  Shaw walked to the next cell. Grace was seated in the corner in the far side of the cell, where no light ventured.

  “Same goes to you girl. I know you’re strong, but these bars won’t bend.”

  She remained silent.

  We left the two prisoners and after a short journey was a level higher, in another of the monitoring stations. This was grander than the previous, with more viewing shafts, and a long wooden table surrounded by chairs.

  Lucas, Dax, Charlotte, and Arges were already seated. The strange-looking Mr Fishbone stood behind the woman in charge.

  “They are secure ma’am,” said Shaw to Charlotte.

  “Good. Keep a close watch on the boundaries.”

  He nodded, then left the room.

  I sat opposite Lucas. “Byron said ‘he’ will be coming.”

  “Perhaps he will,” said Dax.

  “We should get word to Bernard and the Ratters, they will be in even greater danger,” said Lucas.

  “I already visited both. Bernard is going to prepare, but… Colin wants nothing to do with any of this anymore.”

  “What?” said Lucas.

  “He is a casual, he is right to stay away,” said Dax.

  “Hades will come for him anyway,” said Lucas. He turned back to me for more explanation of Colin’s behaviour, but my expression must have given him his answer.

  “Are we truly safe here?” I asked Charlotte.

  “There are magical wards in place that will activate if I so wish. But… I cannot say how effective they will be against a god.”

  “It’s still one of the safest places in London,” said Lucas, trying to reassure me.

  I shook my head. “I should have tried harder to convince Colin to bring his people here.”

  “You did well against Byron and Grace,” said Lucas changing the subject.

  I noticed Charlotte was nodding. “That’s my girl. But you still have another eighty-six lessons!”

  I looked at her wide-eyed and she laughed. “Ah, I’m joking!”

  The humour only slightly lifted the mood in the room.

  “I will send someone to check on them,” said Charlotte.

  “I should go.”

  Two of the people facing me said ‘No’ at the same time.

  “You are in more danger than any of us!” said Charlotte. She looked at Dax. “I could do with your help strengthening the wards.”

  He nodded.

  “I’ll go to the Ratters village and drop by Bernard’s on the way,” said Lucas. He then looked at Arges. “I could do with some company old friend.”

  “I will stay with Cog,” replied the cyclops.

  I placed my hand on his arm. “I’ll be fine. If you can convince Colin and the others to return here, that will make me happy.”

  “Then I will go.”

  Charlotte looked down. “The market will close soon, then I need to tell the residents of the Factory. They need to be given a choice whether to stay or go.” She bent her neck towards Mr Fishbone. “Tell the residents to be in the main hall just after they close up.”

  He nodded then left, and everyone else stood.

  Lucas looked at Charlotte and the others. “We should be back within a few hours, if not…”

  “We get it, you’ll be dead,” said Charlotte.

  Lucas frowned.

  “Ah, none of you young people have a sense of humour.”

  Lucas nodded to me, then with Arges left. />
  Charlotte and Dax started to walk away, when she looked back at me still seated. “I’ll need you with me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the residents of the Factory are more likely to join us, if they are fighting for a god, not just against one.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  I never realised there were so many people living inside the Factory. Charlotte, Shaw, and I stood on a small balcony, on top of one of the largest of the wooden structures. At its base, a small shop was situated while the top floor was a home, and the roof where we were standing was a multitude of pipes and chimneys. It faced the main entrance and the space between was full of figures of all shapes and sizes, and I meant that literally. Most had two arms and two legs, but others were most definitely not human. My eyes moved from one remarkable-looking creature to another, perplexed by what they were. I was also confused by not having seen them before. It was if they could be their truth selves around the other stall owners and after the customers were gone for the day.

  “Listen up!” shouted Charlotte. Her voice echoed around the brick walls and iron supports.

  I looked up at the other floors, which were equally crammed with faces, all looking back.

  “You all know of what’s been brewing for some time in this city.” A ripple of discomfort moved through the crowd. “But this place has stayed out of it. We are neutral ground. Safe from magical mishaps and misdeeds!” Some in the crowd nodded. “And I have fought to keep it that way. To protect all of you from the growing evil out there!” She paused briefly, looking across to me. “But now this evil is at our doorstep—” the unhappy din rose. “— and I might not be able to protect you from it any longer.”

  “We ain't done nothing against the god of the underworld!” shouted an old woman not too far off, with catlike eyes.

  “Ooo that young girl next to you?” shouted a spindly man, wearing overalls and goggles on his forehead. Others echoed his sentiment, wanting to know who I was.

  “That’s a god,” said Charlotte.

  I almost asked, who’s a god? but stopped on realising the few thousand people inside the huge space were looking at me.

  “Step forward. Talk…” whispered Charlotte.

  “What? I can’t talk to them!” I said just as quietly back.

  “She ain’t no god! She’s just a child!” shouted one.

  “Probably a casual!” shouted another.

  “Go on!” said Charlotte louder.

  I stepped forward and cleared my throat. The crowd fell silent. “Umm… I’m not really a god…”

  An uproar broke out in front of me.

  “Quiet!” Boomed Charlotte a dark magic fizzing and coiling around her. “She has the power of Hephaestus!”

  Quiet returned to those around us.

  “Show us!” shouted someone.

  “Hell…” I said under my breath.

  Charlotte, her magic now calmed, looked at me. “Show them. It’s the only way.”

  I desperately looked around the impressive hall, then saw something which might work, although I had no idea if I could pull it off, and if I failed… My eyes were fixed on one of the metal bridges which spanned the width of the interior. It too was full of people.

  I pointed up to them. “Hold on tight!” I shouted.

  From the distance I was, I could just about see them looking at each other confused, and then me. I hoped they were taking my advice.

  I momentarily closed my eyes, steadying my thoughts, then held my hand out towards the artificial platform which was fifty feet above my head. Nothing was happening, and my anxiety was not helped by the growing sounds of scorn coming from the beings below me. I redoubled my efforts, straining every part of me. Suddenly the people on the bridge jolted, and they grabbed on to the railings. Bolts snapped on both ends of the extension and my heart pumped, feeling the weight that was now floating.

  Those in the crowd crouched, pointing upwards at the huge metal span that was threatening to fall on them.

  Charlotte smiled. “Don’t be afraid, witness the power of a god!” She leaned in closer to me. “You got this under control, right?”

  “Yes…” I said, just barely able to squeeze air from my lungs.

  Focusing every ounce of my abilities, I brought the bridge slowly lower and lower, rotating it a full one hundred and eighty degrees before the crowd directly below it all quickly moved aside, and it landed gently on the floor.

  Spontaneous applause broke out, filling the air with so much noise I almost had to cover my ears.

  Charlotte nodded while smiling, and let her hand drop on my shoulder. “Cog!” she shouted to the crowd.

  After a few moments, the ruckus died down, and Charlotte stepped forward again. “Hades wants to destroy this place. Our home. Because he cannot own us!”

  Shouts of ‘No!’ rang out in agreement.

  “But now we have our own god who will fight with us against him!”

  More shouts of enthusiasm filled the air. I wondered if they really knew what they were up against. As the cheers continued, Charlotte leaned in close to me. “Once everyone's returned to their homes, I’m going to need you to get that bridge back up there.”

  *****

  I stood on Charlotte’s balcony, looking at a city frozen in ice. Auto was perched nearby, complaining of the cold. The mist was now replaced by a glacial scene which stretched as far as I could see, in all directions. Despite it now being night, the ground, hundreds of feet below, looked almost luminescent, with pockets of orange glows provided by the gas lamps mapping out the network of streets.

  I leaned on the railing. It had been a long day. With some effort, and help from a small team of burly men and creatures, I managed to reattach Charlotte’s bridge, then grabbed a quick bite to eat from a stall that kindly reopened for me. Walking amongst the residences of those that called the Factory home was now a different experience than before. Distrust and bemusement had become admiration and respect. Is this how it feels to be a god? I even had one of the stall owners try to give me some ornate garments, but I politely refused, not wanting to encourage that kind of thing. The idea that they could lay down their lives for me, left me uneasy. I was no god, at least not in the traditional sense. But I was no longer just a girl who repaired clocks.

  Without being fully aware, for my whole life I had been defined by my past. More recently, by what I was fighting against. I wanted to change that.

  I looked to the northwest, concerned for Lucas and Arges. I wondered how they were getting on with Colin and the other Ratters. Was he still mad at me? I sighed. Three hours had passed. They should soon be returning.

  I thought about the two in the cells, under the building I was at the top of. I had never had a chance to talk to them while they were unable to use their gifts against me. Perhaps I needed to take advantage of that.

  “Stay here. Keep look out,” I said to Auto, then turned, moving quickly through Charlotte’s living room and climbing into the elevator. Instead of stopping on the ground floor I let it continue to the basement. Getting out, I got my bearings and set off into the narrow tunnels and it wasn’t long before I was back in the corridor with four cells, two on each side.

  “Back to gloat,” said Byron before I had even approached his cell. I looked into Grace's confined space. She was in the same dark corner as before. I kept walking until I got to Byron, who was seated with his back against the wall, on the bench.

  “I want to understand,” I said.

  “Understand?”

  “Why you’re doing what you’re doing. Why do you follow him so blindly?”

  He looked scornfully at me. “There is nothing blind about the six of us helping him. I might not have agreed with his methods when I was younger, but I always respected his intentions to turn this whole place upside down.”

  “Be quiet, Byron,” said Grace.

  He frowned, then looked back at me. “Ask yourself this. If he is stuck here in this realm, why would h
e want to destroy it?”

  “I… I don’t know, he’s evil. That’s what he does.”

  Byron stood and walked towards the bars. I resisted the urge to step back.

  “Any more evil than his brothers? Zeus and Poseidon? Both of which had lain waste to hordes of humans and magical creature alike. Or more evil than the humans that control this realm, and have killed thousands in wars?”

  His words were making sense and I hated that. “I’ve seen the machine for making what the bombs will require! They’re weapons that can destroy cities!”

  Byron laughed.

  The bars next to his shook and I realised Grace had two of them in her grasp. “Be quiet Byron!”

  He ignored her, my plan was working. “You don’t think the casuals will want those bombs? So they can use them on their enemies?”

  No… that couldn’t be true… Hades wanted them for himself I was sure…

  “Daniel thinks you are building power generators, he didn’t believe me when I mentioned what I saw.”

  Byron frowned and turned away. “Daniel always was the softest of us. Let him think what he does, and when he knows the truth, it will be too late. You know, even after he knew you went to the Acid works to spy on us, he still defended you. That’s your mother’s influence no doubt.”

  Grace's bars rattled. “I swear Byron, when I get out—”

  I flicked my head across to her. She looked as if she had swallowed a fly. “When you get out?” I said.

  She walked backwards back into the shadows.

  Something was wrong, I could feel it in my gut, despite the bigger picture being hazy to me. I turned and ran back to the elevator, then up into Charlotte’s tower and then finally out onto the balcony. Auto was nowhere to be seen, but I scoured the landscape for what my fears were telling me was true.

  I quickly saw them. Dark shapes moving along the frozen surface of the Thames. At first, I hoped they perhaps were just small boats that had found a channel of water, but they spread out where it was clearly just ice. A trail of things was now almost at the nearby dock. I wondered why I was the only person seeing them, for the Factory had lookouts, but there was only silence from around and below me.