The Cog Chronicles Box Set

by P M Cole

  After another two hours I was ready to fall asleep, but my thoughts and growling stomach kept my eyes from closing. I started to descend. At the start of our journey I had calculated that at our rough rate of knots it would be ten or so hours before we reached Edinburgh, and we had just hit that mark.

  An expanse of sandstone buildings, and the sea further to the north told me we were in the right location. I steered us towards a forested area to the east of the city. There were also some small clearings at the base of a mountain ridge, which I hoped would provide good cover for the craft.

  I heard some yawns behind me as the tree tops grew closer. And I increased the power to the fans to slow the descent, steering us towards the nearest open area. It was only a few yards bigger than the craft, just what we needed to stay hidden, but landing was going to be difficult.

  “Anyone care to tell me how close we are to the trees at the back of the craft?” As I wondered who had heard me, I chastised myself for not putting in some kind of mirror system.

  Colin sheepishly moved the five or six feet to the back and looked out the small rear window. “You just cleared them, maybe a yard or two.”

  “Lots of room on the port side,” said Daniel.

  “A few feet on the starboard,” said Lucas.

  “I’m bringing him down,” I said. The fans rotated ninety degrees providing upwards thrust and we slowly drifted towards the ground, past ice-covered branches then trunks until I reversed the operation, and we bumped lightly on frosted grass and twigs.

  “I really need to eat,” said Daniel.

  “I think we all do,” I said. “Let’s find some branches and cover the craft with them, then we should find some lodgings.”

  “We ain’t going to this council thing?” said Colin.

  “The map just said this city, we have no idea where it is, or who to ask to find it,” said Lucas. “We should split up. Cog and Colin, find us somewhere to stay. Daniel and I will try to find others that may have useful information.” He went to step out, then stopped. “Oh, you’re going to need some money.” He opened the pouch and dropped half of its contents into my hand. “That’s a few half crowns and shillings. Get two rooms with multiple single beds for a week.”

  After tying the Chronus to the nearby trees and then an arduous time of pulling branches down and covering the envelope and cabin, we set out to west and the city beyond.

  We walked along country lanes, surrounded by fields and past the occasional huddle of sheep until we reached the edge of the city and a row of three-storey homes, each with triangular roofs. One of them though, the one on the end of the terrace was larger than the rest and had a sign out front.

  “I think that’s a lodging,” I said.

  “Good,” said Lucas. “Hopefully, they will have some rooms, but we will meet up back here when the sun is low on the horizon.”

  I looked at my pocket watch. “In about four hours.”

  He nodded and, with Daniel, marched off as we did the same towards the inn.

  Just before we reached the door, Colin leaned in closer to me. “Maybe we don’t need two single beds.”

  I rolled my eyes and pushed the door open to the sound of a bell above it. The interior was similar to other such establishments in London except this lobby had a large painting of a Scottish mountain behind the counter, and a brass plaque announcing the name of whoever owned the place.

  A red-faced portly woman appeared, her person covered in a black dress and a tartan shawl. “What can I do for you two fine young people?” she said in a strong Scottish accent.

  “I—”

  Colin grabbed at my shoulder, pulling me around to face him and away from the woman.

  I shrugged him off. “What is—” A poster, similar to the ones in London was pasted on the inside of the door we just came through.

  “Are ye be wanting a room?” said the woman from behind us.

  “We should leave,” whispered Colin.

  I turned and with a smile walked back to the counter. “Yes, please. I will need two rooms, with two single beds in each. Do you have that available?”

  She looked down, flipping a ledger open. “Indeed, we do. The Christmas rush hasn’t begun yet.” She then looked at Colin then back to me. “Two rooms with two single beds?”

  “Oh… yes, there are two more gentleman that will be accompanying us. The other room will be for them.” My heart should have been racing with fear of the possible exposure of who I really was, but I was too exhausted to care.

  She smiled. “Ah, I see.” She looked across the page below her. “There’s a room on the second floor and another on the third. Both have wash basins and running water although the tap in the top room is a bit stiff, but it does have an open fire whereas the other doesn’t. We also provide a simple breakfast at 8 a.m. each morning. How does that sound?”

  “Perfect.”

  “And how long will you be staying?”

  “A week.”

  *****

  A window rattled, waking me. I looked around at the sparse third floor room that I chose for us. Colin was nowhere to be seen. My body and mind still felt heavy, but I pushed myself up and looked at the window. The light was failing, meaning I needed to be outside ready to meet the others. Auto sat on the window frame.

  “How long ago did Colin leave?” I said to him.

  He blinked a few times. ’S…o…o…n…A…f…t…e…r…S…l…e…e…p.’

  I groaned in frustration. I asked Colin not to go outside until we needed to, but he obviously ignored that request. I should have known.

  I stood and walked across the bare boards to the attic window and looked out at the mountain and forest being draped in shadow by the coming night. A spark of excitement wanted to grow within me at being in a new exotic place, but instead it was quickly extinguished by memories of recent events. I went to move away, when I noticed a woman standing on the pavement opposite, looking up at the inn. She was a striking individual with flowing blonde hair and a dark brown coat. I squinted to try and see her better. Was she looking up at…?

  The sounds of boots came from the stairs outside the door and I whipped around, wondering how I would escape if I needed to. There was a distinct lack of metal around me which would make any attempt difficult.

  The door swung open and Lucas, then Daniel, and finally Colin appeared, each of them carrying a small sack.

  Lucas dropped his on the bed. “Rested?”

  I nodded. “A little.”

  “Bread, eggs, cheese, vegetables, and even a leg of lamb and a half gallon jug of milk are in these sacks, as well as some new clothes for us.”

  “I’ll get the fire going.” Before I could take a step, Daniel was already kneeling then piling the small logs into the firebox.

  “I’ll take care of it,” he said.

  I took a look outside, but the lack of daylight was such that even if the enigmatic woman was still there, I wouldn’t have been able to see her. I walked and sat on the bed. “Did you find anything out about the location of the council?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing.” He held his hand up, showing me the ring I had seen him use at the museum. “Even my ring isn’t showing any sign of magical objects in the city. If the council is here, they are well hidden.”

  “Has anyone heard of the council?” I said.

  “Nobody willing to talk at least, even with monetary incentives. I couldn’t even locate any local warlocks or witches.” He looked at me more directly. “We saw the poster downstairs. It would seem there is no part of this land that is not under his influence…”

  “We should have gone somewhere else…” said Colin.

  “This is exactly where we should be,” I said. “No one would think Corine Arturo would be staying in an inn with a likeness of her on the very entrance.”

  Colin raised his eyebrows, nodding in agreement.

  “Umm did any of you see—”

  A knock came at the door, making everyone look
at it then each other.

  “Yes?” I said.

  “I have some clean sheets for your bed, miss. I was told to bring them for you,” said a woman with a Scottish accent.

  Something was happening out of the corner of my eye. I turned and looked at what everyone was observing, the ring on Lucas’s finger glowing brightly.

  We all sprung to our feet.

  “I… already have sheets thank you.”

  “If I don’t deliver them to you, I’ll get in trouble, miss.”

  I scanned the room around me. There was metal in the fireplace. That was going to have to do. I pulled the poker through the air, catching it in my hand, while Lucas’s left hand became engulfed in flame. Colin stood to the left while Daniel stood to the right of the door.

  I took a deep breath, while looking at Lucas who nodded in reply, then I stepped forward and pulled the door open.

  A woman with blonde hair and striking blue eyes, was momentarily startled, then frowned. “So much for being a spy,” she said.

  “What?” I said, my hidden hand behind the door having a firm grip on the poker.

  “Gloria Coburn. High witch of the Edinburgh coven. And you, young lady, have brought a whole heap of trouble to my city.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Gloria raised her hands. “I’m not here to cause trouble. But I would like to know why you are here.”

  She appeared to be non-threatening, but I wasn’t sure what to do so my grip remained on the poker.

  “You can lower the iron implement you have behind the door. Like I said, not here to fight… unless I have no choice of course.”

  “Let her in,” said Lucas.

  She went to step over the threshold. “I would appreciate it, if the two young men do not lunge at me as well.”

  Colin and Daniel lowered their hands and Gloria walked forwards, then kept on going on seeing Auto on the window seal. “What on earth is that?” she said. Auto fluttered a wing and chirped.

  “That’s Auto, he’s…”

  “Alive…” she said fascinated by my mechanical bird. She then looked back at me. “So, the rumours are true. You are one of the seven?”

  “Actually, there’s another here as well…” I looked at Daniel.

  Gloria looked between the two of us then turned, taking her hat from her head, and sat in one of the two wooden chairs in the room. She looked at the logs in the fire. “Do you all intend to freeze in here?” She snapped her finger and a flame ignited amongst the logs, making some of us jump a little. “I’ll go first. This is what I know. Seven were born with godly powers. Six of which were living in London, protected by the dark lord.”

  “Dark lord?” I said.

  “God of the underworld, Hades, he goes by a hundred different names. I just knew that was where he had called home, which suited me and my coven fine, I can tell ya! And that was where his little foot soldiers were as well. But then, recently I hear, that a seventh child has come out of the woodwork. Someone who Hades lost a long time ago and now wanted back. Then, the Prime Minister is murdered, and everyone is looking for a young woman called Corine Arturo, who I hear through the magical underground also has godly powers. There was some kind of battle at the Factory in London, and just yesterday another incident south of London. And then a few hours ago, I feel it… magic… a powerful presence nearby. I did a spell and it brought me to this inn. So… how’d I do?”

  Lucas smiled. “That pretty much sums everything up.”

  She looked at Daniel. “So, which of the six are you?” He went to reply. “No… let me guess… Apollo?”

  Daniel raised his eyebrows. “How do you know?”

  “I have a knack for these things.”

  Colin puffed out his chest. “And I’m—”

  “You’re a casual—” Colin frowned. She looked at the rest of us. "— So, when are all of you leaving?”

  “We can’t leave. We are here to locate something,” said Lucas.

  “Locate what?”

  We all looked at each other, wondering what we should say. She rolled her eyes. “I already know everything; you might as well tell me.”

  “The council of the gods,” I said, the words coming out more quietly than I would had wanted.

  She scoffed. “Ha… no, really why are you all here?” She looked at our serious expressions. “Oh… you really think that is here? It’s a myth! And even if it were not. If it were in Edinburgh, do you not think I would be aware of it?”

  “My employer… err…. former employer, Mr Gladwell… was Chronus.”

  She went to scoff again but stopped herself. “You worked for the god of time?”

  I nodded. “And he gave me a map, which pointed to this city for the location of the council.”

  She looked confused. “Show me this map.”

  I looked at Lucas, he nodded. I reached into the lining of my dress and pulled out the folded piece of paper, opened it, and went to hand it to her, but stopped. The lines were different. “What?” I said, holding it closer to me. “But this cannot be…”

  Lucas and the others stepped closer. I held it out to them.

  “That ain’t right,” said Colin.

  The line that had gone from London to Edinburgh had gone, replaced with a smaller line from Edinburgh to further north.

  “Ye gods. Show me!” said Gloria growing frustrated.

  I passed it to her. She pulled a set of spectacles from a small purse and placed them on her nose. “Unfortunately, magic cannot cure long sightedness.” She then inspected the map. “Hmm… that’s not really much of a map is it? But… it would appear to be pointing to a place in the highlands, and if memory serves me correctly, to a stone circle on the Isle of Lewis, not a place you visit by choice. The circles contain powerful magic, but I’ve not heard anything about the council being associated with that place specifically.”

  “Why would the map bring us here first?” said Daniel.

  None of us had an answer.

  Gloria got to her feet, handing the map back to me. “That’s settled then! I take it you’ll be leaving in the morning?” She walked to the door.

  I looked at Lucas.

  “It would appear to be the case, yes,” he said.

  I shook my head. “But why would the map show us this city, why not show us this Isle first?”

  “Well, I’ll leave you to your consultations!” She pulled the door open and stepped out into the hallway.

  An idea came to me. “Where was Dax’s home when—”

  The footsteps that were heading to the staircase outside stopped. Then increased in volume until the blonde headed woman was once again at our doorway. “Dax? Dax Kaylock?” she said to whoever would give her an answer.

  “Yes. I found him in the southwest corner of Scotland in a fishing village,” Lucas said, answering both questions. “Did you know him?”

  “Did?”

  Lucas looked at her just as we all realised the same thing, and his demeanour softened. “He’s passed.”

  Gloria’s face tightened and she moved back into the room and sat back in the same chair. “He and my father were friends when I was young. He helped my father out on a few occasions when we did not have two halfpennies to rub together. The impression I had of him was he was a good man. How did he die?”

  “Fighting Hades' forces south of London.”

  A wave of resolute stillness took over her. After a moment she looked at me. “Why do you want to find this council?”

  “We think they might help us stop Hades…” I neglected to mention Mr Gladwell’s excursion to them previously.

  She nodded to herself as if she was having a silent conversation, then stood, then snapped her fingers again. The fire promptly went out. She nodded to the various sacks around the room. “Collect your things, you’re staying with me.”

  *****

  As we approached the Baroque-revival style building which sat at the top of a hill, surrounded by others of similar ilk, I pondered how t
he map could have changed, or more importantly, why it did. Gloria opened an iron gate and we walked towards a lobby bordered by pillars on both sides and a tiled checked floor.

  An elderly man in a servant's outfit whose face was mostly eyebrows, walked forward and took Gloria’s coat.

  She looked back at us. “Give your food to Jared, he will take it to the kitchen and Mrs Thomson will cook us up a feast!”

  After doing so, we moved through the hallway and double doors to a large high-ceilinged room, with plush red and green chairs, drapes that hung from the ceiling, and marble statues on plinths.

  Two women, one scantily clad and younger than the other, were seated on a long red leather sofa. The men around me immediately tried to avert their eyes.

  “This is Katerina and Melanie Coburn, my sisters.”

  “You come bearing gifts, sister,” said the younger of the women, Melanie.

  She reclined letting her long rich red hair fall onto her shoulders then looked hungrily at Daniel and Colin, while Katerina who appeared to be older of the three sisters frowned at us.

  “This is not an evening for fun and games Mel. I have some sad news. Mr Kaylock, father's friend from our youth, has passed. He was also a friend to these people here.”

  “Dax?” said Katerina.

  “Yes.”

  Melanie looked at Daniel then I. “I’m sensing a lot of magic in you two, but I don’t think you are—” She sprung to her feet then looked at Gloria. “These are the children of Hades! Why did you bring them here!”

  “What part did you not hear of Dax being killed?”

  “Hades killed him?”

  “Him or those that work for him,” I said.

  There was a shuffling and a portly woman with her hair in a net appeared from the shadows in the far side of the room, she then continued her slow passage across the stone floor and rugs until she was feet from Gloria. “Lady Gloria, how many shall be eating with us tonight?”

  The middle sister glanced in our direction, then back to her cook. “Oh, I don’t know, just make a lot of everything.”