Armored Hearts (18 page)

Sarah shook her head. “If ye were a changeling, it would’ve shown up by now. Na all Fae have extra abilities. This will only look like a cane fer about an hour without a recharge from me.”

Sarah, Gareth, and Jessamine made their way to a ground-level door where Sarah, still looking like Thompton, knocked and stood back, waiting for an answer. With a long, low squeal, the door came open. A man with greasy hair and dirty trousers stood before them. “What do ye want?” The man curled his nose at them as if they were the source of the stench in the street.

“My husband and I are looking for Mr. and Mrs. Steel. We came to inquire for some special automations and heard that the Steels were experts in the field.”

“Can’t help you. Sorry.” The man turned to go back in when Jessamine stepped forward and called, “We can pay handsomely. My father needs them to deal with some undesirables back in America. It could expand your business across the Atlantic.”

The man turned around and swept back his greasy, dark hair with a grin. “In that case, nice to make your acquaintance. I’m Mr. Steel,” he said as he gestured above him. “And this is my factory. Come in, and let us talk business. My office is this way.”

Jessamine stepped aside to allow Gareth to enter in his chair first. She nodded to Sarah to stay behind. Thompton’s visage stepped back, but cast worried glances at them both. She didn’t like it, and Gareth couldn’t blame her.

The factory was filled with dirty men, women, and children slouched over tables. In front of them were crates filled with metal components. Each person connected one part with a small tool before passing it off to the next person. The people stared blankly while waiting their turn. Each had hollow eyes and expressions and their clothes hung on them like fabric draped over bones. Gareth could nearly hear the growls of their empty stomachs.

Mr. Steel smirked at him. “Glorious, isn’t it? They do this all day, every day, from sunup to sundown, with hardly a break. I’ve found they work better when afraid, so I walk out screaming and yelling every other day and throw one of them out, refusing to pay him or her for the work they’ve done for the week.” The man inhaled deeply. His body appeared to strengthen as he did it. “Wonderful smell, the scent of human toil, don’t you agree?”

Gareth only glared at the man as they entered his office.

A woman with stringy hair hanging out of a jumbled bun atop her head stood by the window, inhaling deeply, just as Mr. Steel had done.

“Darling, look. We have guests.”

The woman jumped back from the window and grinned. “Now, this is a surprise. Please, come in.”

Mr. Steel shut the door behind him. “They knocked at the door, looking to buy automations.”

Jessamine chimed in. “Yes, you see, my family owns factories in America. They’ve been acquiring old cotton mills and automating them. But there are some in charge of the local town who are complete luddites, throwing up roadblocks to progress at every turn. My father believes it would be much easier if those in his way just…disappeared. I’ve heard you produce automatons which can help with such a cause.”

Mrs. Steel made her way to a tea service, poured a cup, and placed it on a saucer. “One or two sugars in your tea, Mrs…?”

Jessamine swallowed and glanced down at Gareth. “Blythe. Two please. My husband is from here originally but has joined my family’s business in America.”

Mrs. Steel presented the tea to Jessamine before turning to Gareth. “And how do you take your tea, Mr. Blythe?”

Gareth waved her off. “I’ve no taste for tea at the moment.”

Jessamine sipped her cup. “Do you have some automatons we can see? Maybe get an idea of what you offer?”

She drew another sip from the tea.

Mr. Steel smiled as he moved forward. “Perhaps we have something on the roof you’d like to take a look at.

Jessamine glanced over at Gareth, concern in her face.

Gareth spun his chair to face the man better. “The roof would not be possible for me. Perhaps you could bring them down here.”

Mrs. Steel marched forward to Jessamine, taking the cup from her hand. “Let me take that before you drop it.”

“Why would I drop it?” Jessamine suddenly blinked and reached out to clutch Mrs. Steel’s arm. Her words slurred. “I’m not feeling quite myself.”

Gareth pushed his chair toward her, but Mr. Steel stopped him. The man placed a foot upon one of the wheels. “Stay right where you are, Mr. Blythe, or do you prefer Lord Smyth?”

Gareth grasped at the sword on his hip.

“Maybe we should just let her fall.” Mrs. Steel let go of Jessamine and pulled her stringy hair over an ear.

Gareth flew out of his chair, catching her the moment before she hit the floor. He placed her down safely and spun with sword drawn, glaring at the couple.

Mr. Steel danced a jig and ended with a dramatic flourish. “Yes, bow to the king of the Seelie. The crippled mutt the Ansleigh court wants on the throne.”

Gareth stood between Jessamine and the Steels, sword ready.

“What have you given her?” he shouted. His eyes darted between the two.

Mrs. Steel replied with a gloating smile, “I don’t answer to you. Too bad you weren’t in the mood for some tea, or we could’ve been done with the both of ye.”

Gareth’s jaw clenched as he lunged at the woman, for a moment forgetting all the techniques Mr. Strong had taught him. There was no focus or aim or strategy—only anger guided his sword. He sliced through the air where Mr. Steel had just stood, but his lack of concentration kept him from anticipating his opponent.

Mrs. Steel took to the air, tossing the hot tea at Gareth as she made her way to a box on the other side of the room.

He jumped to the side, knocking the cup away.

Mrs. Steel lifted the lid of her box. Mechanical bees of silver and gold flew out and set upon Gareth. The swarm of metal insects obstructed his view and distracted him from his task. He swatted at them with his sword, avoiding the sharp needles on their behinds. They clanked against his steel, slamming into the wall and floor with a thud as he batted them out of his way.

Gareth made his way to the open window, hoping Sarah was close enough to hear. He shouted over his shoulder, unwilling to take his eyes off the Steels as he fought the mechanical insects. “Sarah? Some help, please?”

With the last of the mechanical vermin incapacitated, Gareth flew to Mrs. Steel. The woman and her husband had run to a door on the opposite side of the room, and thrown it open. Gareth flew straight at her, knocking her into her husband, blocking their attempt to escape.

Sarah crashed through a closed window. Glass debris rained upon them and scattered across the concrete floor like the rack of balls on a billiard table. She landed in a squatting position. With a growl, she glanced up, sword drawn and ready for battle. Shards of glass trapped in her fiery hair reflected light like diamonds in a princess’s tiara, but the cuts and blood on her arms and the wild rage in her eyes was pure warrior.

The clamor caused the Steels to turn in her direction. Mr. Steel was closest to the window and engaged her. The Unseelie fairy pulled a cutlass from beneath his jacket and took to flight. He pushed in close enough to strike Sarah, but she blocked his attempt with her rapier.

Mrs. Steel, still unarmed, shouted a battle cry, her muddy eyes round and feral as she rushed at Gareth. Her stringy hair flew behind her, and her fingers took on the form of claws. He neglected her the respect due a woman when he kicked her into the wall. She flew into it with a thud. The plaster cracked, and she groaned on impact.

Gareth charged her, holding his sword to her throat. “What did you give my wife?” The word “wife” had a new taste on his tongue, and he quite liked it.

Mrs. Steel spit in Gareth’s face before shouting, “I hope she dies a miserable death from the poison I gave her. I only regret you didn’t drink any.

Gareth glanced at Jessamine’s limp body upon the floor. She blinked at him as her eyes lost focus and rolled back into her head.

“Tell me how to fix her, or so help me, I will kill you myself.” Gareth pressed the sword to her throat until a trickle of blood rolled down her neck.

“Never.” She growled and pressed her neck into the sword, just as the assassin had at Mr. Strong’s. Her body sunk to the floor.

Sarah’s rapier clanged again with Mr. Steel’s cutlass. Gareth spun in their direction. The man pressed her into a corner, a vicious snarl twisting his face. She leapt over the man in a midair somersault. Steel faked a move to the right before flying straight at her. His dodge took her by surprise, and her eyes grew wide as Mr. Steel knocked her over a crate. She fell toward the floor, and her head hit the crate before she could catch herself, knocking her dizzy.

With a victorious smile, Mr. Steel pointed his cutlass in Gareth’s direction. The man’s eyes grew as he saw his wife upon the floor. His face grew almost the same shade of crimson as his wife’s blood when the realization hit him.

Anger seethed from the man, and his face contorted into something inhuman. He screamed and took a step forward. “You killed my wife!”

Gareth lifted his sword and prepared for the fight.

But the man stopped. His eyes flashed and a malicious smile curled his lips. He glanced down at Jessamine, still lying helpless on the floor. “A life for a life and a wife for a wife.”

Gareth’s heart sunk as he rushed toward the man.

Mr. Steel was faster. He flew to where Jessamine lay, sword overhead, ready to bring the point down on her throat. Gareth flew into Steel, knocking him against the wall. Mr. Steel’s cutlass grazed Gareth’s shoulder, and the sharp sting made him drop his own blade.

Gareth hovered and then rolled as he had so many times with Mr. Strong, ending in a squat as he glanced at the bleeding slit in his jacket sleeve. He searched for his sword, but he’d flown in the opposite direction. It sat in the shards of glass at Mr. Steel’s feet. Swallowing hard, Gareth made for it, but Mr. Steel’s feet moved in the opposite direction. Blinking up, Gareth found Steel heading for Jessamine once more.

Panic blinded his periphery with white. He abandoned his mission to retrieve the sword, choosing to fly out over Jessamine’s limp body. He beat the villain there and hovered over Jessamine, pressing his chest against hers. He would block her from Mr. Steel’s cutlass.

Jessamine’s floral fragrance filled his nostrils as he closed his eyes and braced for the pain of the blade slicing through his back. He swallowed and mentally told her goodbye.

Another crash and a bellow forced his eyes open. He glanced towards the cry to find Sarah and Mr. Steel landing on the floor.

Gareth scrambled for his sword and returned just as Sarah stood over the villain with her sword overhead, coming down to pierce him through the chest. The sound of flesh and bone crunching echoed in his ears as the man’s eyes grew round and then lifeless.

Sarah sailed into the air and called out, “Are you hurt, your Majesty?” Sarah circled Gareth to inspect him.

Gareth blinked at her. How had this woman lived with him his whole life, and he’d never known her capable of such violence? He shook his head.

“I’m fine.” He waved her off as he made his way to his wife. “They poisoned Jessamine.” He knelt beside his wife’s listless body. A lump caught in his throat as he took hold of her and tried to wake her. “Are you all right?”

She blinked and waved at him, her dark eyes glazed over. Her voice was hoarse and weak. “Go. Find. Tabitha.”

He glanced up at Sarah, realizing he’d forgotten all about his aunt for a moment. “They were trying to exit out that door. See where it leads. Look for any other Fae or any signs of Tabitha.”

Sarah obeyed.

“Go find her, Gareth.” Jessamine turned her head to the side, her face growing pale.

Gareth picked Jessamine up and cradled her to him “Sarah will look for Tabitha. I’m staying with you right now.”

Jessamine didn’t answer. Her body went slack, and sweat beaded on her forehead.

“You’re going to be fine. You only sipped a little. It will pass soon.” He didn’t know if what he said was true or not. He traced his hand down the side of her cheek, brushing the stray ringlets which had fallen from her coiffeur.

“Lord Gareth, come up. All’s clear. I’ve found Tabitha and…something else.”

Gareth gathered Jessamine in his arms. She was so light and frail, and her arms hung loosely. He choked back the tears which stung his eyes and headed for the door where Sarah had exited. It opened to a stairwell which led to the roof. Once there, he stopped and stared.

Sarah was untying Tabitha, who stood on what looked like a steel ship suspended in air by cables. Above, a silver oblong balloon ran the length of the vessel.

He flew forward, cradling Jessamine to him. “What the devil is that thing?”

Tabitha rubbed her raw, red wrists. “It’s some kind of airship. The man and woman put me on it this morning, once the horse took me to the woods.” She turned and pointed to the sides of the ship where crossbows with automatic feeds lined the deck. “It was just the two of them, but with those, they could fight like a whole army.”

Sarah took hold of Tabitha and hugged her so hard, it looked to Gareth she might be bruising her before she finally let go.

“Did they hurt ye?” She looked Tabitha up and down.

Tabitha shook her head with a half smile. “No, I’m not hurt. Just sore from being tied up.” She glanced over to Gareth. “What happened to Jessie?”

“Mrs. Steel poisoned her.”

Sarah approached with her brows furrowed. She sniffed around Jessamine’s face and frowned. “Just sleeping herbs. She’ll be fine.”

Gareth flew closer to the dirigible. “Mrs. Steel said she might die a horrible death. What if they were enchanted, like the herbs you used on Mr. Strong?”

Sarah smiled. “They haven’t the power. Unseelie magic is limited. Good can destroy evil, but evil is no match for good.”

Sarah examined the ship more closely before turning to Tabitha. “How did they fly it here without it being seen?”

Tabitha walked onto the deck of the ship and pointed to a set of hoses along its perimeter. “These work to produce a cloud cover surrounding. It looks just like the other clouds that come off the place.”