The Books of Azric: War, Volume 3 Chapter 6

Ok, here we go again. I will only be sharing one more chapter after this one. After that, no more until the book release. I don't know when that is but it's coming. This is the first draft, the rough draft, do not, I repeat do not mention any errors, I know there are probably several. Zip it, ok? Nobody likes the guy that's all There* if I accidentally put "over their" when you're in the zone you're in the zone and don't care about errors. Just get it down and fix it later. Again, warning ahead. If you do not like bad language, sex scenes, or graphic violence, do NOT go any farther but if you do...you're welcome. ENJOY!!!

CHAPTER 6

The purple gas floats just above the tips of the flames of the candles. It twirls and snaps with small pops of lightning.

She stares into the cloud. Her eyes never blinking as she concentrates at the flashing images. She sits up and blinks once. Her large blood shot eyes look around the dim room. The cloud swirls in a circle and disappears with a puff. Kristina raises her hands slightly and the flames grow on the candles around the room. The candles fill the room with a warm glow.

She walks to a velvet puffy chair by the window and sits down in it with a flop. She swings one leg over the arm of the chair. She leans forward and pulls back the black drapes keeping the sun out. The light spills in, but the sun sits just above the tree line. “Oh,” her voice raspy. She clears her throat. “What’s this? How long was I watching for?”

A small figure catches her eye in the distance. Her head follows her eyes. She watches it fly towards her but she loses it as it flies beyond the reach of the failing light. She stands up and walks over to a small, square hole in the floor. She pulls her purple robe up and steps down, her barefoot steps on the rung of a metal ladder. She lowers herself down to the next floor. The small stone room only holds a few wooden crates and a set of stone stairs that hug the wall.

She takes the stairs and the spiral of the stairs tightens as she lowers into her tower. “Down, down, down I go.” She cackles. The stairs unravel as she reaches the half way mark of her walk from the top of her tower.

The stairs end in the center of a small room. On the outer edge of the room holds another set of stairs. She takes them but these one’s lead to a small library.

Books line the walls. Bookshelves stand in a circular design in the center of the room. She takes a few steps on the small landing before she gets to the steps. She passes a few more rooms before she steps into the kitchen. A round table stands in the middle of the kitchen. A few cupboards surround it and a window next to the stove.

A raven lands on the window sill. “What do you want?” She drops her robe and shuffles to the window. The raven hops inside and stairs at her with black beady eyes.

“Hoping to talk to you about my problem,” the raven speaks.

“Yes? And what problem would that be?” She giggles as she opens up a cupboard.

“I was hoping for some freedom.” The upper part of the beak turns into a large nose.

“Freedom? He wants freedom, I could give Marns  freedom, oh but Marns has to earn the freedom.” She grabs a cup down from the open cupboard.

“How would you like for me to earn it?” The nasally voice comes from the nose. She giggles and twirls a finger around. A small elven head replaces the ravens.

“Oh? I think Marns knows how to earn his freedom.” She laughs and looks back at the creature in front of her.

The elven raven flaps its wings as it jumps onto the floor. It grows into a tall, slender, naked elf. He walks over and grabs Kristina by her waist. He pushes her onto the table and pulls on the knot holding her robe. It slides off her body and lies on the table. He Crawls on top of her and slides inside. She moans and looks into his eyes. “Is this what you want?” He smiles down at her.

She feels his warm chest pressing against her breasts. He thrusts a few times and she stares up at him without breaking eye contact. She feels his weight lift and his chest softens. Long hair tickles her sides. “Or is it this?” His voice and body now a beautiful elf. Marns slides her fingers into the Kristina and kisses her lips.

“You know what I want?” Kristina moans.

“Tell me and it’s yours,” Marns whispers in her ear.

“I want,” Kristina moans some more as Marns moves her fingers in and out. “I want you to replace my fucking tea you drank,” Kristina flicks her hand and Marns turns back into a raven. “Time for tea, yes it is, time for tea,” Kristina laughs as she waves her hand at Marns who hops away from the flailing hand.

“It’s not fair, you shouldn’t be able to control my shape shifting,” Marns squawks.

“Time for tea,” she reaches for her broom. Marns takes a few hops before it flies out the open window. “Now,” she gets up from the table and closes her robe. “What did I see? What? What? What? That’s the question.” She paces around the table. “I saw her, yes, yes, yes,” She shakes her finger. “I saw her indeed.” She squeals with laughter. “She’s important,” she paces some more. “So is he. Oh, he’s so handsome, but he is nothing.” She cackles going around the table. “Nothing,” her cackles grow louder. “Nothing,” Her cackles end. “Without her,” her head tilts to the left a little.

“The hairy man, oh, oh, oh. It may be.” She licks her lips, looking straight in front of her. She halts in her tracks. “Only one way to find out,” she shrugs her shoulders and wanders around the table.

“What else? What else? There was war, hmmm, a father losing a son, that’s not a good thing.” She shakes her head. “Not a good thing at all. I think,” she taps her chin. “Revenge, will he get it? I don’t know,” she laughs and claps her hands repeatedly.

She stands straight up, her hands fall to the sides. “Not him, oh no, not him. Evil, that’s all he is. Goodbye,” she hangs her head.

“Marns,” her head pops back up. She turns and sees an elven woman sitting on the window sill.

“I didn’t want to disturb you,” she holds a bag of tea leaves. “Tea time, remember.” She climbs off the window sill and crosses the kitchen to the wood stove. She grabs the tea kettle and takes the lid off and looks inside. She sets the kettle on the stove above the fire. She opens the damper. The flames lick the bottom of the hot plate.

“Yes, tea time,” Kristina looks to the ground. “Of course,” she pulls out a chair and sits.

“Did you see anything else?” Marns turns around and locks eyes with Kristina.

“Did I,” Kristina looks out the window at the stars floating in the sky. “Anything? Something? Everything? Nothing?” Her fingers tap out a rhythm. “Death? Life? What did I see,” she closes her eyes and then they snap open again. “Darkness, in a land of color,” Kristina stares at nothing as the life drains from her face. Marns blinks her eyes at Kristina.

“Kristina…” Marns takes a step over and reaches out a hand.

“Is the tea ready,” she looks over at Marns. Her life and color back in her gaze.

“The water still needs to boil,” Marns looks over at the kettle. She turns back around but an empty chair stands before her. “Why I…” Marns shakes her head as she watches the tail of robe disappear up stairs.

Kristina takes the stairs to the second floor of her library. She glides a finger behind her across the dusty spines. “Color,” she laughs. “Not enough color where you’ll be going my dear.” Her finger freezes on a small, black book. She takes a few steps back, not taking her finger away from the hard spine. “What’s this?” She pulls out the book and opens a few pages in. “Hmmm,” her eyes skim the pages. “I haven’t tried this before.” She snaps the book close. A cloud of dust fills the air in front of her face. “Might taste good,” she slides the book back in its place on the shelf.

“Now, where can it be?” She resumes her search. Her finger presses a trail through the dust once again. “I know you’re here.” She laughs and looks up at the ceiling. “Come out, come out wherever you are,” her laugh echoes off the stone walls. “I’m getting closer,” her hand drifts up to the highest shelf her height takes her without the steps. “I can feel it,” she halts. Her fingers wrap around the book and she pulls it out.

She walks over to the small desk up against the wall. She slides the chair out and sits down. She grabs the little candle in the corner of the desk and pulls it towards her. She puts the book on the desk and opens it. She scans the page and turns to the next.

She hums as she goes, not paying attention to anything around her. “You’ll need what I have in here.” She sings softly to herself. She hums the words as she rocks her head back and forth. “But how do I get it to her?” She sings some more. “I don’t know, but I have to.” She cackles a little.

“Kristina?” Marns soft voice comes from the back. Kristina sits up and stares in front of her. “I’ve got your tea.” Her hips sway as she carefully makes her way to Kristina with a hot pot of tea and a cup on a tray. She gently sits it down on the desk. “Is everything ok?” She puts a hand on Kristina’s shoulder.

“Ok?” Kristina looks around. “Ok? Is anything truly ok?”

“Well I don’t know.” Marns lifts her hand off her shoulder, but Kristina places a hand on hers keeping it there.

“Oh,” Kristina smiles up at her. “Is this my tea?”

“It is,” Marns smiles down at her. She gives her shoulder a slight squeeze. “Are you hungry?”

“For knowledge.”

“What kind of knowledge?”

“The kind in this book,” she closes it and shakes it at Marns face. “Knowledge that I must share but don’t know how.”

“Who do you need to share it with?”

“Her,” Kristina stares at the wall. “Him,” her gaze still fixed. “And outside,” tears well up in her eyes. “Oh, the outside, I miss the outside.” She sets the book back on the table and reopens it to the page she needs. Marns pulls her hand out from under hers and pours some tea.

“I’ll be in my room if you need me.” Marns brushes her hair as she walks away. Kristina reads the book, her hand still resting on her shoulder. She reaches out and grabs the tea. She takes a sip. “Hot,” she laughs and blows on the tea. She sips again. “Ah, that’s better.” She goes back to reading, tea cup in hand.

She jumps to her feet. The tea cup crashes to the floor. Her eyes glaze over foggy with a purple cloud. “I must know.” She turns to the stairs and grabs her robe to hike it up. She rushes up the stairs to the little room above her library.

She runs up the tiny spiral staircase all the way to the ladder in the center of the room. She climbs the ladder into the top of the tower. A storm crashes through the open windows. The wind roars through the windows, swirling in the round tower. Papers fly in the air, flames dance, but nothing comes out of place. She shuts the windows and the papers fall where they left from. The flames on the candles still burn.

“Could it be?” She grabs a purple powder out of the bag. She tosses it onto her candles. He puffs in a cloud of smoke. It settles into a storming cloud once again. She stares into it, her eyes never blinking. Her eyes search as lightning pops in the gas cloud. A few bolts strike objects outside of the cloud but leaves the world around her untouched.

“He’s coming,” she moves around the table. “He won’t be alone but…” she trails off. “He doesn’t know who’s with him,” her eyes never leave the purple swirl of gas and lightning. “He’ll find out one way or another, he’ll find out. Yes, yes, yes. He’ll find out and then…” her foot stops in mid air. “He can take me.” She laughs and claps her hands as she dances. “He can take me, he can take me,” she sings at the top of her lungs. “He can take me where I need to go. This is good news. Yes it is, yes, yes, yes.” She claps with each beat.

She tilts her head and leans in. Lightning lights up her eyes as it strikes her nose. “They’re not alone.” Her eyes dance in a swirl of purple. “I could help them?” The gas fills her lungs as she breathes in. “I don’t know, can I?” She breathes in some more. She stands erect, the cloud blows away.

She exhales and more of the purple smoke comes out of her nostrils. “I can do that. He’ll come take me. Yes, yes, yes. He will come and take me.” The purple haze leaves her eyes.

“Marns?” She calls as she turns around. She lifts her robe and runs to the ladder. “Marns, he’s coming. He’s coming.” She hooks her feet around the outer edge of the ladder and slides down to the next floor. “Marns, he’s coming to take me. To take me, can you believe it?” She runs down the stairs. Her left hand holds her robe, her right keeps her balance on the wall. “Marns, he’s coming. I get to go deliver my message. I get to, me, me, me.” She laughs as she hits the bottom of the narrow stone stairs.

“We have to wait and I need to help.” She heads down the next set of stairs. “Marns, Marns,” she runs pass several floors of her library when Marns meets her on the stairs.

“What is it?” Marns embraces her arms.

“He’s coming to take me.”

“Who’s coming to take you?” Marns tries to pull her off the stairs onto the flat floor but Kristina stays in place.

“He is,” Kristina cackles. She breaks Marns’ hold and runs down the stairs. “I need to get ready,” she stops between floors and turns back to Marns. “I can help. Don’t you see? I can help. I just need some things from…”

“From?” Marns takes a few steps down the steps when Kristina collapses. “Kristina,” Marns rushes to her side. Marns shifts and scoops her up in his arms.

“I’m okay,” she wraps her arms around his neck. She nestles into his shoulder. He pulls her in closer. Her head snaps up and she pushes herself out of his grasp. Her feet land on the stone floor of the kitchen. “Oh…” her hands fall to her side. “You pour soul. Pour, pour soul.”

“What is it?” Marns asks.

“Nobody deserves this fate. He cannot endure much more before he breaks. And break he will. You pour, pour sole. She will live on with you in her heart be she no longer is yours.” Tears well up in her eyes and she crumbles to the floor.

She wraps her arms around her knees and rocks back and forth. “He will get what’s coming to him. Don’t you fret. He will get what’s coming. Yes, yes, yes.” She laughs as she rocks.

“Kristina?” Marns kneels beside her.

“Oh Marns, you changed again.”

“Is this better?” Her voice soft again.

“No, no, no. I liked when you shifted to what you know I need.” Kristina watches the soft curves of Marns face chisel into a strong jaw line. “That’s better. Now, can I get my tea please?”

“Yes,” Marns stands up. “Will you be here when I get back?” Marns looks down at her. Kristina looks up at him.

“I will be here, right here.” She stands up. “Or, maybe…” she looks around. “Maybe I’ll be over here.” She wanders to the other side of the table. “Or…” she looks around some more. Her finger rests on her chin.

“Are you going to stay in this room?” Marns rephrases his question. Kristina looks over at him but her eyes still wander the room.

“What? I’m sorry, did you say something?” Marns snaps his fingers. Her eyes dart to meet his.

“Are you going to stay in this room until I get back?”

“Yes, in this room.” Kristina looks around some more. Marns heads up the stairs. He goes to the desk on the second floor of the library. He looks around for the tea cup, but he doesn’t see it on the desk. He looks around and still doesn’t see it. He lets out a heavy breath before he gets on his knees to look under the desk. He searches all around while still on his hands and knees looking for her favorite tea cup.

He turns the corner to find a pair of bare feet standing in front of him. He follows the legs up to find Kristina standing naked in front of him. Her robe left somewhere on a floor below. Her finger wraps around the handle of the cup as it dangles loosely from her grasp. “Is this what you’re looking for?” She swings it back and forth.

“Yes it is, but why-” Kristina wraps her arms around his neck and locks her lips on his. “Finish what you started.” She whispers in his ear. He grabs her hips in his hands and lifts her up. She wraps her legs around his waist and her spins towards the desk. He takes his steps as she reaches her hands down his trousers.

“No need for that,” he smiles. His trousers disappear and she properly feels him. He presses her onto the desk. She wipes her arm and the tea tray crashes to the ground. Hot tea splashes on his legs but it doesn’t faze him. Her legs unlock and her arm stretches out as he enters her. One hand digs into his back while the other keeps a firm grip on her tea cup.

The Books of Azric: War, Volume 3, Chapter 4

Warning, my writing contains things that may not sit well with others. Things like sex, the f bomb, and graphic violence. If you do not like reading any of these things, please do not continue on. If you do and you don't like any of those, well it's your own fault. You have been warned. If you enjoy those things well, you're welcome.

The following contains spoilers for the Books of Azric Series. This is Chapter 4 of Books of Azric: War, Volume 3. This is unedited and is the rough draft. Do not wine, complain, or comment on any errors in the writing. If you do, we will all know the kind of person you are and you will be judged. That is all. Enjoy the ride.

Lord Roderick and Blade ride their steam carriage over Branch Mountain Pass. Blade turns back again to see the smoke coming from Yungston. “Think they made it?”

“For Azric’s sake, I hope they did.” Lord Roderick turns around to see the smoke as well. “Right now, we do not have the luxury to worry about them. We need to hurry to my alchemists lab.” He turns his attention back to the road.

“Why the rush?”

“I tipped my hat to my Master that I may no longer be needed.” His gaze faces forward.

“What?” Blade spins back around to face him. His eyes fixed on the road. “How?”

“I believe he only kept me alive so long is he does not know where or what my alchemist was working on and now I fear Kenna’s life is in danger as well as my own.”

“If you’re no longer needed then I won’t be either?”

“I am afraid not my dear. You are only alive because of me. The Master never liked you, but for what it is worth, you have always kept my interest.” His eyes flash over to her as he attempts a smile. She looks at him briefly before returning her gaze to the front.

“So how does our Master know where, Kenna is it?” She waits for Lord Roderick to nod in agreement. “Where Kenna is?”

“I said that I had to go see her after I met with Colt…” He trails off.

“So?”

“He sent his necromancers to follow us to Yungston to kill Colt. Because of that, I knew that at least three that have been following since we left Yungston.”

“Then why are we going there?”

“Because I need what she has.” His hands jostle on the t-handle of the steam carriage as they drive through some slush. The wind picks up blowing their hoods off.

“And what’s that?” Blade yells to get her voice over the wind. She helps Lord Roderick pull his hood back on.

“I do not know but she said it would be worth anything.”

“Great, we’re walking into a trap.”

“Do not fret my dear.”

“Why not?”

“I never get trapped. I always set them.” He looks over at her with a smile.

“So explain them?” She points in front of them. He follows her finger and slams on damper down and pulls on the break. They grind to a halt.

“Nothing to worry about. This is not a trap.”

“Your men?”

“No, but a trap implies we do not have a way out.” He turns back with another smile on his face. “There is only four of them.”

“We kill them.” She smiles.

“Not before we find out what they want.” He reaches out and places his hand on the back of her head. He pulls her in close. Their lips meet softly at first but Blade lets him in. Their kiss changes to one of passion.

“Hey,” one of the men calls out. Three men and a dwarf stand in front of Roderick and Blade. “Are you going to get a room or surrender?”

“Surrender?” Lord Roderick breaks the kiss. “Is that what you want?”

“We want your head for what you did to Lord Fireston.” The dwarf says this time.

“Well,” Blade smiles. “We know what they want.” She hops to the ground as Lord Roderick climbs down from the steam carriage.

“I was hoping it would not come to this gentlemen, I really did, but you are leaving me no choice.” He holds a hand out for Blade. “After you my darling.”

“With pleasure.” Blade storms through the slushy mud over to them. Her cloak flaps in the breeze exposing her two blades attached to her hips. The three men draw their swords and the dwarf his axe. “I’m glad you decided to make this interesting, but I’ll make it fair and only kill you with your own weapons.” She unbuckles her belt and her knives fall in the mud.

Lord Roderick pulls a silk cloth from his pocket. He grabs the belt out of the filth and wipes them clean. He drapes them over his arm and fixes his attention at the fight about to break out in front of him.

“Should of kept them on honey, you might of stood a chance.” One of the men attacks her with an overhead strike. She catches his wrist and sword with both of her hands. She kicks him between the legs. His fingers fall limp. She pulls his sword free of his hand and slams the tip in the side of his head. The blade explodes out the other side. She lets him fall limp and steps over him.

The other three stand in front of her with the dwarf in the center. The dwarf charges her with his axe held high. She kicks him in the face with the heel of her boot. The dwarf falls into the mud. She ducks under a slashing blade from her left and plants her knee on the dwarf’s throat.

She catches a glimpse of a knife in the attacker’s boot. She pulls the blade from his boot. The other human stabs down at her. She blocks the attack as she stabs him in the leg with her newly procured knife. He drops his sword as he cries out in pain. She catches the falling sword. She pulls the knife from the human’s leg and slashes the other’s throat. Blood shoots from his throat while she stabs the man with his own sword. She pushes him over. Both fall dead. The dwarf reaches for his axe. Blade stabs down with the knife and catches the dwarf in the hand. She buries it deep in the ground. She reaches down and grabs his axe.

“Call your bitch off of me.” The dwarf cries out. He tries to pull the blade from his hand but she buried it to deep. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

“Blade?” Lord Roderick calmly asks.

“You said I got to kill all of them.” She stares down at the head of the axe.

“Well,” Lord Roderick leans down to meet the eyes of the dwarf. “I tried, but I did tell her she can kill all of you. Sorry.” He shrugs his shoulders.

“Wait-” he holds his hand up to block the axe but Blade swings it too hard. The edge smashes through his arm and severs his head. She lets go of the shaft. She looks up at Lord Roderick and spots her knives in his arms.

“You cleaned off my knives.” She steps over the dead bodies. “Thank you,” she kisses Lord Roderick’s cheek as she takes them from him. She lifts her cloak to buckle them back on.

“If only we had time.” Lord Roderick admires her body in the form fitting leather leggings and tunic.

“Maybe when we get to Kenna’s,” Blade bats her eyes at him.

“All the more reason to make haste,” He holds his arm out to escort her back to the steam carriage. He helps her back into her seat.

“I’m more than capable of getting in myself.” Blade accepts his help.

“It is not a matter of ability, it is a matter of respect and shall I say it.” He squeezes her hand as he smiles at her. “Love.”

“Love?” She blushes a little. “I thought this was just about fun.”

“What’s not fun about love?”

*

Kenna grabs a pot from the cupboard and returns to her table. She stands in the kitchen of her little cottage in Delville. A table stands in the center with multiple pots on it. The lids riddle the top of the tiny table. She takes the lid off the current one in her hand. She sits it on the table top and crosses to the pot in the fire pit.

She dips her hand in the bowl and pulls it out. She sprinkles a black powder into the cauldron cooking over the fire. She wipes her hand on her skirt and turns back to the table. She sits the pot on the table. She looks around the room and spots her backpack by the door. She smiles as she walks to the door. She grabs her bag and throws it over her shoulder as she steps outside.

Kenna shades her eyes with her hand. She smiles looking into the clear blue sky. Delville sits close enough to the Waters, a salty breeze fills the air. She takes a deep breath and heads north on the road that splits Delville.

The dust blows around when she gets out of town. Small hills surround Delville with flat lands all the way around the hills, with a few smaller hills scattered throughout the flat lands. Her travels take her to one of the smaller cluster of mountains.

She climbs to the top of the hill only to meet a sentry when she gets there. “Where are you going?” He holds out his spear off to his side, enough to block her path.

“Come on Chester. You know where I’m going.” She laughs.

“Not today,” he holds firm.

“Everyone knows I have free rein, no matter what.” A smile spreads across her face.

“I’m sorry Kenna, but the mayor is sick.” His hand trembles on the spear as he tries to hold his pose.

“So?”

“He doesn’t want to be disturbed while he’s sleeping.”

“So he put you in charge of informing him?” She pushes pass his spear. It smacks him softly in the face.

“But-”

“Are you going to stop me?” She walks off without waiting for a reply. She walks down the road to her favorite testing site. She walks pass several suitable spots to test her latest creation but only one will do for what she plans for the day.

She reaches her hill before the sun makes it to midday. She walks off the road and around the other side of the hill. Birds tweet in a few trees nearby. She smiles at them. “You should fly along my dears.” She calls out to the birds. She steps inside a small cave at the base of the hill.

It angles downward. She disappears in the darkness. Moments later she reappears without her backpack. She moves a little faster but not running. She walks under the tree with the birds and shakes the tree as she goes by. The birds fly off. “You’ll thank me later.” She keeps her pace. She hides behind a dip in the ground. She giggles as she raises her head so she can see.

*

“You’re telling me you’ve never met your alchemist?”

“That is exactly what I am telling you my dear.”
“Then how do you employ her?”

“We have a mutual acquaintance.”

“So how will we know where to find her?”

“I was assured I would be able to find her as soon as I got to Delville.” They come out of the trees and onto a grassy plain. “See that big cluster of hills over there?” He points into the distance. Blade follows with her eyes.

“Yes.”

“Inside them is Delville. They use the natural barrier of the hills as walls.”

“It doesn’t offer much from protection.”

“Not from an army but it works against bandit raids.”

The explosion erupts in front of them. Dirt and stones rain down. Lord Roderick slams the break handle forward. He throws himself over Blade and covers them with his cape. Rocks pummel his arm but he doesn’t wince in pain. “What the fuck was that?” Blade yells over the chaos around them.

“I think we found Kenna,” Lord Roderick laughs. He sits up and surveys the area around him. Only dust remains in the air. Lord Roderick sees someone dancing through the thick dust. His ears still ring but the laughter breaks through. He pulls on the hand break and eases the steam carriage forward. She twirls around with her arms spread wide while keeping her face from them.

“It didn’t take as much as I thought.” They hear the woman laugh. “How remarkable,” she turns at the sound of the approaching steam engine. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would be…” she trails off. “Oh, why hello there.” She smiles at the two new comers. “Haven’t seen you here before. I’m Kenna.” She waives at them.

“I am Lord Roderick and this lovely woman is Sheriff Blade.” Lord Roderick introduces them to his alchemist. He looks down at her from the driver’s seat. She stars back at him through thick goggles. Her eyes blink at him together, but separately. Her face plastered with dirt. Chunks of mud cling to the long strands of her hair. 

“Lord Roderick, you’re just in time to witness my creation.” Her smile grows larger.

“What creation?”

“What you saw. Wasn’t it amazing?” She turns to look again.

“Wasn’t there a-”

“Hill there?” She interrupts Blade. “Yes there ‘was’ a hill there.”

“What happened to it?” Lord Roderick keeps his eyes where the hill used to be, a deep crater now in its place.

“I blew it up.”

“You blew it up?” Lord Roderick gets down from the steam carriage. He wipes the dirt off his clothes but never takes his eyes off the crater. “With what?” He reaches his hand up to help Blade down but she jumps instead. Lord Roderick keeps his hand in the air not realizing she already got down on her own.

“My creation,” she smiles at him. “By the way, she’s standing next to you,” he looks at his hand in the air and shakes his head. He looks to his other side and finds Blade standing next to him.

“What is this creation?” He walks forward with his mouth wide open. Blade passes him and pushes his mouth shut.

“I’m sure she’ll tell us when she’s ready.” She kneels next to the crater. She puts her hand in dirt and mud.

“I will, but only back at my lab.”

“Of course,” Lord Roderick shakes his head as he climbs back on the steam carriage. “Would you like a ride?”

“How long?”

“It should only take a few minutes from here.”

“No, how long before they get here?”

“I do not know. They could already be here.”

“Then yes, I’ll have a ride.” She climbs up on the seat behind him. “Sheriff Blade. Are you coming?”

­­­­Blade stands up. She claps her hands together. Dirt and dust fly in the air. She turns and jogs back to the steam carriage. She jumps up on the seat next to Kenna. “Let’s go,” she looks at the pit one more time.

“Excuse me,” Lord Roderick reaches his hand between Kenna’s legs.

“Excuse you?” Kenna smacks him in the back of the head.

“The lever,” Lord Roderick holds both of his hands out.

“Oh,” Kenna turns her attention back to the road. “Well say that next time.” She puts her hands in her lap. She pulls up a little, exposing the lever under her dress.

“Yeah, say that next time or she’ll get you good again.” Blade laughs.

“I will,” he rolls his eyes. He grabs the lever and pushes it. The steam carriage rolls to life. He grabs the t-bar with both hands as the wheels bounce down the dirt road.

Within moments they reach the hill surrounding Delville. The road smoothes out as the steam carriage climbs. “Halt,” the guard holds out his hand palm out.

“It’s going to take a little longer than that.” Lord Roderick applies the brake. “The lever,” he nods to Kenna. She pulls on it and the steam carriage crawls to a halt. “What is the meaning of this?” Lord Roderick spins in his chair. “We have important business at hand.” His steely gaze fixes on the young guard.

“Well,” the guard looks away, his spear shaking in his hands.

“Come on, out with it.” Lord Roderick’s voice booms.

“The Mayor wants to see her.” He points a shaky finger at Kenna.

“Point that thing someplace else.” Kenna laughs. “Why does the old flea bag want to see me for?”

“You woke him up with that, that…that stunt.” He raises his voice.

“Watch what tone you take with me Chester, or I’ll knock you a good one.” She holds up her fist.
“I’m sorry,” he looks down at the ground, his toes digging into the dirt. “I’m just following orders.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s in his mansion.”

“Good. Lord Roderick will you take a left when you get into town?”

“But that takes you the long way around?” Chester shouts.

“And away from the Mayor’s mansion.” She reaches down between her legs and pushes the lever forward. “Lord Roderick, if you will,” she points at the brake.

“Of course,” Lord Roderick smiles. He releases the brake and the steam carriage races down the hill into town. The wheels bounce on the road. They gain more speed as the hill gets steeper.

“Roderick?” Blade yells. She looks over at Lord Roderick. He looks over at her and smiles. Her shoulders sag just a little and she turns back to face the road.

“Lever,” Lord Roderick reaches between Kenna’s legs again. He pulls it back some. The steam carriage slows just a little. Lord Roderick pushes a pedal with his left foot. Blade hears hinges release behind them. They lurch on impact.

“What the fuck was that?” Blade leans forward to look pass Kenna.

“My own,” he smiles at Kenna. “Creation,” he lets out a booming laugh as he turns the t-bar to the left. He looks back at the road and slams the brake lever forward. They slide to a halt. Lord Roderick holds out his arm. Kenna leans just a little but nothing else.

“No need for safety with me.” Kenna giggles.

“Get out of our way.” He calls down to the men standing in front of him.

“Bill.”

“Who’s Bill?” Blade looks at Kenna.

“The Mayor.”

“Mayor Doomazbul?” Lord Roderick questions.

“That’s the one, good old Mayor Dumbass Bill.”

“You know that’s not my name.” Lord Roderick watches a short little man come out of an ally way. His white hair cut short around his bald scalp.

“Well, you’re a dumbass so…” She mumbles to herself.

“What was that?” Mayor Doomazbul asks.

“You’re the Mayor.” She speaks up.

“That’s right,” he straightens his back a little. He wears faded red silk clothing and a black cloth cloak. “I’m the mayor and you tried to outsmart me and failed.” His pushes his wire glasses up his nose. His thin lip smile stretches across his face.

“Wrong,” his smile fades. “Move please,” Kenna looks over at Blade.

“Of course,” Blade stands up on her seat.

“Thank you,” Kenna hops down. The dust on the road puffs around her feet. She lifts her skirt out of the dusty road and storms over to the little mayor. “I went this way because I knew you’d be watching for me. I knew that you would have your guards posted any direction I tried to take to my home.” Her magnified eyes blink at him.

“Then why come this way?” He steps back. His lip quivers.

“It rained two days ago.” She looks down at his leather boots. Dried and not so dried mud sticks to his boots and leggings.

“Disgusting,” he lifts one of his feet. “I should have you-”

“Silence Bill,” Kenna pushes her finger in his face. She looks up in the air. A few birds fly overhead. She looks back at Blade and Lord Roderick. “They’ll be here in a few days.” She hustles back to the steam carriage. Blade helps her onto the seat next to her. “It’s time to leave now. Run them over if you have to.” She sits down and folds her dress into her lap.

“Very well,” Lord Roderick stretches his arm out for the accelerator lever.

“Not so fast,” Blade grabs his wrist. Lord Roderick looks at her. She reaches her hand between his legs. “I prefer to handle my own shafts. She squeezes him and pulls on the lever. They roll forward.

“What are you doing?” The mayor runs to catch up to them. His men jump out of the way.

“I have only a few days to get ready. Goodbye Bill.”

“It’s Doomazbull,” he yells into the dust as they speed off. Kenna lifts her arm in the air. Her middle finger extended.