A Riddle in Ruby

Author:Kent Davis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2015-08-11T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

Choose One (1):

Artificer: I wish to further explore the creation of alloyed engines and artifacts, which are the physical expression of the Tinker’s craft.

Dynamist: I wish to further explore the creation of chemystral cells and reservoirs, which are used to power engines and artifacts.

Scrutinist: I wish to further explore the mysteries of chemystral science and extend the boundaries of our understanding of the Tinker’s craft.

—Form 1017-B, Declaration of Advanced Study

Athena Boyle was still sleeping. Or so they said. Cram and Collins had been in and out of the warehouse several times, but Ruby was still trapped in the little pond of purple vapor. The top, perched cheerfully next to her, had begun to wobble slightly, back and forth. She hated waiting. She wanted to do something. She had no idea what to do. Ruby also had no idea how a parcel of smoke and a stupid brass trinket could mask her from Wisdom Rool, but she’d hop on one foot and sing “God Save the King” if it had a chance of keeping that man away from her.

“What is this place?” Cram was leaning against one of the thick beams, and then he slid down into a heap.

She pushed the broken sign toward him through the sawdust with a stick: LIAMS BROTHERS, FERRYMEN AND RIVER TRANSPORT.

“What does it say?” Cram asked.

“You don’t have letters?”

“Never saw much use.” He shrugged. “The language of metal is on its way in. I can flash my sums like a Boston banker. My mam used to say—”

“The sign says this is a place where people made boats and sold transport across the Schuylkill River.”

Cram kenned it straightaway. He snorted. “And if some grand master pulls up a big stone wall through your back porch and over your head, it makes it a heavy task to get to the water.”

Ruby nodded. “And most of the water ran out of the river when they drew the Lid out of the ground. You can walk through it or jump over it in most places.”

The midshipman came in from the other room, rolling down his sleeves, fresh from checking on Athena.

Ruby poked Cram with her stick. “How long have you known?”

“Ow. Easy, Ferret. Not longish. Just after you left the big house. She, well, I still knew him as ‘he,’ though truly I might speak of ‘he’ as ‘she’ now that we be past the point of no return”—he reached for the next thought—“however—”

Collins looked up from his waistcoat buttons. “You did not know she was in disguise?”

“Did you?” Ruby asked.

“Well, no. But I thought that—”

“Just because we are together does not mean we know all there is to know about one another,” she parroted back to him.

“But they came to save you. That is not a trifling thing.”

That hit her, but she forged on. “You saved our lives. Do we know all there is to know about you?”

He scratched his ear. “Most definitely not.”

She turned back to the servant. “How did you find out?”

“I—”

“Why did you not tell me?”

“Let me finish, Ferret.

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