Keeper of the Mechanical Insects by K. A. Quinn

Author:K. A. Quinn [K. A. Quinn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: K. A. Quinn
Published: 2022-08-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Hesitating outside the cavern, I listened to the slow ringing drip of water and imagined Sterling’s rage as a palpable force exuding from within. Gail turned back and tutted at me for stopping.

I said slowly, “I was just thinking, what does it say about us that we follow a madman?”

Gail came closer. “As you said earlier, what choice do we have?”

I paused, looking up at the great darkened glass of the dirigible. “None, I suppose. He's probably levelling a cannon on us at this moment.”

Gail looked alarmed. “Truly?”

I squinted into the dark. I was unable to see more than the faintest reflection of light off the hull, but said, “I should find it quite likely.”

“Then we must hurry to heal his 'flower,' to assuage his anger,” said my friend.

I shrugged fatalistically. The man was more than likely to draw a continuous stream of danger his way, and he didn't seem the type to suppress his violent tendencies. I stepped away from the seaside, walked into the darkness of my new damp, echoing prison and climbed the ladder. Gail followed with the supplies.

As expected, Sterling was waiting on the bridge, still dimly lit in order to conceal the ship, and he eyed our secondhand clothes with distaste. To my surprise, Gail slipped off the faded blue dress gifted to her by the farmer's wife and extended it to our captain. Underneath, Gail’s grey gown was nearly in tatters, but it was at least more suitable than my own night garments. “For Daisy,” she said, “to keep her warm. But first, I have medicine.”

“She grows worse.” Sterling's voice was rough. “You must work quickly.”

“I'll do what I can,” Gail said.

He rounded on me with suspicion as Gail went below. “You were gone for quite some time.”

“It took some time to find help,” I said. “We did hear a most interesting story.”

“Yes?”

“It seems the horses have been dying.”

Sterling raised his eyebrows. “So that's where they have gone.”

I said carefully, “It seems to me that someone is going to great effort to make certain that people choose mechanization over animals. However, the farmers cannot plow their fields to plant. There will be food shortages, likely severe.”

He looked concerned. “Then we must flee here as soon as possible. Perhaps the situation is better in Spain.”

“Do you have friends, allies there?” I asked.

He shook his head with a scowl. “I have friends nowhere.”

“I feel that we should try to solve this mystery first. For Britain.”

“You would think such,” he said, and without another word he climbed to the lower level.

I followed at a distance.

In the brightly lit room, Daisy's forehead shone with perspiration. Her darkening bruises stood in stark contrast to the paleness of her uncovered arms. Gail pronounced in carefully chosen words that we should either expect improvement within the next day or prepare for the worst. She gave me a meaningful look that said that in that case we must prepare for more madness, and prepare to fight as well.

I looked Sterling over. He was young, strong, and determined, and I was old, fearful, and weak.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.