The Havoc Machine by Steven Harper Page B

family, which is why you do what he says. Am I right?”
    Sofiya’s eyes strayed to the top of Thad’s wagon. No spiders. In the background, shouts and cries from the fading circus continued. Kalvis waited near Sofiya with brass patience, not even stomping a hoof. A wisp of steam curled from one nostril.
    “He watches my sister,” she said softly. “This is what he says. She lives in a village not far from here in Saint Petersburg, but always Mr. Griffin’s spiders watch her and wait for his command. Mr. Griffin pays me very well and I send the money to her so she does not need to work, but that does not make it feel much better.”
    Thad studied her. Sofiya’s face was stoic, but there was pain behind the mask. He could hear it in her voice, see it in the way she held herself. He wanted to know more, but couldn’t bring himself to pry. Later, he decided.
    “I’m sorry,” he said instead.
    “Spaceeba.
But in the meantime—”
    “In the meantime, we need to formulate a way out of this.” Thad curled a fist. “I don’t like being lied to, I don’t like being manipulated, and I definitely don’t like being enslaved to a filthy clockworker.”
    Sofiya didn’t respond.
    “He’s not like other clockworkers I know,” Thad continued. “Clockworkers don’t get along with normal people well enough to hire them. Not for long, anyway. There’s something wrong here. What do you know about him? Is he hiding in one of those boxcars or is he coming later? Tell me everything you know.”
    She shook her head. “I cannot.”
    “Sofiya.” Thad’s tone was gentle now. “We can beat him. I don’t like this any more than you do. I’ve convinced my friend to bring a monster into the circus. We can make a plan together and—”
    “I can tell you nothing more.” She smoothed her dress. “He watches my sister, and he may be watching us now.”
    “That’s how they win, Sofiya. They get inside yourhead and make you think they can do anything. They can’t. They’re only human.”
    Sofiya barked a small laugh. “I wish it were that simple. Nothing ever is.”
    “Exactly what does he need me for?” Thad pressed.
    “That I do not know, and it is the truth.” She sighed. “I am sorry you were pulled into this, and I am sorry your friends are in jeopardy. Truly so.”
    “I didn’t like it when the horse died,” Nikolai put in. He had edged up next to Thad. “It made me unhappy.”
    “I don’t work for clockworkers,” Thad said. “Not for money or anything else.”
    “That is why he makes threats,” Sofiya said. “No,
threats
is the wrong word. He will definitely hurt or kill your friends if you don’t do as he says. And he will do the same to my sister if I move against him. Those are not threats, they are facts. So for now, we must hitch my dreadful horse to your very nice wagon and bring it to the train, or the ringmaster will be very unhappy with his sword swallower and his new automaton.”
    Thad blinked. “Sorry. New automaton?”
    “Kalvis.” Sofiya patted the brass horse’s withers. “The big flood in Kiev left no automatons for the Kalakos Circus of Automatons and Other Wonders. Ringmaster Dodd was quite happy to have him.”
    “Do you think Mr. Griffin might loan us some spiders?” Thad said dryly.
    “Applesauce,” said Dante from the ground.
    “Can I ride him?” Nikolai asked.
    “We should hitch up the wagon,” Sofiya said.

Chapter Six
    S aint Petersburg wasn’t even eight hundred kilometers away. If nothing went wrong, the circus train could travel all night and arrive there by late morning the following day. Mr. Griffin would arrive at his destination in plenty of time.
    Thad leaned back against the cracked red leather seat in the last row of the passenger car. Ahead of him, the circus performers occupied most of the other seats, sleeping or conversing or sewing costumes or playing small games with the children. Thad, for his part, always sat in the back so no one would feel