I hit, or what I hit with, this metal will not bend or break.”
“So it will protect me from her blows, but what I need is a weapon to kill it with.”
Claude moved to the very back table that was along one wall. He selected a large piece from the multitude of devices and brought it over. It looked like an army rifle, but with a flared metal piece on the end of the barrel. It also had coiled brass wire around the barrel. The stock was made from wood and had two brass coils coming out of it, connecting to a separate piece, which was secured inside a leather satchel. He handed it to Sebastian.
“What is it?”
“I call it a blunderbuss.”
Sebastian inspected it, looking for where the gunpowder and metal bearings would go. “What does it shoot?”
“Lightning.”
Everyone looked at him in surprise.
“Lightning?” Rhys asked. “From the sky?”
Claude shook his head. “Homemade.” He opened the leather satchel and showed them the glass orb nestled delicately inside. Within the glass was a metal coil. “Flick a switch, and the coil spins, making sparks, which in turn creates a strong energy that can be harnessed and directed through the blunderbuss.”
Sebastian shook his head. “You’re a genius, Claude.”
“I know.” He looped the satchel’s strap over Sebastian’s shoulder. “You need to be really careful with the coil. If the glass breaks, no more lightning. No more power.” He glanced at the others. “Now for the rest of you.”
Jovan’s hands sparked with magic. “No need. We’re good.”
Rhys unsheathed his rapier, and Skylar pressed something on the short rod she carried and it flipped out into a full bo staff.
Miss Stratton on the other hand looked positively giddy. “Don’t mind if I do.” She picked through the gadgets and chose a double-barreled gun with a wrist strap. “What does this do?”
Claude just grinned.
Once they were all outfitted, Claude gave them the use of his horse and offered his simple wagon. This seemed funny to Sebastian given the nature of his contraptions in his workshop. It wouldn’t have surprised him if the old tinker had a steam-powered carriage tucked away somewhere. They took the horse but not the wagon. It would slow them down too much. The metalsmith helped them procure four other horses as well from the town folk.
Before they left, though, they excavated Mr. Blairwood’s body from the ashes and buried him. Sebastian thought it only right. Drea’s aunt presided over the brief ceremony. It saddened him to realize that Drea would never get to bury her father.
Once they saddled the horses and scavenged food and other supplies from the village, it was two more hours gone. Now at last they were on the road.
Sebastian took the lead, riding hard for a couple of hours before slowing to a more reasonable pace. Rhys rode alongside, while the others trotted behind. Jovan and Skylar kept pace together, looking deep in a private conversation. Every once in a while Jovan would reach for her hand.
“When did that happen?” he asked Rhys.
“Over a month ago, when we first started our search for you. Jovan called the council to bring her in. She’s the best tracker they have now.”
“She’s all grown up.” Sebastian shook his head. “The last time I saw her she was still a child.”
“A lot has happened in five years.”
Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at Miss Stratton, who was riding with her eyes closed, soaking up the bright sunlight. She was quite the contrast to his usually unflinching brother.
“Yes, I can see that. How did you and Miss Stratton...?”
Rhys smiled. “I have no idea. She just snuck up on me.”
“It was fate, darling,” Miss Stratton said.
Rhys chuckled. “Well, there you have it. It was fate, says my dear Corina.”
Sebastian clapped his brother on the shoulder. “I’m happy for you. It would seem your search for me was not wasted.”
Rhys frowned. “Of course it wasn’t, we found you alive and
“So it will protect me from her blows, but what I need is a weapon to kill it with.”
Claude moved to the very back table that was along one wall. He selected a large piece from the multitude of devices and brought it over. It looked like an army rifle, but with a flared metal piece on the end of the barrel. It also had coiled brass wire around the barrel. The stock was made from wood and had two brass coils coming out of it, connecting to a separate piece, which was secured inside a leather satchel. He handed it to Sebastian.
“What is it?”
“I call it a blunderbuss.”
Sebastian inspected it, looking for where the gunpowder and metal bearings would go. “What does it shoot?”
“Lightning.”
Everyone looked at him in surprise.
“Lightning?” Rhys asked. “From the sky?”
Claude shook his head. “Homemade.” He opened the leather satchel and showed them the glass orb nestled delicately inside. Within the glass was a metal coil. “Flick a switch, and the coil spins, making sparks, which in turn creates a strong energy that can be harnessed and directed through the blunderbuss.”
Sebastian shook his head. “You’re a genius, Claude.”
“I know.” He looped the satchel’s strap over Sebastian’s shoulder. “You need to be really careful with the coil. If the glass breaks, no more lightning. No more power.” He glanced at the others. “Now for the rest of you.”
Jovan’s hands sparked with magic. “No need. We’re good.”
Rhys unsheathed his rapier, and Skylar pressed something on the short rod she carried and it flipped out into a full bo staff.
Miss Stratton on the other hand looked positively giddy. “Don’t mind if I do.” She picked through the gadgets and chose a double-barreled gun with a wrist strap. “What does this do?”
Claude just grinned.
Once they were all outfitted, Claude gave them the use of his horse and offered his simple wagon. This seemed funny to Sebastian given the nature of his contraptions in his workshop. It wouldn’t have surprised him if the old tinker had a steam-powered carriage tucked away somewhere. They took the horse but not the wagon. It would slow them down too much. The metalsmith helped them procure four other horses as well from the town folk.
Before they left, though, they excavated Mr. Blairwood’s body from the ashes and buried him. Sebastian thought it only right. Drea’s aunt presided over the brief ceremony. It saddened him to realize that Drea would never get to bury her father.
Once they saddled the horses and scavenged food and other supplies from the village, it was two more hours gone. Now at last they were on the road.
Sebastian took the lead, riding hard for a couple of hours before slowing to a more reasonable pace. Rhys rode alongside, while the others trotted behind. Jovan and Skylar kept pace together, looking deep in a private conversation. Every once in a while Jovan would reach for her hand.
“When did that happen?” he asked Rhys.
“Over a month ago, when we first started our search for you. Jovan called the council to bring her in. She’s the best tracker they have now.”
“She’s all grown up.” Sebastian shook his head. “The last time I saw her she was still a child.”
“A lot has happened in five years.”
Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at Miss Stratton, who was riding with her eyes closed, soaking up the bright sunlight. She was quite the contrast to his usually unflinching brother.
“Yes, I can see that. How did you and Miss Stratton...?”
Rhys smiled. “I have no idea. She just snuck up on me.”
“It was fate, darling,” Miss Stratton said.
Rhys chuckled. “Well, there you have it. It was fate, says my dear Corina.”
Sebastian clapped his brother on the shoulder. “I’m happy for you. It would seem your search for me was not wasted.”
Rhys frowned. “Of course it wasn’t, we found you alive and
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