Chapter 6
“The problem with leadership is the people.”
-Memoir of the Key King, Octavius Septimus Stalk
“HowwouldI even find these hybrids. I’ve never seen signs of them before.” Surely the street would be filled with chatter about people who weren’t completely human. Gossip ran faster than the wind in the City of Keys.
“They were probably hidden by their families because of their association with magic. It was banned here, no?”
I scratched at the back of my neck and paced to burn off my restless energy. Where the fuck did Oss go? As if sensing my need, Oss returned with his rolled-up map and a large book.
He froze in the doorway. “What happened while I was gone?”
“Buster says there are other partial mechanicals in the city. He wants me to seek them out.” I winced at the panic in my voice. I wasn’t the sort to be a savior to anyone, and this smacked of heroics.
“Fuck that. If they come to you, you can help them. Otherwise, you have too much shit going on to be walking the streets looking for people to save.” He held up his hand to stop Buster from speaking. “I’m not saying not to help people who need it, but you can’t expect Marbrey to give up his life for people he’s not even met before. If you knew where they were, that would be one thing, but you can’t dump all this on Marbrey and expect him to be okay with it. He’s got a job and work to do if he wants to eat.”
Count on Oss to put all the cards on the table. A rush of affection had me squeezing his shoulder, the greatest contact he allowed for people not Thorne.
Buster nodded, but I could see he didn’t agree with Oss. If he was in charge, I have no doubt he would have me searching the city for these supposed people. It made sense from his perspective because they were like him. For me, they were simply a complication I didn’t need.
I offered a concession. “I’ll keep an eye out. Affie might know something.” I had heard nothing during my time on the streets, but I had focused more on not starving or freezing on the cold ground. I wouldn’t have noticed partial mechanicals unless they were handing me food. “Besides, we aren’t even certain I can make things come alive.” I ruthlessly suppressed the memory of my blue-feathered bird.
“Amalia,” Oss insisted.
He couldn’t pin that on me. “That rabbit was all gears when I gave her to you. Maybe you’re the one who changed her?”
Buster ruined my slight victory. “No, it is only the creator who can instill life, unless the spark was already there. If you made the bunny and it transformed, then it was you that gave it life.”
“Hmm, maybe I should take Amalia back to test that theory out.” I watched Oss out of the corner of my eye and took a wary step back to avoid the blade spinning in my direction. It whistled through the air before embedding in the wall mere inches from my face. I lifted an eyebrow at Oss. “Protective much?”
“You are not taking my bunny,” Oss hissed.
“Fine.” I preferred to live free of knife wounds any way.
“I thought Thorne had locked up your blades?”
“Must have missed one.” Oss smirked.
We spent the afternoon arguing over whether I should take Buster apart now and get completely accurate measurements or check out the supplies in the Gear Master’s workshop first and then return. Oddly enough, it was Buster who was insisting I take him apart before we left.
“But there might be plans in the workshop that would give me the proper dimensions without me having to take you apart beforehand.”
“And I might transition before you return, and that will definitely kill me. At least this way, I’ll be in stasis for twenty-four hours.” Buster grabbed my wrist in a bruising grip. “I don’t have much time left. I can feel the changes coming. Whether I’m apart for twenty-four hours or together and converting to flesh won’t make that big of a difference except for the pain I will feel.”
“It won’t take us too long if we go straight through the Tower. It’s only a ten-minute walk or so,” Oss added.
“Ugh. Fine. But I’m not doing it until we are just about to leave. I can’t believe it will go as smoothly as we think. I don’t want a little glitch to be the reason you don’t awaken.” I didn’t have Affie’s seer ability, but things had never gone easy for me, and that trend didn’t appear to be changing any time soon. “Are you sure the guards will let us through?” I didn’t want to deprive Oss of his fantasy of a smooth journey, but how often do plans work out as expected?
Oss shrugged. “I’ll have Hawthorne escort us to the gate. They won’t turn him down.”
“Buster, if you point out where we need to go on the map, I can finish the work I have to do tonight and return tomorrow to go to the city with Oss. If the workshop is as well-stocked as you believe, we should be back before you know it.” I tried not to focus on the thrill of exploring Torren’s workshop rather than the task assigned. I had to remember I was there to save Buster and not to get lost in the wonders of what I might discover.
“That is acceptable.” Buster wiggled his flesh-coated fingers, examining them with a fascinated gaze.
I held back a shudder. Although I understood the concept of Buster changing, watching it was like something out of a horror novel. If it had been me, a lot more screaming would have been involved.
Buster sat up and accepted the map and pen from Oss. Oss set a large book on Buster’s lap for him to use as a table.
