A Steampunk/ Gaslamp Fantasy Romance set in the industrial revolution era of a fictional world.
Magic, mad science, multicultural ambiance, and political intrigue all tightly laced up into one corset and powered by the steam of two romances - one F...
"The weirdest thing just happened," Neiphi said as she entered the laboratory. "I saw Lord Meratha in the bailey, and he asked me after your health. He was really nice about it."
"He's afraid I'll tell on him," Kazia said absently, intent on the Artifact under her magnifying glass.
Hearing Neiphi's audible intake of breath, though, she snapped to attention.
"Did he do the truth spell?" Neiphi asked loudly.
"Oh, Neiphi, I shouldn't have said. Please keep that to yourself."
"Why? Why would he do that?"
"Because he thinks I'm a spy," Kazia answered.
Neiphi began to laugh uproariously.
"To be honest," Kazia added, "if I were in his position I might think I were a spy too."
"What!" Neiphi shrieked, still laughing.
"There have been a lot of misunderstandings," Kazia told her. "And he's far too bull-headed to see them as such."
"You should definitely tell on him," Neiphi said.
"There's been enough trouble," Kazia replied. "And I think Mistress Amelys has ordered him to stay away from me. Please, Neiphi, don't speak of this to anyone."
"Is that why you're sad?" Neiphi asked. "Because he did that... or because now he's staying away?"
"Why should that make me sad?" Kazia asked irritably. "And I'm not sad, just tired. Things have been tiring."
She craned her head and rubbed at her neck.
Neiphi peered at the Artifact on Kazia's table.
"What are we working on?" she asked. "You haven't worked on the transmitter in a long time."
"No," Kazia answered, glancing at the far corner where she'd set it aside. "I don't know that there's anything more I can try. Sometimes an Artifact simply isn't viable."
This was true, but the full truth was that she hadn't wanted to handle the transmitter since that day in the library.
"Anyway, Master Ilianus gave me a list of other priorities. All work can't stop for one intractable nuisance."
The hallway door opened after a short rapping and Madame Brandra peeked her head around.
"Hello!" she sang out. "Kazia, my dear, how are you feeling today?"
She entered the room, leaving the door open behind her.
"Very well, Madame Brandra, and yourself?" Kazia answered.
"Oh, I could do with fewer stairs, but all's well. Listen, the Mistress has sent me to say that you are to dine with her this evening in her apartment."
"Oh, Madame Brandra," Kazia said, "I haven't-"
"You haven't left your rooms since your illness. She's worried she'll never see you again. If you're well, then enough convalescing."
"I haven't been convalescing, I've been working."
"Yes, well, enough working for now too," Brandra answered. "It's only a social call, nothing to fret about. She just wants to see you back in fighting form with her own eyes. Don't make her come up here after you."
"Neiphi?" came a voice from the hallway.
Edwis, a boy of Neiphi's age, one of Tamyn's Apprentices, stood in the doorway.
Neiphi's face came alight upon seeing him.
"Are you – oh, sorry, good day, Lady Devratha." He gave a shallow bow to Kazia before turning back to Neiphi. "Are you ready? To do the thing?"
"What are you doing?" Kazia asked.
"Oh, I forgot!" Neiphi answered. "There will be more Artifacts to bring to the storeroom soon and we have to make some space."
"Very well, then," Kazia said. "Go on."
Neiphi and Edwis disappeared into the storeroom and the door closed on them.
"Ah, the bloom of youth," Brandra said wistfully. "Neiphi seems quite fond of that one."
Kazia gazed at the door, a light smile playing on her lips.
"Do you think I must supervise that?" she asked.
Madame Brandra tiptoed comically over to the storeroom door and opened it again.
Laughter could be heard coming through the doorway.
"Don't make me have you keelhauled!" they heard Neiphi shout, followed by more laughter.
Brandra peered in for a moment, then footed the stop under the door to hold it open.
"I don't think that's any worry just yet," Brandra answered.
Kazia sighed.
"I'm not even certain about teaching her Alchemy let alone what other role I should take with her," she confided. "I'm not her mother. Is it my place to teach her about boys, and life, and... safety precautions? Is she too young for that? When..."
"I've always thought sooner rather than too late," Brandra weighed in. "And no, you're not her mother, but a big sister can be just as valuable."
"Big sister..." Kazia mused, smiling to herself. "Yes, I can live with that."
"Now what about dinner?" Brandra asked.
"Oh, very well," Kazia said with a sigh. "I will come."
"Good girl!" Brandra said as she took her leave.
As Kazia turned back to her work, a clatter came from the storeroom. Neiphi and Edwis appeared, rolling a large object across the floor into the laboratory.
It looked to be the wooden frame of a standing mirror. The mirror had been removed, and a network of copper wire had been woven around the tall oval perimeter, with machine components and large gemstones laced into the wire at intervals.
Its documentation hung from the hinge on the mirror support. As Neiphi and Edwis rolled it closer, Kazia could see that the wiring ran down into a drawer in the wheeled base.
"What is this one?" Kazia asked.
"I don't know, but it's taking up too much space in there," Neiphi answered. "I thought if you could do this one soon we could get it out of here."
"Well, I don't think it's on Master Ilianus' list, but put it over there beside the transmitter and I'll see what I can do."
"Aye, aye, Milady!" Neiphi shouted. "To the reject corner, Lieutenant!"
"Aye, aye, Captain!" Edwis called.
~~~*~~~
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