Hunted

PART I

A tiny brazier burned on the deck of afoot-long model ship, sending hot air into an oblong patchwork ofkerchiefs sealed with a custom paraffin concoction. The balloonexpanded until it bulged like an overstuffed sausage casing. Theminiature ship rocked on the workbench twice, then rose. Inch byinch, it levitated into the air.

A spool on the deck played out telephone wirethat attached to a small control box. Kali McAlister wore a grinbrighter than the Northern Lights as she picked it up.

She glanced toward the windows at the frontof the workshop. The door was locked and the shutters pulled, butsomeone wondering why her tinkery was closed might press a noseagainst a crack….

“Don’t be paranoid,” she told herself. Dawsonmight have a bustling population compared to Moose Hollow, but shehad not been open for business long, and she was lucky to get acustomer a day.

Kali flicked one of the four tiny levers onthe control box.

A signal pulsed through the telephone wire,and a click sounded inside the hull of the ship. Powered by a flakeof flash gold, the miniature engine thrummed to life. Delightcoursed through Kali, but anxiety as well. Lots of peoplesuspected she had flash gold, her dead father’s alchemicalmasterpiece, but only her former beau, Sebastian, and her businesspartner, Cedar, knew for sure. If anyone caught a glimpse…

“This is necessary,” she told herself. “Youcan’t build the real thing without constructing a working modelfirst.”

Right. That sounded like a plausible excuse.Anyway, the hull of the ship hid the telltale flash of the vibrantenergy source.

With the engine purring like a kitten fat onmilk, the model floated higher. Kali flicked another lever. Therudder turned, and the ship changed direction, veering away fromthe wall and out over her collection of disassembled boilers,half-built projects, and crates of brass, steel, and iron parts. Itlofted toward the back corner of the building, skimming beneathceiling beams decorated with cobwebs and owl pellets. Theex-fur-storage warehouse wasn’t posh, but at least the rent wascheap.

The shop door creaked open, and nippy springair swirled in, smelling of wood smoke, melting snow, and yeastfrom the brewery next door.

“Tarnation,” Kali cursed under herbreath.

She turned, hoping it was Cedar. It wasnot.

When she identified the well-dressed man whostepped through the doorway, her hand clenched the control box sotightly she nearly broke one of the levers.

The clean-shaven man wore a tailored blacksuit, a green silk vest, and a creamy button-down shirt with fancystitching about the collar. A sleek, beaver-fur top hat perchedabove a mane of thick blond hair that fell straight to hisshoulders. His clear green eyes and easy smile could dazzle alady…until that lady wised up and realized he was a con man. Acon man who could make love to a woman and promise to help herescape the frozen North, all the while scheming to get at her mostprized possession.

Kali forced her grip on the control box toloosen so she could turn off the engine. No need to flaunt thatprized possession.

“Sebastian,” she growled through clenchedteeth. “How’d you get in? I locked that door.”

“Did you?” He slipped something that mighthave been lock picks or a skeleton key into a pocket, then sweptthe hat from his head and bowed deeply. “Kali, dear, how areyou?”

“How am I?” She gaped at him. “How amI?”

Though she had turned off the model’s engine,the fire still burned, and the unattended airship smacked into awall. Cursing, Kali raced to the corner and caught it before itfell to the floor. As it was, the wire tangled, creating a mess shewould have to unravel later. She dumped out the coals in thebrazier and laid the model on her workbench.

“You lied to me, tried to steal my father’slife’s work, and then, when I wouldn’t give it to you, you rattedme out to Soapy Smith and the Scar of Skagway.” Kali slid a handinto a cubby beside the workstation. “Now I’m being hunted morefiercely than the beaver that died for your idiotic hat. And youwant to know how I am?” Her fingers closed about cold steel,and she pulled out her favorite weapon.

“Yes, dear, I’m terribly sorry about that.”Sebastian flipped those blond locks out of his eyes and replacedthe top hat. “I was a tad angry at the time. After all, you threwone of those smoking shrapnel gewgaws and nearly unmanned me. Canyou imagine the egregious horror it would be to my family-andmankind as a whole-if I were not able to one day have chil…” Hisrambling nonsense came to a halt when he noticed what Kaliheld.

She stood ramrod straight with her modifiedWinchester 1873 aimed at his chest. “I reckon I can still make sureyou don’t have any children.”

“Ah, Kali, dear.”

“Don’t call me dear.”

“Ah, yes, Kali, then.”

“Ms. McAlister,” she said. “Or ma’am will do.Though you needn’t use either, since I’m inviting you to seeyourself out and not bother me again. Ever.”

“Now, now.” He patted the air with his hands.Between the kerosene lamps burning indoors and the daylight seepingthrough the clouds outdoors, she had no trouble seeing hisperfectly manicured nails with not a hint of dirt crusting thebeds. “I made a mistake, and I can admit to that. I apologize. Iwas in my cups and, like I said, recovering from the wounds youinflicted upon me. It really isn’t right to target a man down inthat region, you know.”

Her finger tightened on the trigger of therifle.

He was close enough to see it. “Er, like Iwas saying, I came to apologize. You must know I didn’t mean forthose gangsters to hear about you. I didn’t go to them, Iassure you. I was just expressing my displeasure over how thingsended.”

“In a crowded bit house with dozens of earsperked your direction,” Kali said.

“Well, that was a tad unwise, for certain,but it’s all a misunderstanding. There’s no reason we can’t get ontogether again.” He dared to eye her up and down. “You’re stilllooking mighty fine.”

Kali gaped at him. She wore baggy,grease-stained overalls with tools bristling from every pocket andmore gear dangling from her belt. A screwdriver was stuck throughthe end of her long braid, and sawdust sprinkled her hair, thanksto the final planing she had given the deck of the airshipearlier.

“Why don’t you just tell me what you want?”Kali asked. “I’m not the naive girl who fell for your glacier-slicktongue before. I’m older now. Wiser. Mature.”

“Mature? You’re eighteen, and it’s only beenfour months since I left you.”

“I left you. And nearly blew up yournuts.” She jerked the rifle toward the door. “Now go away.”

“What? You just invited me to tell you what Iwant.”

“That was a rhetorical question, not aninvitation.” Kali sighted down the rifle’s barrel.

“You’re not going to shoot me. You’re a goodperson.”

She fired.

Sebastian squawked, hurled himself backward,and landed in the muddy quagmire of thawing permafrost outside thedoor. In an ungainly combination of roll and sideways scramble, hedodged behind the protective cover of the wall.

With the rifle raised, another roundautomatically chambered, Kali waited for the inevitable return.

A couple of heartbeats passed-she imaginedhim patting himself down for bullet wounds, despite the lack ofpain he had to have noticed-and then another distressed squawkcompeted with the distant buzz of a sawmill.

“My hat?” Sebastian leaned around thedoorframe. Mud spattered his suit, his hair, and smudged his jaw.He thrust his top hat aloft, displaying the daylight now visiblethrough a bullet hole. “That was a little reckless, don’t youthink?” Though he tried for nonchalance, the way he kept most ofhis body out of sight meant he was no longer positive she wouldn’tshoot him. Good.

“You’re right.” Kali lowered the rifle. “Whenthe bullet passed through the hat, it might have hit an innocentpasserby.”

“I meant reckless for me! If you’dmissed by a half an inch, you could have shot me in the brain.”

“Nonsense. Your brain isn’t that large. Iwasn’t even close. Besides, I’m a better shot than I used to be.I’ve been the beneficiary of lessons.” She wondered if mentioningher business partner was a talented bounty hunter would intimidatehim-or make him more likely to stay and ask questions. The latterwould be intolerable.

“Look.” Sebastian eased inside again, handsspread wide. “Just give me two minutes to explain why I’m here. Ifyou’re not interested in my offer, I’ll leave you aloneforever.”

“Without tipping off flash-gold-huntingpirates and thieves on your way out of town?”

He winced. “Kali, I never meant to get thosemen on your trail. I was just mad and-”

“That dog won’t hunt. Say your piece andabsquatulate.”

“I just filed for a claim on Sixty Mile,”Sebastian said. “I want you to help me work it. We’ll splitwhatever we find.”

Kali stared at him, both because the idea ofhim “working” was ludicrous and because… “Panning for gold?That’s for fools who don’t understand statistics.”

“Don’t you know how much gold is being foundout there right now? Once word gets south, people will be swarmingto Dawson. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands. Those whofile now will get rich, while those who arrive too late will belucky to work for bread and salt, mining somebody else’sclaim.”

“Prospecting is hard work,” Kali said. “Idon’t believe you’ll be out there getting your hands dirty.”

“I’ll be out there. Directing others to gettheir hands dirty. I’ve already hired a team.”

“Then why do you need me?” she asked.

“To be my engineer. You think I’m going to goat this like some rube straight off the steamer from San Francisco?Panning in the shallows? I’ve got boilers on the way. We’re goingto build steam shovels and pumps so we can dig down to hunt forveins. Word around Dawson is you’re the best mechanic around.”

“I see,” Kali said. “You spent three monthscourting me, and presumably time before that researching me tolearn how to get at my father’s secrets, and yet you had to hearfrom strangers that I’m good with my hands.” The urge to shoot theman spilled into her again.

Sebastian’s lips twitched, as if they weretrying to form a scowl, but he forced a smile back into place. “Areyou interested or not? Half the gold we pull out of the claim isyours.”

She doubted that would prove true, but evenif he was not lying, the answer was the same: “No.”

“I thought you wanted to get out of theYukon. Here’s a chance. Besides, you’ll be safer in the wildernessif bounty hunters come looking for you. As long as you’re here,anyone in town can direct them to you.”

“A predicament I’m in only because of you.”Kali hefted the rifle again. “Now get out. As you can see, I’m notdefenseless. And I already have a plan for getting out of theYukon. One that’s far more likely to pan out than your goldclaim.”

Sebastian scratched his head. “How could youpossibly earn the money to go anywhere? Are you joining the girlsof the line? You aren’t pretty enough to charge big money.”

Her grip tightened on the rifle. Maybemissing had been a mistake. She wasn’t sure if she was moreinsulted that he thought the only way a woman could earn money wasby whoring or that he didn’t think her bright enough to findanother way out of the north.

“Honey, don’t look so shocked. You clean upall right when you get out of those man-clothes, but nobody’spaying more than pennies for half breeds. Ruse or not, you shouldthank me for spending time with you because no man with teeth,hair, and halfway decent prospects would look twice at someone likeyou.”

Kali stood so still she forgot to breathe.How was it that he still had the power to make her feel like thesludge in the bottom of a sluice box?

“Problem?” a familiar voice came fromoutside.

Cedar stepped across the threshold, duckinghis head to keep from clunking it on the frame. His broad shouldersfilled the doorway, and Sebastian eased back a few steps. Cedarwore clothing practical to the rough-around-the-edges town: deerskin trousers, work shirt, oilskin duster, and a black slouchhat that threw his face into shadows. Kali knew his features byheart, though, and hoped Sebastian felt intimidated when he took inCedar’s strong square jaw, cool blue eyes, and the scar on hischeek that proclaimed him a survivor of at least one knife battle.Both a rifle barrel and a sword hilt were visible over hisshoulder.

“No problem.” Sebastian removed his hat andbowed as deeply as he had for Kali, though he paused on the way upto scowl at the hole in the beaver fur.

“Cedar,” Kali said. “This is Sebastian.” Sheput enough emphasis on the name to make it clear this wasThe Sebastian. While she had not shared much of her pastwith Cedar-being fool enough to get betrayed by a con man wasnothing to be proud of-he knew Sebastian was the reason bountyhunters, pirates, and other opportunistic thugs were calling uponher now.

A silent moment passed as Cedar studiedSebastian from boots to top hat.

“Want me to kill him?” he asked.

The offer didn’t surprise Kali so much thatshe dropped the rifle, but she did fumble it. He waskidding, wasn’t he?

“Uh, pardon?” Sebastian glanced back andforth between them.

“I don’t know,” Kali said, meeting Cedar’seyes over Sebastian’s head. “Is there a bounty out on him?”

“I could check. After I kill him.”

Sebastian raised a hand. “Are we joshing? Idon’t have a bounty on my head. I’m a law-abiding citizen.”

“Yes, apparently swindling women isn’tagainst the law,” Kali muttered.

“We could tell the Mounties it was amistake,” Cedar said. “I’ve taken out enough criminals for themthat they wouldn’t likely arrest me.”

“Who are you?” Sebastian asked.

“I’m her-”

“Beau,” Kali blurted before Cedar could saybusiness partner.

Then she groaned inwardly, hating herself forthe ridiculous impulse. She did not respect women who played gamesinstead of simply speaking the truth, and here she was, trying tolook good for Sebastian. Like a woman who could get a manwith teeth and hair, thank you very much.

“Yes,” Cedar said, deadpan. “Yes, I am.”

“You?” Sebastian asked with insultingskepticism. “You’re courting her? Why?”

Cedar strolled inside, not-so-accidentallybumping Sebastian with his shoulder on the way past, and joinedKali. Despite the hat shadowing his face, she caught the glimmer ofamusement in his eyes. Good. She was relieved. He always seemed totolerate her wit, if she could call it that, but he had neverintimated that they should have a relationship that was anythingbut professional. Oh, there were days when she thought he wastrying to impress her, but the couple of times she had hinted thatthey might go have a drink at the dancing hall, he had rejected theidea, pointing out that she would be unwise to attend such publicvenues, given the bounty on her head. She had not had the courageto suggest a private dinner.

“Because,” Cedar said, wrapping his armsaround her from behind, “I’d be a fool not to.”

Something clunked against her collar bone. Arock. It dangled on a chain around his neck. She had never seen itbefore and could not guess why he might wear such a thing. Well,she’d ask later. Now, thanks to her big mouth, she had a part toplay.

Kali leaned against Cedar, enjoying thestartled expression on Sebastian’s face despite herself. Eventhrough the layers of clothing that separated her from Cedar, shecould feel the hard muscles of his chest and arms. He spent a lotof time training to be a capable bounty hunter. The evidence ofthat training felt nice. All right, more than nice.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to kill himfor you?” Cedar asked. “It’d be worth going to jail if it made youhappy.”

Sebastian coughed. “Er, I’ll just, uh. I’llgo now. Yes.” He backed out the door. “My offer’s still good if youchange your mind Kali!”

The door thumped shut so hard it bounced openagain.

A couple of seconds passed before Cedarreleased her, and she found herself wishing he wouldn’t, but hestepped away, arms dropping. The cold air against her back made heraware of his absence.

Kali turned to face him. “That was…” Niceof you, she thought. Pleasant. Something we should do again withoutsilly pretexts or ex-beaus looking on. “Scratchy,” she saidinstead. “I hope you shave that stubble before entertaining theladies at the dancing halls. And why are you wearing a rock likeit’s a diamond?”

Cedar’s brows arched.

Kali closed her eyes. She was an idiot. “Imean, thanks for, you know. Helping.”

“You’ve told me enough about what he’s done,”Cedar said. “Reckon I wouldn’t mind tormenting him some for you,though I do need to retract my offer of a killing. I must findCudgel Conrad and avenge my brother before I do something thatcould see me hanged or jailed for years.”

“Understandable.” Despite all her threats,she could not find it in herself to wish Sebastian dead anyway. Shewasn’t the sort to kill folks, making it strange that she’dpartnered up with a bounty hunter, but Cedar’s deal had been toogood to resist, and she did not have so many allies that she couldturn them away.

“And this-” Cedar lifted the rock and spunit, “-is a lodestone. I won it gambling. It’s supposed to bringluck.”

“If the previous owner lost it gambling, itcan’t be that lucky.”

“True, but the chain is silver. I can alwayssell it.”

Ah, yes, speaking of monetary matters… “Didyou find Koothrapai?” she asked, naming adeserter-turned-murderer-and-rapist who had come to Dawson toescape the law. Normally she left the scouting of targets to Cedar,but the thug had wandered past her shop, and she had recognized himfrom the newspaper.

“Yes,” Cedar said.

“And did you…?” Kali glanced at hissword.

“Yes.”

“And collected the reward money?”

“Yes.”

She waited. This was the point when heusually handed over her share. He did not.

“We’re not splitting this one?” Kali asked.It was understandable, since she had done little to help this time,but Cedar had stipulated a fifty-fifty cut when she first agreed towork with him, modifying his weapons and making usefulcriminal-thwarting gadgets.

Cedar hesitated before answering. “I did nothave need of your services to take Koothrapai down.”

“True, but I did alert you to the man’spresence in town.”

“Which began a three-day hunt, during which Ihad to traipse all over the valley after a man who served as ascout and knew how to hide his tracks and fight when cornered.”

“Yes, but you like those activities.”

“I do. My argument is that your portion ofthe work was not commensurate with a fifty percent cut.”

Kali propped her hands on her hips. “Really.Did you use any of my smoke nuts?” she asked, naming theshrapnel-flinging smoke grenades that were one of her trademarkinventions.

He hesitated again. “Yes.”

“See, I helped. You just tracked him down.It’s not my fault it took you three days. A trained hound could dothat job.”

His nostrils flared and his eyes grew flinty.Even before that, Kali regretted her words. He was her only friendhere-one of her only friends in the world.

She rubbed her face. “I’m sorry, but I needmoney to build my airship.”

“Perhaps,” Cedar said, “in this instance, anominal finder’s fee would be suitable.”

She closed her eyes, glad he was too matureto lash out at her life’s work the way she had at his. Or maybe shewished he would. It was hard knowing she was the childish one.

“A finder’s fee?” Kali asked, glad shemanaged a reasonable tone of voice. She almost gave in out of hand,but if she accepted those terms once, might he not try to pressthem on her every time? If so, it could take her years to reach hergoal. “You said we were partners who would split everythingfifty-fifty. I came along because you seemed like the best bet forearning the money for the parts and raw materials that can one dayget me out of this frozen-eight-months-out-of-the-year hell.”

“Is that the only reason you came with me?”Cedar asked, surprising her. That wasn’t what he was supposed tolatch onto.

“What?” she asked. Was he trying to derailher argument? “Of course that’s why I came. What other choice did Ihave? You cost me any chance of winning that dog sled race andgetting my airship money that way.”

“I see.” He sounded disappointed in her.

And that made her bristle more than themoney. “I can’t order what I need if all I’m getting are ‘finder’sfees.’ Once I have everything I need, I’ll help you for free whileI’m building my airship. That’ll take months. And, listen, if youhaven’t found Cudgel in that time, I’ll help you hunt him down.”She tried a smile. “By air.”

Cedar’s eyebrows disappeared beneath the brimof his hat. There, that had him intrigued. “Perhaps,” he said, “butI’m hoping we won’t need that much time. When I was turning inKoothrapai’s head, I ran into an old comrade who gave me atip.”

He gripped her arms. His eyes burned with anintensity that had not been there during their argument.

“On where to find Cudgel?” Kali asked.

“Possibly.” Cedar noticed his grip andreleased her. “One of Cudgel’s trusted men, John Wilder-or WildJohn as he goes by-just registered a claim up river. His head isworth a couple hundred dollars, but more importantly: when he’saround, Cudgel’s never far off.”

Kali forced a smile, trying to show she washappy for him, but her first thought was that he’d have littlereason to stick around and work with her once he’d completed hisquest. “Think he’s here, trying to get rich?” she asked. He wasprobably waiting for her to say something encouraging.

“Must be.” Cedar nodded. “Your old beau isright.”

She winced. She did not want that wordassociated with her and Sebastian.

“Big finds were made here last year,” hesaid, “and folks’ll be flooding the town this summer. Thepopulation’s already growing.”

“I know. This is all new. My mother’s peoplehad a camp here when I was a girl. Nothing short of gold would makemen stupid enough to build a city on land that turns into a swampwhen it thaws. I used to-er, wait. You were standing outside,listening to our conversation?” That meant he had heard thoseinsults. The last thing she wanted from him-or anybody-waspity.

“Ah. Well…” Cedar removed his hat andscraped his fingers through his tousled black hair. “When I heardthe gunshot, I ran over to check on you. Thought bandits might haveinvaded the shop. Then, when I figured that wasn’t the case, Iwasn’t sure if I should walk in or not.”

“Oh.”

“Are you game to help with Wilder?” heasked.

“Yes,” Kali said, glad to change the subject.“You want to go out and check on his claim, see if he’s about?”

“Yes, but claim jumpers are a problem uphere, aren’t they? Folks might get suspicious if we’re roamingabout, peering about people’s properties.”

“You think someone is going to mistake me fora claim jumper?” Kali patted her overalls, causing tools to clinkand clatter.

“You, perhaps not. But it’s possible folksmight think me…” He touched the scar on his cheek.

“Menacing?”

“Dangerous,” Cedar said.

“Dangerously menacing?”

“I’m not menacing. Villains aremenacing.”

“You cut people’s heads off, Cedar.”

“I cut villains’ heads off.”

“Which is a menacing practice,” Kalisaid.

“A noble one. I help bring peace and justiceto the world.”

“Menacingly.” She bit her lip to keep a grinfrom sprawling across her face. She much preferred it when theywere not arguing about anything serious.

Cedar stuffed his hat back on his head andglowered at her from the shadows it cast over his face.

“Yes, exactly. That’s menacing.” Figuring hemight not appreciate further teasing, she switched the topic. “So,what’s the plan for investigating this Wild fellow’s claim? Want meto pack a bunch of tools and parts in case we need to do anythingcreative?”

“Wouldn’t you do that whether I wanted to ornot?”

“Well, yes.”

Kali looked around, already figuring how muchshe could stuff into a packsack. She eyed the airship model,wishing she could bring it along, not because it would serve anypurpose but because it would be fun to fly it out in the open. Bestto lock it up in her hidden, booby-trapped flash-gold vault though.No need to tempt the world.

“After you pack,” Cedar said, “let’s headover to the claims office and see what piece of land your Sebastianfiled.”

Kali had turned toward her workbench togather her gear, but she tripped over her feet at this lastcomment. “What? Why?”

“He offered you a job, didn’t he? His claimmight be close to Wilder’s since they filed at similar times. Wecould pretend to work for him while spying on the other man.”

“I don’t want to work for him, I want toshoot him.”

“Perhaps we’ll have a gunfight with Cudgel’smen and he’ll get caught in the crossfire.”

“Cedar… This isn’t a good idea. We can’ttrust him.”

“We don’t have to. We shouldn’t have to staythere long.”

Kali sighed. “Fine.”

Glass clanked outside the door.

Kali frowned. Was someone out there listeningto them?

Before she finished the thought, Cedar hadrun to the doorway. He stepped outside and paused.

“Someone there?” Kali asked.

“They were.”

She joined him outside before liquid-filledbottles hanging from ropes attached to an eave. The rudimentary“ thermometer” had come with the warehouse. The variousliquids-mercury, coal oil, Jamaica Ginger extract, and Perry DavisPainkiller-froze at temperatures ranging from forty to seventybelow zero, thus providing an indicator of the severity of a winterday. With the warmer spring weather, none were in danger offreezing now, and the contents sloshed inside the bottles, as ifsome wind buffeted them-or someone had bumped into them.

Cedar pointed to footprints in the mud underthe thermometer.

“Sebastian?” Kali guessed.

“Different prints.” Cedar waved to the deepboot marks on the other side of the door, where Sebastian had stoodto lean inside. The new ones were no larger than Kali’s ownfootprints. “Judging by the stride length, the person sprintedaway.”

Kali peered up and down the street, wonderingif anyone had seen the eavesdropper.

The covered boardwalks fronting the logsaloons, gambling halls, and boarding houses were empty. A horseteam pulling a wagon struggled with deep mud in the nearestintersection, but the drover, busy with his whip, did not glanceher way. Nor did any of the people conversing on the wood porch infront of Gamgee’s Mercantile amp; Liquorgive any indication that suspicious folk had been about.

“I’ll see if I can track him-or her-down,”Cedar said. “Want to pack whatever you’ll need for the trip andmeet me at the claim office in an hour?”

“That depends,” Kali said. “When we take downCudgel, am I getting fifty percent or a finder’s fee?”

“I’d like your full help for Cudgel, which isworth half of the five-thousand-dollar bounty.”

She swallowed. Twenty five hundred dollars?With that kind of money, she could order brand new parts instead ofscrounging for used pieces and putting them to creative new uses.She could even hire people to help her assemble her airship. Withinthe year, she could finish it and be sailing south, over themountains and far away from icy, dark winters where the sun did notshine for months.

“An hour to get ready?” she asked. “Who needsthat much time? I’ll meet you there in thirty minutes.”

Cedar lifted two fingers to the brim of hishat in salute and trotted toward the end of the building where theprints disappeared around the corner. He paused. “By the way…theladies at the dancing hall like my stubble.”

Before she could decide if she wanted toretort, he jogged out of sight.

Kali squished through the mud, her bulkypacksack bumping on her back. She crossed Main Street and headedfor the wooden steps of the claim office. Piles of dirty gray snow,sunken and melted like candle wax, hunkered against its walls.Dwindling icicles dripped water from the eaves, vexing peoplestriding along the boardwalk below.

Layers of clothing served as a method ofidentifying newcomers. Natives who had suffered through the longfrigid winter welcomed the cloudy skies and forty-degreetemperatures with rolled-up shirt sleeves, while those fresh to theYukon were bundled in scarves and jackets against weather that hadto seem nippy for May.

“Kali!” came Cedar’s voice from above.

He, too, had gathered his gear, and hetrotted down the stairs with a packsack and rolled blankets ridingon his back along with rifle and sword. He joined her at the baseof the steps.

“Good news. Sebastian Bosomhall’s claim isdiagonally across the river from Wilder’s. We’ll be able to observethe enemy camp.”

“Good,” Kali said. “I guess.” She struggledto find enthusiasm for working with Sebastian again. Maybe one ofthe claims directly adjacent to Wilder’s would consider hiringthem.

Cedar cleared his throat. “Bosomhall?That’s his name? You’re fortunate his marriage offer wasn’t inearnest. That’d be a curse of a surname to have hung around one’sneck.”

“I’m still waiting to learn your name,MK,” she said, citing the letters etched on the inlay of hisWinchester. “If you were to file for a claim, what would you writedown? Assuming the claim is only binding if you use your legalname.”

“Since I’m not filing for a claim, there’s noneed to speak of it.”

“Why don’t you tell people? Is itembarrassing? Do you believe sharing it would concede some powerover you to someone else?” Her mother had believed that, butperhaps it had been a truth for her. She had possessed otherworldlypowers few understood. Kali preferred to think it was that talentthat had driven her mother mad enough to kill herself-notdisappointment in her only child.

“I don’t use it anymore. What’s important nowis that we can move forward with this task. If we leave now andwalk fast, we can get to Bosomhall’s claim today. From there, I canspy on John Wilder and-” Cedar clenched a fist, “-find out whereCudgel is.”

Kali let him drop the name issue, though sheplanned to pry the secret out of him someday.

“Did you find our eavesdropper?” she asked asthey squished down the muddy street toward the river beyond. A roadmeandering past the docks would take them out of town and towardthe claims.

“No. I followed her for several blocks, whichwas difficult since she seemed cognizant of being tracked and chosewell-traveled streets.”

“She?” Kali asked.

“I thought the tracks might belong to a boyat first, but hips give a gait a distinctive sway, usuallyidentifiable in one’s footprints.” They turned to follow thewaterline. “The tracks left town and veered into the trees. Thetrail ended behind a hill where two lines gouged a snow drift. Logsmight have rested there, or boards. They were parallel, like a pairof large skis. Ideas?”

“I…no.”

“Coincidence perhaps. She may have taken tothe trees. I chose to return for our meeting instead of scoutingfurther.”

“Good.” Kali stopped before the last dock. Itsported a tiny log boathouse. “A girl likes to hear that a manwould rather turn his back on intrigue than miss a scheduled datewith her.”

Cedar tilted his head. “I returned becausethe possibility of finding Cudgel is my priority.”

“I see. I’m incidental.” She strode onto thedock.

“No, I didn’t mean to imply you weren’timportant. I-where are you going?” Thumps sounded as he jogged tocatch up with her. “I’ll keep an eye out for this woman. If she’s athreat to you, I’ll protect you. Or I’ll watch your back while youhurl smoke nuts at her and shoot her. Whatever you wish.”

“So long as Cudgel isn’t around?”

“Kali…”

She stopped in front of the tiny boathousedoor and lifted a hand. “Relax, I’m not angry. I know Cudgel’s yourlife’s quest. And I’m just… Look, I appreciate that you humor meby listening to me prattle about my work. Not many people want tohave anything to do with me.” And if she wished he might be morethan a business partner, well, that was not something she shouldwish for.

“I don’t humor you,” Cedar said. “I’minterested in your work. Especially when you’re making weapons andexplosives. And modifying my rifle.”

She smiled. That did seem to tickle him. Shehad modified the loading mechanism on his Winchester to work likehers, automatically chambering a new round after the first bulletfired. She wondered what those dancing hall ladies thought when heinsisted on sleeping with the rifle.

“And I’m currently interested in why we’restanding here. The mining claims are that way.” Cedar pointedupriver. “Unless you intend to steal a boat?”

“No, I made a deal with a fellow who lost hisfishing boat last fall. I fixed his furnace in exchange for freerent.”

“Free rent for what?”

“You’ll see.” Kali patted her pockets. “Uhoh, did I forget the key?”

“It doesn’t look like you forgot anything.”Cedar’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he nodded at her lumpy,bulging packsack. “Except a blanket. Or did you intend to share myEuklisia Rug?” he asked, naming his fancy bedroll. “To further theguise of us as lovers?”

Heat flushed her cheeks. “No! I mean… Ijust assumed since Sebastian offered employment, he would providethe basics.” Dear Lord, this plan would involve her havingto back up her thoughtless proclamation. Possibly for days. Oneill-considered word. She groaned.

“You needn’t appear so appalled,” Cedar said.“I’ve been told I’m a fine companion. True, my face is a littlebattered, but I make up for it with what’s beneath my clothing.” Hesmiled, but it faltered immediately. “I didn’t mean anything luridby that. Just that some women have suggested my physique ispleasant to, uhm, need help with that lock?”

Kali shook her head and dug out a couple offine tools. Quicker to pick the lock than run back through all thatmud to the workshop. “I’m sure you’re fine.” More than fine. “Ijust don’t sleep with men whose names I don’t know.”

“Ah.”

If she had thought her statement wouldmotivate him to reveal his name, she was mistaken. He merelywatched her until the lock thunked and she pushed the dooropen.

“Huh,” he said.

“What?”

“You can pick locks.”

Kali shrugged and walked into the boathouse.“I can make locks. Picking them is easy.”

“Remind me not to throw you in shackles.”

“Is that something you contemplate often?”Kali untied a tarp draping a chest-high, six-foot-long object thatrested not in the water but on the dock.

“Not…often.” Cedar smiled and lifteda finger, as if he might say more, but the words changed to a gaspwhen she removed the tarp, revealing the machine beneath. “Whoa.What is that?”

The reverence in his tone warmed her far morethan the spring weather, and she forgot his fumbled words on thedock.

“Just a little hobby,” Kali said. “You knowI’ve been antsy waiting for the parts I ordered to come upriver.I’m calling this a self-automated bicycle.” Few bicycles had tiresthat thick and rugged-or a smokestack for that matter-but it wasclose enough. “It’ll take time to heat up the boiler, but it cantake us up the trail at ten to twenty miles an hour, depending onthe terrain. We can be at Sebastian’s claim in time to watch himcook us supper.” She pointed at the broad seat. “I made it bigenough for two.”

Cedar touched the head-high smokestack risingfrom the compact boiler in the back, then slid his hand along thesturdy black frame. “It’s fantastic,” he breathed.

Kali grabbed a shovel from a coal bin in thecorner, intending to load the firebox, but Cedar took the tool fromher.

“Allow me,” he said.

“If it’ll make you feel useful.”

“Your gratitude always warms me.”

Kali smirked. “Are these the times you startthinking of shackles?”

“Maybe.”

Her humor faded. “Cedar, I’d like to ask afavor before we go. Can I give you something to hold for me? I, ofcourse, figure I can handle myself in a brawl, especially if I havemy tools, but I don’t believe an army could get through you.”

Cedar, a shovel full of coal poised in theair, tilted his head, eyebrows raised.

Kali checked outside the door to make surenobody was lurking on their dock, then fished a tiny bundle out ofher pocket. She unwrapped two vials filled with golden flakes thatpulsed with soft yellow light.

“With the help of my model, I’ve done somecalculations,” Kali said, “and I don’t believe I’ll need the entirebrick you saw to power the airship. I shaved off some flakes incase I need to use them on something to help you with Cudgel.”

Cedar gazed not at the gold but at her face.“I’m not quite clear on what your flash gold does but I know it’sprecious, especially to you. I appreciate this gesture.”

“It’s a power source,” Kali said. “More thanthat, it’s…well, it has properties. You can imbue it withcommands, sort of like teaching a dog to sit and stay. Nothingfancy, mind you, and not a long list, but, a sample as large as mybrick could accept a series as complicated as a punchcard programfor a loom. My father was working on even more complexity when hedied. He was always disappointed I couldn’t…”

A whistle of steam escaped from the vent. Thebicycle was ready.

“Never mind.” Kali pressed the vials intoCedar’s hands. “Take care of them.”

“I will,” he said.