Ardour: An Erotic Steampunk Story Read Free Page A

more.
Hawkins disagrees with my plans and I fear he has sent one to follow me to
dissuade me from my decision.
    I give this to my daughter for
safekeeping as she is the only one in this world whom I can trust and she has
agreed to handle the execution of my wishes and the disposal of my fortune in
the way I desire. I wish the following to take place in the event of my death.”
    The parchment went on, listing
most of the assets of Gauge and how they should best be disposed of. I refolded
the document and placed it gently in my pocket.
    “You know Hawkins will not rest
until this is in his possession once more,” Jared said as he set the steamcrate
onto the mooring by my window.
    “Then we must ensure it reaches
as wide an audience as possible first,” I replied.
    “You don’t mean-?”
    I nodded. “Time to go to the
council.”
    “Why didn’t you say so before,”
Jared said, setting off once more and sending the steamcrate upwards, past the
top of my scraper to the island furthest north, the home of the council.
    The sun was rising when we arrived
and I found myself unable to stop thinking of Esmerelda. When we landed in the
central park, the first of the morning’s mechhorses were already at work. We
gathered two and rode them to the council building, finding Esmerelda standing
outside, her face a mass of bruises.
    “What happened?” I asked,
dismounting and running over to her as the mechhorse vented steam behind me.
“How did you get here so fast?”
    From behind her, the man from the
music hall stepped out, holding a fusegun to her head. “I gave her a lift,” he
said, nodding towards my pocket. “Toss it over here.”
    “Toss what? I have nothing of
value.” I could see out of the corner of my eye that Jared had not been
spotted. He moved behind a skydendron bush as I tried to buy us some time.
“Just let Esmerelda go and we can discuss your concerns.”
    “Stay still!” he yelled across to
Jared. “Do you think I cannot see you behind there? Come out and join your
companion.”
    Jared stepped out from behind the
bush, mouthing sorry at me as he walked over.
    “Let her go,” Jared said, taking
a step towards Hawkins.
    “Do not toy with me,” Hawkins
replied, waving the fusegun towards us. “I want the will. I know you have it.
She sang like the most pathetic child’s springnightingale. Perhaps I will wind
her and see if she sings again.” He leaned round to her chest and tweaked her
nipple harshly through her top. She let out a yelp as I winced on her behalf.
    “All right,” I said, moving my
hand to my pocket. “But there is one thing you should know about me.” I reached
into my pocket and wrapped my fingers round the item within.
    “What?”
    “I’m a great shot.” I twisted my
hand towards him and pulled the trigger of the fusegun inside my pocket,
tearing a hole in my cloak with the blast. The ray fired through the air and
hit Hawkins square in the forehead, cleaving it in two as everything above his
neck disintegrated. He slumped back against the door of the council building
before sliding down to the ground.
    “Oh my goodness,” Esmerelda said,
running forwards and throwing her arms around me. “Thank you so much. I feared
for us all when he dragged me to his steamcrate.”
    “Hush,” I said, stroking her hair
as I held her tightly against me. “It’s over now.”
    “Not quite,” she replied, leaning
back so she could look at me, tears forming in her eyes. I understood what she
meant as Jared smiled at the two of us. We allowed the mechhorses to take us
back to the steamcrate, leaving the parchment in Hawkins’s pocket, knowing that
would be enough for the council.
    Jared took us back down through
the air to Esmerelda’s house on the next skyisland. He bade us good morning and
flew off into the air to arrange the collection of the mayor’s body, leaving me
alone with Esmerelda. She slipped her hand into mine as we walked through the
park near her house, the first of