Clockwork Menagerie: A Shadows of Asphodel Novella Read Free Page A

snorted. “Trying to catch a crab.”
    “What?”
    “I hadn’t seen a crab that big. Königsberg was a boring city. Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t judge me.”
    Konstantin smiled. “I’m allowed to judge you if you ask for my help.”
    “Fine.” Himmel rolled his eyes. “Can you fix it?”
    “With a bit of oil. Lubrication solves a lot of problems.”
    “It certainly does.”
    Was he referring to a rather indelicate act? Konstantin stared at his knuckles, his face burning, and pretended he hadn’t heard.
    Himmel cleared his throat. “Thank you for your help.”
    “Any time.” Konstantin squeezed a few drops of machine oil onto the clockwork. “There, try this.”
    Himmel buckled on the arm before rotating his wrist again. “Perfect.”
    Konstantin smiled. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
    When their eyes met, his smile faded. A moment hung between them. If he wanted, he could pluck it like a fruit.
    A forbidden fruit.
    Konstantin stepped back, distancing himself from Himmel and the need in his eyes. Or maybe the need in his own heart was stronger. This unknown force couldn’t be questioned or quantified by a tidy scientific theory.
    “Allow me to apologize,” Himmel said. “I should have been a gentleman from the start.”
    Words choked Konstantin’s throat, until he didn’t think he could say anything at all. Himmel stood and walked to the door. His message was clear—their time together was done. For now, or forever, it didn’t matter.
    Konstantin walked through the door and left the captain to his quarters.
    Though, more than anything in the world, he wanted to stay.

    Six hours until St. Petersburg.
    Fiddling with his cufflinks, Konstantin hovered at the threshold of the dining room. Himmel wasn’t here. Of course, the captain dined with his crew; how ridiculous to hope otherwise. He walked to an empty table.
    Someone tapped him on the shoulder. “Archmage Konstantin?”
    “Baron von Bach!” Konstantin said. “Care to join me?”
    “Yes, please.” The ambassador claimed a seat and flagged down a waiter. “The menu?”
    The waiter slid across a paper neatly typed with tonight’s dishes. “I recommend the Rhine Salmon a la Zeppelin.”
    Von Bach chuckled. “I wasn’t aware salmon were flying fish.”
    Was he supposed to laugh? Konstantin faked a smile.
    “I’ll try the salmon.” Von Bach waved away the menu. “With a glass of red wine.”
    “Yes, sir. And you, sir?”
    Konstantin had no idea. He grabbed the menu and pretended to give it some thought. “The salmon as well, please.”
    “Anything to drink?”
    Konstantin shook his head, already flustered around the ambassador. Drinking would undoubtedly make him redder in the face.
    “Don’t suppose you already speak Russian?” said von Bach.
    “No.” His heart skipped with an unpleasant thump. “Why would I?”
    Von Bach stared at him with watery blue eyes. “You do understand our destination is Russia? You at least have a phrasebook?”
    “I don’t.”
    Von Bach’s mustache twitched. “Well.” After the waiter poured his wine, he took a deep drink. “We have translators.”
    Himmel probably spoke Russian. He wouldn’t look like a fool in St. Petersburg.
    “Remember,” von Bach said, “this is a
diplomatic mission
.” He tapped the table twice to punctuate the words. “As my scientific attaché, you will observe and advise me on matters relevant to magic and technology.”
    Konstantin straightened in his seat. “Specifically?”
    “Look, but don’t touch.”
    He grimaced. “I meant what sort of technomancy might we encounter?”
    “Whatever the Russians won’t keep hidden from us. Our diplomatic immunity only extends so far in St. Petersburg.”
    “How far?”
    Von Bach drank more wine. “If you poke around where you shouldn’t, you might be shot. Or shipped off to Siberia.”
    He sounded so casual. Fear stabbed Konstantin’s stomach like an icicle.
    “That would be rather