Page 126 of Heart of Iron
The young lads backed away and as they did, she caught a glimpse of one of their faces.
The young boy who’d helped Mendici kidnap her.
The humanists.
Her world slowed, sound draining off at the edges.The Swedish count gestured to Lady Astrid, who stepped forward with a light smile to wind it.
“How lovely,” she said, and Lena heard the words as clear as a bell.
Something was wrong.Lena stared at it frantically, recognizing her own artistry.And recognizing, too, the faulty join along the side.Where it had been tampered with.
Astrid turned the handle once.Twice.It strained against her as it never should have.Something was caught near the mainspring or one of the cams.As Astrid released it, the iron man began to quiver, his clockwork cogs sounding like the tick of a clock.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
“Will!”she screamed, her voice cutting through the din.Through the haze of her panic, she saw his amber eyes shoot to hers.Pointing at Astrid, she barely started to speak before he took off.
Launching himself across the room, he shoved Astrid to the ground, covering her with his heavy body.People scattered out of the way, confused by his actions, yet recognizing something in his expression that incited fear.
Too many people.Crushed together.Most of the Echelon, including the whole Council and the prince consort.The perfect place to destroy the blue bloods.
“It’s going to explode!”
Her cry was taken up, echoed around the chamber.Screams rang out and she found herself shoved aside.The clockwork automaton trembled violently, unable to complete its transformation.Steam hissed out through its vibrating plates.
Catching a glimpse of Will, she saw him shove Astrid into Eric’s arms, then turn to look for her.Lena staggered as someone smashed into her, catching his gaze.She shook her head desperately.They were at opposite ends of the room.Safer to go through the opposing doors.
She pointed, then tried frantically to gesture.“Go back!”
A body smashed into her.She was thrown off balance, caught in the whirlpool of pushing and shoving people.The last thing she saw was Will, his face set in a mask of grim determination as he shoved his way toward her through the crowd.
Why was he not going back?
She staggered through the door, swept out of the raging current like a piece of flotsam.Strong arms caught her, wrapping around her body like steel.
“Thank you,” she gasped, straining to see Will through the door.
“Oh,” said a familiar, silky voice.“I don’t think you’ll be thanking me at all, my dear.”
Lena’s blood ran cold as something sharp dug into her spine.“Colchester,” she whispered.
Twenty-seven
Will shoved open the second iron-bound door frantically, the swell of people suddenly surging through.Behind him, the slow, steady tick of the transformational threatened death, steam hissing from it now with teakettle consistency.
Where was she?
He shoved a man out of his way and fought free of the crowd.Lena had been right here, with Colchester’s arm around her waist.The look in her eyes as she realized who was standing behind her would fuel his nightmares for months.
Red haze threatened to overwhelm him.He hunted the hallway, but there was no sign of her.Colchester had chosen his moment perfectly.The crowds muddied her scent trail and the bastard could use them to hide.
He had to be somewhere close.Somewhere nearby.
Butwhere?
