Ardis suspected Konstantin might have his next endeavor after Project Lazarus.
Himmel cleared his throat. “Experiment all you want on the clockwork dragon, so long as you don’t bring that thing back to life.”
Konstantin looked at the ceiling and bit his lip. “Of course not.”
The archmage sounded less than convincing. Himmel clucked his tongue.
“Where will you go now, Tesla?” Ardis said.
Tesla coughed. “I’m afraid we may have overstayed our welcome here. We acted in defense when the clockwork dragon attacked, but that may have complicated diplomacy. We have orders to return to America.”
Ardis touched her hand over her heart. “I haven’t been home to America in three years.”
“Oh?” Tesla said. “It takes only three days for the Jupiter to cross the Atlantic. You are more than welcome to travel with us.”
Ardis twisted her fingers together. “Thank you, though I’m not sure I can.”
“Nonsense, Ardis.” Konstantin brushed away her comment. “I believe you are long overdue some leave. Perhaps a month?”
“I would love to,” she said, “but there may be some legal issues.”
“Oh?”
“I’m an outlaw in America.”
“Oh, yes. That.”
“I’d rather not be arrested the moment I arrive.”
Konstantin had a sly smile. “The archmages can take care of all the paperwork. Diplomatic immunity and such.”
Hope bubbled through Ardis like champagne. “Thank you.”
Konstantin shook her hand, and she tugged him into a hug. He patted her on the back, then tried to look professional.
“I’ll expect you to report back to the Archmages of Vienna,” he said.
“Yes, sir.”
Blushing, Konstantin laughed. “Please don’t call me that. It makes me feel old.”
“What,” Ardis said, “have they found a younger archmage?”
He laughed again. “I doubt such a prodigy exists.”
“Bragging, archmage?” Wendel said. “I approve.”
Himmel grumbled in his throat. “Don’t corrupt Konstantin.”
“I’ll leave that to you.” Wendel smirked.
Waldemar and Cecelia made their entrance. Medals gleamed on Waldemar’s uniform, and sequins glittered across Cecelia’s seafoam gown. They surveyed their guests with as much pompous majesty as they could muster.
Wendel held his hand at his mouth. His eyes looked shadowed.
“It’s my honor to invite you here tonight,” Waldemar said. “Your heroics in the name of Königsberg will not be forgotten.”
Cecelia pressed her hands together as if in prayer. “Thank you. Thank you all.”
“You’re welcome,” Wendel muttered.
Wolfram elbowed his brother in the ribs.
“Please.” Waldemar waved his arm imperiously. “Dinner is served.”
Waldemar and Cecelia strode down the hall. Everyone followed them to the dining room. Wendel lingered on the threshold.
Waldemar spread his napkin in his lap. He frowned at a candelabra for a moment.
“Wendel,” he said.
Wendel glanced at him. “Yes?”
His father looked into his eyes, and an instant of understanding crossed between them.
“Sit,” Waldemar said.
It looked like a weight lifted from Wendel’s shoulders. He straightened and went to sit with his family, if only for a night.
In the dawn of morning, Ardis heard the necromancer singing. She stood on the observation deck, wind blowing through the windows, and glanced sideways at him. Wendel leaned with his elbows on the railing.
“So, so wie ich dich liebe,” he sang quietly, “so, so liebe auch mich.”
“What are you singing now?” Ardis said.
A smile stole over his face. “A folk song.” He sang it again in English. “So, so, the way I love you, so, so love me too.”
“Sounds like a love song to me.”
“That, too.”
She stood by him, and he held her close with an arm around his shoulders.
“It’s New Year’s Eve tonight,” Wendel said. “I hope Tesla knows how to party.”
Ardis laughed. “Don’t get drunk on an airship. Again.”
He wrinkled his nose. “I tried to black that from my memory.”
Krampus hopped onto the railing. Wind ruffled the raven’s glossy feathers. He peered down at the deep blue Baltic Sea.
“Careful, Krampus,” Wendel said. “If you fly away, you might not make it to America.”
Krampus blinked. “Grok.”
“Only a few days,” Ardis said. “It’s hard to believe.”
Wendel narrowed his eyes against the sun. “I assume we will be traveling incognito. Since you are an outlaw in America.”
“Konstantin promised diplomatic immunity. Besides, we’re landing in New York.”
“Will we travel to San Francisco from there?”
She shrugged. “Maybe.”
“San Francisco is your home.”
She smiled. “It’s a long way. America is big, Wendel.”
“I’ve never been.” He frowned pensively. “Will we meet your mother?”
“Do you want to?”
He looked sideways at her. “Should I?”
She laughed. “She can be a bit intimidating.”
“I’m game.”
Ardis looked out over the clouds, then leaned against Wendel. With him beside her, she was game for any number of adventures.
Shadows of Asphodel series
Shadows of Asphodel
Storms of Lazarus
~
Other series
Other
Bloodborn
Foxfire
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Storms of Lazarus wouldn’t be nearly as awesome without my even more awesome beta readers. You guys each deserve a custom automaton, a bratty pet raven, or a clockwork dragon. Your choice. In alphabetical order:
Asa Hurst
Candace Robinson
Chelsea Campbell
Talya Garman
Tiffany Halliday
Special thanks to these Kickstarter backers, who have characters named in their honor:
Breony Rogers
Carol Swindaman
Maili Weissman
Max Weissman
Steph Stidolph
Karen Kincy (Kirkland, Washington) can be found lurking in her writing cave, though sunshine will lure her outside. When not writing, she stays busy gardening, tinkering with aquariums, or running just one more mile. Karen has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College.
Find Karen online at:
www.karenkincy.com
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Dedication
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
More by Karen Kincy
Acknowledgments
Author Bio
Table of Contents
Dedication
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Books by Karen Kincy
Acknowledgements
Author Bio