Metal does not bleed, but when it twists under pressure, it screams louder than any dying man.Logan jammed his boots against the wooden deck housing, holding the heavy bronze steering tiller with both hands. The sleek sun-ship, captured from the royal elite patrol, surged across the choppy waves like a skipped stone. Its polished hull hummed with bright golden light, feeding off the high noon sun to push the vessel twice as fast as any ordinary ironclad.Are we really going to hit them head on, Vivienne shouted over the roar of the wind. She clung to the mainmast, her dark hair flying wildly across her face.We do not have a choice, Logan yelled back, his eyes locked on the massive dark hull of High Mage Vane’s flagship looming ahead. Their side cannons are already tracking us. If we try to turn or flank them, they will blow us out of the water before we complete the arc.Their hull is reinforced iron, Logan, she said, scrambling across the deck to stand beside him

A dead man does not usually buy you a drink when you step off a burning boat.Logan froze on the wooden docks of the eastern cove, his hand still resting on the hilt of his broadsword. The air smelled of wet pine, scorched canvas, and old fish. Standing right beside a stack of empty supply crates was a massive figure wrapped in a torn dark cloak, leaning heavily on a carved oak walking stick.You look like you saw a ghost, Logan, the man grunted, his voice deep and raspy.Garrick, Vivienne gasped, dropping the armful of medicinal herbs she was carrying. Her boots clicked quickly against the damp planks as she ran forward. Is that really you?In the flesh, Investigator, Garrick said, a faint, tired smirk touching his lips. Or at least what is left of it.Logan moved fast, covering the distance in three long strides. He grabbed the old captain by his heavy leather shoulder guards, staring into his face. A thick black patch covered Garrick’s left eye, held in place

A clever plan does not mean much when the mountain under your feet starts to shake.Logan pulled the heavy brass lever on the sun-ship, shutting off the light-engine before the hum could alert the imperial scout patrols. The vessel drifted silently into a shallow cove tucked between two massive black cliffs. Above them, the northern sky was turning a sickly shade of gray as the morning light tried to cut through the heavy smoke of distant campfires.Look at the bridge approach, Vivienne whispered, ducking behind the wooden cabin railing. Her silver mirror flickered with frantic red light.Logan peered through the pine branches framing the riverbank. His jaw went tight. The narrow stone bridge was not just occupied, it was completely fortified. High Mage Vane’s engineers had already erected massive iron barricades across both ends, anchored into the granite bedrock with glowing blue protective wards. Heavy crystal cannons sat behind the iron shields, their broad barrels p

The cold did not just bite the skin, it tried to stop a heart with every single breath.Logan shoved his shoulder into the howling white wind, his heavy leather boots sinking knee-deep into the fresh snowdrift. The blizzard had descended from the northern peaks without warning, wiping out the horizon in a roaring wall of white ice and flying gravel. Behind him, the mouth of the old miner tunnel was already buried under three feet of solid ice.Keep moving, Logan yelled over the screech of the gale, turning his head slightly to shield his eyes. If we stop to rest in this drift, we will freeze to the rock in five minutes.I cannot feel my toes, Logan, Vivienne gasped, her voice barely a thread against the roaring wind.She stumbled over a hidden granite shelf, her knees buckling as her dark cloak whipped violently around her shoulders. Logan caught her arm before she slid into the dark ravine yawning to their left, pulling her tight against his chest. Her lips were blu

A old soldier knows that a machine only swings where it was taught to swing.The heavy brass boots of the golem cracked the ice as it stood at the entrance of the narrow pass. Its single red eye glowed through the mountain mist, the mechanical speaker in its throat humming with high static. It swung a massive iron fist, smashing a boulder into powder to block the path toward the trenches.Go, Garrick barked, stepping directly into the middle of the narrow trail with his broadsword drawn. Get down to Kassia right now.Garrick, no, Logan shouted, reaching out to grab the old captain's shoulder. You cannot fight that thing alone with one eye and a bad leg.I am not fighting a man, boy, Garrick said without turning around, his single eye locked on the heavy brass plates covering Julian's chest. I am fighting a copper toy. Vane programmed its movement routines based on imperial academy forms. I taught those exact same forms to noble recruits for twenty years.It does