Behemoth

city some of the storekeepers will understand German.”

“Very sensible,” Klopp said. “But where tonight, young master?”

Bauer nodded, staring back the way they’d come. The woods were silent, but the searchlight still glimmered on the horizon.

“We head west for an hour,” Alek said. “Then circle back toward the city. Perhaps we’ll find a friendly inn.”

“An inn, sir? But won’t the Ottomans be looking for us?” Bauer asked.

Alek thought for a moment, then shook his head. “They won’t know who to look for, unless the Darwinists tell them. And I don’t think they will.”

Klopp frowned. “Why not?”

“Don’t you see, the Darwinists don’t want us to be caught.” As Alek spoke the words, his own thoughts became clearer. “We know too much about the Leviathan—how its engines work, the nature of its mission. It won’t help them to have us in Ottoman hands.”

Klopp nodded slowly. “They could say it was only Volger and Hoffman who tried to escape, and they’ve caught them. So there’s no one else to look for!”

“Exactly,” Alek said. “And as a warship, the Leviathan has to leave neutral territory by tomorrow. Once they’re gone, no one will know we’re here.”

“What about the Germans, sir?” Bauer said quietly. “They saw the Stormwalker in the Alps, with its Hapsburg crest, and saw the Leviathan mounted with our engines. They must know we were aboard, and they’ll guess who was trying to escape tonight, even if the Ottomans don’t.”

Alek swore. German agents were everywhere in Constantinople, and tonight’s ruckus hadn’t been subtle.

“You’re right, Bauer. But I doubt there are any Germans in these woods. I still say we sleep in an inn tonight—a quiet, comfortable one that will take gold shavings in payment. Tomorrow we’ll disguise ourselves properly.”

He walked into the darkness, setting his course by the last glimmer of searchlights behind them. The other two hoisted their bags and followed. No arguments, no debate.

As simple as that, Alek was in command.

SIXTEEN

Deryn carried the tray carefully, barely trusting herself to walk straight.

The Clankers’ escape had kept her awake all night—scrambling to the rookery to release the strafing hawks, being dragged about by a pack of excited sniffers, then two hours with the officers as they explained it all to the Ottoman authorities, who thought it a squick rude for the Leviathan’s crew to be gallivanting across their airfield without permission.

When Deryn had finally found a moment to check the machine room, Dr. Barlow was already there. One of the eggs had hatched in the night, and the newborn beastie was missing!

The odd thing was, the lady boffin had hardly seemed upset. She’d ordered Deryn to take a good look around the ship, but had only smiled when Deryn had come back empty-handed.

That was boffins for you.

By the time Deryn had stumbled to her own cabin, it had been dawn—time to go back on duty. To add insult to injury, her first orders had been to deliver breakfast to the man who’d caused the whole palaver.

A guard stood in front of Count Volger’s stateroom. He looked as tired as Deryn felt, and stared hungrily at her tray full of toast, boiled eggs, and tea.

“Shall I knock for you, sir?” he asked.

“Aye, feel free to wake his countship up,” Deryn said. “Seeing as how he kept us up all night.”

The man nodded and gave the door a good piece of his boot.

Volger opened it a moment later, looking as though he hadn’t been to bed yet either. His hair stuck out at all angles, and his riding breeches were still spattered with mud from the airfield.

He gave the tray a hungry look and stepped aside. Deryn pushed past him and set it down on the desk. She noted that Volger’s saber was gone, along with most of his papers. The officers must have ransacked the room after the escape.

“Breakfast for a condemned man?” Volger asked, closing the door.

“I doubt they’ll hang you, sir. Not today, anyhow.”

The man smiled, pouring himself tea. “You Darwinists are so forgiving.”

Deryn rolled her eyes at that. Volger knew he was indispensable. The lady boffin might speak Clanker, but she didn’t know the fiddly words for mechanical parts. And she certainly wasn’t going to spend her days up in an engine pod. Volger would be treated well as long as Hoffman was needed to keep the engines running.

“I’d hardly say you’re forgiven,” Deryn said. “There’ll be a guard on your door day and night.”

“Well, then, Mr. Sharp, I am your prisoner.” Volger pulled out the desk chair and sat down, then gestured at an empty cup on the windowsill. “Tea?”

Deryn raised an eyebrow. His countship was offering her, a lowly middy, a cup of tea? The floral smell rising from the pot had already set her mouth watering. Between the ruckus last night and resupplying the ship before they left today, it might be hours before she sat down to her own breakfast.

Better a quick cup of tea and milk than nothing.

“Thank you, sir. I believe I will.” Deryn picked up the cup. It was fine porcelain, as light as a hummingbird, with Alek’s mechanical eagle crest inlaid in gold. “Did you bring this fancy china all the way from Austria?”

“One advantage to traveling in a Stormwalker, there’s plenty of room for luggage.” Volger sighed. “Though I’m afraid you hold our last surviving piece. It is two centuries old. Pray, don’t drop it.”

Deryn’s eyes widened as the wildcount poured. “I’ll try not to.”

“Milk?”

She nodded dumbly and sat down, wondering at the transformation that had come over Count Volger. He’d always been a dark presence on the ship, skulking through the corridors and glaring at the beasties. But this morning the man seemed almost … pleasant.

Deryn took a sip of tea, letting its warmth spread through her.

“You seem in good spirits,” she said. “Considering.”

“Considering that my escape was foiled?” Volger stared out the window. “Odd, isn’t it? I feel somewhat light-hearted this morning, as if all my cares had lifted.”

Deryn frowned. “You mean because Alek’s got away, and you haven’t?”

The man stirred his tea. “Yes, I suppose that’s it.”

“Well, that’s a bit hard, isn’t it?” Deryn said. “Poor Alek’s out there on the run, while you’re sipping tea out of a fancy cup, safe and sound.”

Volger raised his cup, which had the Leviathan’s silhouette and nautilus spirals stamped on its side in black. “That would be you, boy. Mine is quite plain.”

“To blazes with your barking teacup!” Deryn cried, annoyance rising in her. “You’re happy that Alek’s gone, aren’t you?”

“Happy that he’s off this ship?” The wildcount salted his boiled eggs and took a bite of one. “That he’s no longer destined to spend the war in chains?”

“Aye, but the poor boy’s all on his own. And here you are having breakfast, smug as a box of cats! I think it’s dead rotten of you!”

Volger paused, a forkful of potatoes now halfway to his mouth. He looked her up and down.