Page 72 of Stars May Burn

I laughed and clasped my hands over my skirts. “I can’t wait. Lead the way.”

We climbed to the third floor. I could barely contain my anticipation at understanding what Kasten was going through, and Callum’s exuberant behavior wasn’t helping. He was practically jumping up and down.

I narrowed my eyes in a sideways look. “Last time you barely bothered to tell me about your kryalcomy. You acted as if I couldn’t understand any of it.”

He snorted. “Last time I was risking life and limb telling you anything about my kryalcomy. And the stuff in my workshop is hardly impressive. What I am about to show you now receives pitifully little admiration.”

I arched one eyebrow. “Maybe because it’s illegal?”

He snorted. “I don’t care about that. Everyone knows that getting anything approved by the Maegistrium is such a mountain of paperwork and testing, that it is far behind the times. None of my methods have ethical considerations, well, other than allowing people to commit murder and warfare more easily, I suppose…”

I coughed and covered my mouth, but he didn’t even glance at me.

“No, the reason these inventions need to be kept secret is they keep Kasten and our men alive. Would be harder if all the devices had pretty twinkle lights that gave them away. And they wouldn’t work if everyone had them. But maybe one day, when we’ve been killed, everyone will own them. We would be far more effective against Kollenstar if all of Fenland’s soldiers were equipped with these. But I bet you anything the king would be too stingy since kryalcomy is so expensive. He won’t even issue yadum daggers as standard.” He shook his head with a disgusted expression. “But anyway, let’s blame the Maegistrium for limiting progress.”

His musings didn’t seem to require a response, and I picked up my pace as he hurried past Kasten’s office toward the east wing. He had long legs, and my stride was limited by my skirt. I knew Callum would only tease me if I asked him to slow down.

“You said that the Maegistrium was there to prevent the sort of kryalcomy that Kollenstar uses from happening in Fenland. What is it exactly that they do?”

“Kollenstar use kryalcomy on blood. They have a way of combining blood with metal to extract emotions and thus create the soulless—their army that can’t feel fear or compassion or pain or impulse.” The carpet ran out under our feet as we turned into the darkness of the east wing. “The highly illegal and dangerous practice of haemalcomy and why the Maegistrium should take such an interest in regulating kryalcomy in Fenland and its allies. And why we have no soulless in our own armies. Still, it is disappointing how long they take to approve new practices.”

“And the halfsouls?

He shrugged. “I can only guess they’ve been formed by haemalcomy. I know nothing else that can draw out parts of what make you human.”

“Then if they’re just wandering the streets, why isn’t the Maegistrium doing something?”

He gave a firm nod. “Why, indeed. Now you understand the rage of the Red Men and why they keep finding new recruits. We’ve always found the halfsouls downtown in the poorest areas of Adenburg. Rich people care less when it’s the poor people who are dying.”

I ran a finger across my lips. “Is it possible the Maegistrium doesn’t know? I mean, does anyone know apart from Kasten and the Red Men since you are the two groups who kill them off before they can do much damage? I thought not even the king knew?”

Callum sighed. “Officially, nobody knows. Deaths downtown are often not well reported. But Lord Lyrason has contacts and connections everywhere. I suspect some people have found out only to be bribed to secrecy. If that includes members of the Maegistrium…” He shrugged. “Either way, it’s not going to be their paperwork and legislation that ends this. We need the king to stop it. Only he has the power to challenge Lord Lyrason directly.”

I realized I’d fallen a few steps behind Callum and ran a few steps to catch up. “And how do you know it’s Lord Lyrason?”

Callum’s face twisted. “He’s the only lord who has secret devices that use haemalcomy in their manufacturing, though many of them seem small and innocent enough at first glance. You have to know what you’re looking for. The Red Men have suspected him for a year and have stolen quite a few of his devices. It’s why they tried to assassinate him. Not to mention, he’s the one who is constantly blocking Kasten.” He lowered his voice. “You can see it in his eyes when you talk to him. He knows we know, and he’s not scared by us one bit.” Callum shivered.

I fell silent for a while, digesting the information. “Do you know how it works? Haemalcomy, I mean?”

Callum blinked at me and stopped walking. “Seriously? Of course not. I don’t practice haemalcomy. That would make me worse than the king. Maybe even worse than Lord Lyrason. I’m not a Kollen monster.”

I shook my head with a placating smile. “I know that. It sounded like something that maybe could be used for good in medicine. To withdraw infections, or poisons. Or…I don’t know. I don’t know what’s possible.”

Callum hesitated for a moment. “The way blood is bound to metal in haemalcomy frequently kills its subject, or so I am told. I would stay far, far away from it. It’s not worth the risk to try to use such an art for good.” He shook his head as if to clear his dark thoughts. “Today, I will show you callumalcomy instead, which, now that you mention it, may actually have medical applications. We could talk about that another time.”

“Callum-alcomy.” I said the word slowly and raised my eyebrows. “You didn’t…”

He folded his arms in defense. “Well, I invented it. I get to decide what it is called.”

I snorted then stepped closer, my breath catching in excitement. “What is it? Can you show me?”

He looked at me for a moment with a guarded expression then nodded. “You really want to see the things that I make? The things that have kept your husband and his armies alive for years?”

I nodded.

He beckoned with his hand and walked to the furthest door, fishing a key from his pocket to unlock it. He turned to me and tapped me on the nose with the key. “But if you haven’t learned your lesson already, don’t come to the east wing alone, understand?”

I nodded again. I didn’t want to accidently trigger a device or release a crazy halfsoul.

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