Page 69 of The Dragon Queen

“Yes?” He looked relieved now that order was restored.

“Can you calculate how many cogs are needed for the first batch and what size and work with the ladies to trace out that number?”

“Of course.”

“Nancy, you’re fast at cutting out a rough approximation of the cogs?” I asked. The woman nodded sharply, then shot Maggie a look. “I’ll get you and anyone else with the same skills.” I cast my eye over the piles of cogs, seeing several that were larger than others. “To piece out the cogs with your saws.”

“But if they aren’t right, they won’t work,” Maggie complained.

“Your attention to detail is exactly what’s needed.” I looked back at Lady Oxford. “And milady, the way you described every architectural feature of the palace makes me think you’re similarly inclined. You’ll use the files to shave off the excess metal, ensuring that each cog fits the template.”

I looked up and down the table.

“You are correct, doing something is the best way for us to cope. We can influence the outcome of this war, perhaps in a small way, perhaps not, and I hope…” The weight of what I was saying hit me then, because without intending to, I saw it, the destruction of the dragon city, the carnage that resulted. The Royal Riders, the free dragons and their human companions, everyone had died in that attack. I blinked it away, forcing my attention to come back to the room. “It’s imperative that every dragon, every loyal soldier, no matter who’s son, cousin, or brother he is, comes back to his family in one piece, so let's do what we can to make that happen.”

“Well, I don’t know how you did that,” Roland muttered as he came to stand beside me, both of us watching the women move.

Now that they were working together, not against each other, things seemed to happen much faster. There was some conferring, occasionally people’s voices started to rise, but before I could step in, other women talked through the conflict and refocussed people back on the task.

Because this work mattered.

Not many of us could say their job was a matter of life or death, but ours was. At the end of the day, Roland had requisitioned some of the more capable women, getting them to construct the first finished gimbals. He had integrated a hook into the device upon which the explosive would hang, but for now, we used one of his big iron pots. Roland had the ladies laughing as he pretended to be a dragon, galloping across the workshop, his hands acting as claws. As a proof of concept, it was a strange yet effective thing.

“This will work…” I took the first gimbal from his hands, staring down at it with something akin to reverence. “This will work.” I swept in and gave the man a hug, his arms going around me belatedly before I pulled away. “I need to get this up to the keep, to the general. The riders need to trial it.”

People started to stand up, caught up in my excitement.

“None of that, ladies.” Roland was all business now. “You’ve shown what you’re capable of. Let's get a hundred more of these done before the general comes down to praise each and every one of you for all your hard work.”

Perhaps I should’ve stayed with the noble ladies, or at least not desert them in the middle of Cheapside, but right now they weren’t my focus, the device was. I ran out into the street and flagged down the nearest carriage, climbing in before it even stopped.

Unaware it was occupied.

“Well, well, we meet again.” Marcus’ gold tooth flashed as he grinned at me from where he lounged against the worn seat. “Anyone would think you have an interest in me, my queen.”

“Marcus…” I was shoving the gimbal behind me, then making for the door, when he thumped his walking stick against the roof of the carriage, indicating that it should drive on. The rattle of the wheels, the sway of the carriage made clear we were on our way.

But to where?

“Where the hell are you taking me?” I snapped. “Make the carriage stop this instance!”

“Got that queenly hauteur now, have we, lass?” His smile widened. “No, I don’t think I will. You’ve been a busy little thing, working away in that tannery, but you asked something else of me. As I am ever your servant?—”

He went to bow, but I cut him off.

“Where, Marcus? What the hell did I ever want but to keep clear of you?”

“The lads.” There wasn’t much he could say to have me going still, but this worked all too well. “And those bleeding dragons of theirs. Clever creatures, dragons, I never realised how much.”

“You’re taking me to see Lance and Jenkins, Billy and Harley.”

“You remember their names? Well done.” My eyes narrowed. “No, love.” I hated that term of endearment coming from his lips. “I’m gonna show you a glimpse of a possible future.”

Chapter 33

“Where the hell are you taking me?” I reached out to raise the shutters of the carriage, only to snatch my hand back when his cane rapped down across my knuckles. “Gods! What the hell was that for?”

“Got a good many boltholes,” Marcus told me. “You’ve seen a few of them, but this one…? For your safety and theirs, I need you to stay ignorant of where we’re going. That way none of those pesky royal dragons can pull the location from that pretty little head of yours.”

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