Page 38 of Inked in Emeralds (Inkbound #3)

“ H armony?” Hook’s usually gruff voice was nearing panic, penetrating through the fog blanketing my brain. “Wake up, damn it.”

It was like my eyelids had been weighed down with rocks, but I forced them open anyway.

“James?” I blinked in confusion as I looked up at his concerned face. My temples throbbed with every beat of my heart as I pushed myself to sit up. “What’s going on? Why do I feel like someone hit me upside the head with a bag of potatoes?”

He stepped back a little, blowing out a heavy sigh of relief. “Too much mead plus exhaustion, I imagine. Billy and Duncan?—”

“Both feel like shit. They need to put a warning label on that stuff,” Billy finished for him, stepping through the door.

I turned toward the window, wincing as the bright morning sunlight attacked my eyes.

“Wait…what time is it?” I demanded, scrambling to swing my legs off the side of the bed.

Duncan grunted. “Maybe eight-thirty?”

The forge. I was going to be late!

I leapt up, ignoring the shooting pain in my skull. “I’m supposed to bring my design to Smitty’s! I haven’t even finished?—”

Hook grabbed me by the elbow, holding me steady. “Take it easy, Harm. If you don’t have a solution, we’ll buy Duncan another sword. It’s not the end of the world.”

“No,” I snapped back, feeling it in my gut that I had to do this.

“It really might be.” I speared a hand through my hair as I headed toward the wardrobe for my clothes.

“It’s more than just the sword. It’s…if I go into these trials feeling this helpless, we’re screwed.

I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but I have to figure this out. ”

Not just for Duncan but for me too.

Hook went silent for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, just tell us what we can do to help.”

I pushed the others out. “Let me change.” Let me think.

Formal attire ditched, I grabbed my notes from the night before, and met the others in the common room. The steam idea from the night before definitely had potential, but it was still a seed…

If I still had my magic I could?—

Nope. We work with what we’ve got. Sit down and get it done, damn it.

I waved the others over, pulling a crumpled napkin from my pocket as I sat down at the desk. We were all out of paper, so it would have to do. My fingers trembled as I flattened it out, looking for something to write with.

Duncan stepped up from behind me, handing me a fountain pen. “Here.”

“Thanks,” I whispered, already beginning to scribble.

“Tea?”

I nodded, too focused to meet Billy’s gaze. When Hook placed a steaming cup and a scone near my elbow a few minutes later, I handed him the napkin.

“We’ll need these items, as fast as you can manage. If you can’t find something, think of an alternative that might work, and I’ll try to make do.”

Duncan eyed the list over Hook’s shoulder with a frown. “You sure about this?”

I shook my head. “Not even a little. But that’s what we’ve got, and I have to trust myself to make it work. I’m going to draw the blueprint for the improvements while you’re gone.”

A knock sounded at the door, but I didn’t look up as Fenwick’s voice rang through the room.

“Ah, good morning, my friends! Not coming down for breakfast, then? I was worried when I didn’t see you all.”

“Too much mead,” Billy replied, her tone short. “We’ve got work to do today in the city, so we won’t be back until after supper.”

“Alright, then. But make sure you aren’t late for the trials. The Wizard needs-”

“The Wizard will wait and administer the trials no matter how late we get back, unless he wants everyone to know he’s just a dotty old man hiding behind a curtain, yeah?” Billy snapped.

I did glance up at that and wasn’t surprised to see Fenwick’s grin.

I still wasn’t sure if he wanted to sleep with Billy, or if he just enjoyed her sass and wanted to spend more time verbally sparring with her, but there was no doubt that he had a thing for her.

The meaner she was to him, the more charming he seemed to find her.

“You are the quick wit, aren’t you? But I can’t argue with you there. I will make sure he knows you’ll be back…sometime tonight for the trials. Have a fruitful day in the meantime!”

Billy closed the door in his face with a slam and looked at me with a shrug. “I know you said honey, but vinegar may buy us another hour or so.”

“Can’t hurt,” Duncan agreed.

I’d already agreed not to share his secret, but there was no time to argue about it.

I glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room and groaned.

Here I was, in a city full of steam-driven technology beyond anything I’d even dreamt of, trying to create something that no one else had thought of.

And I was cocky enough that I expected to finish designing it, get it there and build it by the end of lunchtime so they’d still have enough time to make Duncan his sword before the trials started.

The thought was almost laughable.

Except…except I wasn’t laughing.

I stared down at my notes with renewed determination. Emerald City was amazing, but they didn’t have a tinker like me. And I was about to prove it. I fell into a near trance as I struggled to refine the scribbles, ignoring the trickle of sweat trickling down my temples.

At some point, I reached the end of the page, then filled up the back with another elaborate drawing.

My invention would be made up of two parts; one to make the steam that would power the bellows.

The other for how to lay the gold pavers to tighten the space of the forge, increasing the heat.

My plan was to layer them in, using them to hold and increase the heat. Like they had on the road.

I hoped I was right and that the properties of the road weren’t restricted to when they were placed on the road.

The first part of the piece was done, the twisting pipes, the lines that would take heat in and out of the bellows.

I just had to figure out how to put the rest together—where would it all come from?

How would it be powered? I glanced around, my mind still buzzing with ideas, but there wasn’t a piece of paper or napkin in sight, so I started sketching right on my hand, drawing a diagram that snaked all the way up my wrist. The further the lines and design went, the more excited I got.

Once I got to my elbow, I grinned. This might actually fucking work.

I pressed a hand to my chest, startled as the others burst back through the door, arms laden with supplies.

“Did you get it all?” I asked, rushing toward them and examining their haul.

A huge cast iron pot with matching lid, coils of copper wire, metal piping that had clearly already been used for something else…

and four large gold pavers with dirt still hanging on the edge of them, clutched in Billy’s arms.

The items were a mismatched hodgepodge, but my list looked to have been filled.

“Everything you asked for,” Hook confirmed. “Are you ready?”

“I don’t know, but we’ve got no choice. It’s now or never.”

The sound of the heavy forge hammer stopped as we burst into the shop, breathless and disheveled.

“You’re late,” Smithson grumbled, wiping his hands on his apron. “Look, lass, I’ve got other orders to take care of. If you got here an hour ago, maybe?—”

“Wait,” I gasped, holding up an ink-covered hand. “Just hear me out.”

He eyed me, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m listening.”

“We’re going to use steam to increase the bellows to start, but that’s just half my plan.

” My breath came in short bursts, and I fished the wrinkled paper out of my pocket.

“Take a look.” I strode over to the counter, smoothing it out.

The ink had blurred during the trip, making it even more illegible, but I jabbed my finger at it anyway, praying he’d understand.

He squinted, his brow furrowing in confusion, turning the paper over and over. “What am I even looking at?”

Billy stepped up next to me, jabbing me in the side with an elbow. “Show him the other part.”

My cheeks flushed as I extended my hand, doing my best to stop the trembling as I showed him the drawings that wound up my wrist and forearm. His eyes widened, and he scratched at his scruffy chin.

“You alright in the head, lass?”

My stomach sank. It was a miracle he hadn’t thrown me out already, given how insane I must’ve seemed.

“Smitty, get in here,” he called, leaning in even further to get a better look. “Can’t make out a damn thing. Maybe he’ll have better luck.”

“It looks messy, but it makes sense, I swear.” I swiped a sweaty lock of hair away from my forehead.

The back door creaked open, and Smitty stepped into the room. “Yeah?”

“Need you to look at these drawings for me. She thinks that she can increase the bellows.”

I bent over the paper, poking my finger at the water reservoir.

“Let’s start here…The forge isn’t getting hot enough on its own, like you said.

But if we steam power the bellows, the amount of air that could be pumped in…

it more than triples.” I pointed to the forge itself.

“We’ll open the wall behind the forge and install a vat of water.

The heat that would normally be wasted can be used to boil it, creating steam. ”

Smitty narrowed his eyes, still silent as the back door creaked open. “Still not hot enough.”

“And then, ” I continued, pointing to one of the sketches on my arm, “we pipe that steam down here, harnessing it to drive the bellows. As long as you refill the water every couple of hours or so, you’ll never have to pump them again.

With the increased airflow, you’ll easily be able to hit the higher sustained temperatures you need. ”

Smithson squinted, nodding his head slowly. “Like Smitty said, that still won’t be hot enough.”

Smitty didn’t seem as convinced. “I get how it could work, but how do you even expect us to install something like this in such a short time? I’d have to start working on the sword in a few hours, if you want it tonight.

And that’s if it works as well as you said it would.

Which, I don’t mean to be rude but, I still have my doubts about it. ”

“I have a new brick and flux too.” I pulled one of the gold pavers out of the bag at my feet. “These capture and create heat from the sun, if we use them as the bricks in the bottom of the forge…”

Smithson frowned, taking the paver from my hand. “But we’re trying to melt one of these for the sword.”

“Right, which is why I’m going to make a flux that will take the forging to a heat above even these.”

I hoped. “It will work just....” The resolve in my voice surprised, even me. “Give me three hours. That’s all I’m asking.”

Smitty glanced at Smithson, looking conflicted. “We’d have to reschedule a few jobs…What d’ya think?”

The other man shrugged. “If she has a chance in hell at making it work, it’ll be worth it. We’d be the only ones in the city able to bend that gold.”

Smithson straightened, turning back toward me. Then, after a long moment, he nodded. “Alright, then. The forge is yours.”

“Thank you!” I shouted, a fresh wave of energy pumping through my veins. “I won’t let you down.”

“We’ll get out of your way for now. We can use this time to clear out that back room like we’re always talking about.”

The younger smith nodded, sparing a final glance at us. “Good luck. Let us know if you need anything. And don’t screw up my forge.”

The two vanished into the back room, their voices fading as they left me alone with Hook, Duncan, and Billy.

“Alright, let’s lay out our supplies,” I said, gesturing toward the table.

Duncan emptied the sack, piling up gears, copper tubing, valves, the cast iron pot, and a larger, metal reservoir. Each one was like a little makeshift puzzle piece, and it was my job to turn them into a masterpiece.

“Damn,” I muttered, my heart sinking. I’d been so focused on convincing them to let me try that I’d almost forgotten that the hardest part was still ahead of me. “I’m still short a couple of copper attachments for the pipes. Do you think you could go grab them for me?”

Billy let out a dramatic sigh, “If you keep sending us out for errands, I’m gonna have to start charging you.”

I swatted at her arm. “Just a few things this time, I swear. I’ll also need something to insulate the copper pipes. Maybe some kind of wool or cotton from a vendor?”

“Florbax wool would work really well for that,” Billy cut in. “Super coarse and near indestructible. Shoring them is a nightmare. I know just the guy.”

“Okay, then for Duncan…” I scanned the pile of junk a second time.

There were plenty of things I could use, but, given how little time I had, I had to focus on bare necessities.

“I need some good rope, as well as some little wheels or similar sized gears. I want to make a little pulley for part of it.”

And with that, the two of them were out the door, Billy already bossing Duncan about where to go and the fastest way to make it back.

“No marching orders for me?” Hook asked.

“Actually…I need you for something else. Something important.”

He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. “Why do I have the feeling I’m not going to like it?”

“For this whole thing to work in the time we have left, we’d have to use one of your Tideblessings.”

He stared at me, unblinking. “You want me to use my magic to help that meathead get a fancier sword than the one he broke while trying to kill me?”

Well, when he said it like that…

“That’s about the gist, yep.”

He scowled, but dipped his head. “What do you need?”