Clockwork Twist : Trick (25 page)

Myra's child-like face stared back at her with cold suspicion.

“Jonas, I'm sorry,” Arabel said, looking to him. “And Twist, I didn't mean it.  I'm just as much of a freak myself,” she added hopefully.  Myra stood back and stared at Arabel.

“No hard feelings,” Jonas said to Arabel with a smile. “You're just trying to protect us, right?”  Twist nodded quickly with a hopeful smile of his own.

“Exactly!” Arabel said instantly.

“Humph,” Myra toned before turning her back on Arabel and looking back to Twist.  The moment she did, everyone but Jonas, Aazzi, and Twist looked quickly around the room.

“Where did she go?” Arabel asked
in a whisper.

“Nowhere,” Aazzi responded. “She's just calmed down.”

Myra glanced at the dagger still sticking in the wall and her expression shifted. “Did I do that?” she asked Twist with a point to the dagger. “I'm sorry...”

The smile ran out of room on Twist's face as he stepped up to her and took her hands again. “It's all right,” he said gently.  He couldn't remember anyone else in his life standing up on his behalf before.  His heart felt too big to still fit in his chest.

“For the record, Myra,” Jonas said, “I don't think you're annoying at all anymore.”

“Anymore?” she asked, a frown appearing on her face.

“You're actually quite awesome,” he added, smiling at her almost proudly.

She rolled her eyes and looked back to Twist.  Behind her, Arabel just watched silently as Twist and Jonas showered the seemingly empty patch of air with gentle words and warm smiles.

Once things on the
Vimana
had calmed down, and Twist had thanked Aazzi for her help until he ran out of words, Jonas and Twist managed to get away from the others to talk privately with Myra's spirit.  Jonas closed the door on the cabin that used to be his, and sat cross-legged on a large blue cushion that was embroidered with white.  A low table sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by similar cushions of varying colors, while a thin mattress lay folded in three, in a corner.  Paper candle lanterns—like those Twist had seen in Hong Kong—hung from the ceiling, and there was a yellowing bamboo tree in a black pot in one corner.  Twist shifted on his own red cushion.

“Interesting decor,” he toned.

“Being on the floor is grounding,” Jonas said with a shrug. “So, Myra,” he said, looking to her spirit, which sat on a golden cushion across the table from him. “How much can you tell us about where they took you?”

“I already told you what I can,” she said with a sigh. “They put me in an empty room with a little window that looks out into the storm, and metal bars instead of one wall.”

“She's in a cell,” Twist said to Jonas, his voice rich with disgust.

“Nice people,” Jonas muttered. “When they brought you in, did you see if they were guarding the landing platform?  Did you see any people with weapons?  Actually, how many people did you see?”

As he questioned her, Myra frowned slightly and bit at her lip.  She seemed to think for a moment before she looked to Twist and reached out to take his hand on the table top.  Jonas fell silent, watching her.

“Don't misunderstand me,” she said carefully. “I want my puppet.  I don't like being a ghost again.  But I don't want...”
Her words drifted away as her expression grew concerned. “I'm frightened for you,” she said softly. “They can't hurt me.  Not really.  They can't even keep me there, now that I'm here with you.”  She looked to Jonas too, as she spoke.

“Is she asking you not to go because she's worried?” Jonas asked Twist.  Myra nodded in response before Twist had to explain.

“Then are we just going to give up?” Jonas asked them both. “Myra, you won't be able to talk to anyone but Twist for the rest of time.  Not unless you get angry.”

Myra looked to Twist with a heavy weight in her eyes. “I would rather be with you than without you.  I just don't want to be alone again.”  She sucked in a sharp breath and he felt her grip tighten on his hand as she looked away.

Twist felt an immediate violent need to help.  He had to do something, quickly.  He had to chase away her fears, to make her feel safe and loved.  He couldn't imagine a single thing to do.  Helplessly, he looked to Jonas.

“What are you looking at me for?” Jonas asked him. “Hug the girl.”

Myra glanced up at Jonas's voice, but Twist was already moving to sit closer to her.  He put an arm around her shoulders, leaving his other hand on the table.  Myra's chilly form melted into him in response, curling up against his chest with her head nestled just under his chin as she let out a barely audible and deeply emotional tone.  Twist froze as nervous shivers broke over his skin.  Jonas cleared his throat.  When Twist looked to him, Jonas pointed to Twist's hand on the table, and then to Myra's head quickly.  Twist reached up to pet at the soft black hair at the edge of her face and felt her form relax just a little deeper.  Jonas looked at Twist in disbelief and then rolled his eyes.

“Don't worry, my sweet,” Twist said very softly to her. “I'm not going to leave you.”

Myra took a deep breath against his collar, blowing a chill whisper through the thin cloth. “I have this horrible feeling,” she said, pulling back just enough to look up at his face. “I just know that you won't make it this time.”  Jonas watched her speak, but then looked away again.

Twist stared at her silently, still gently stroking the edge of her face with a thumb. “I wish we could free Idris,” he said. “He could get you out without the slightest risk.”

“The only thing that can free Idris now is a wish for his freedom,” Jonas said. “You see, whoever is holding the vessel he is bound to, is the person who owns him.  His owner has to wish for his freedom.  It's never going to happen.”

Twist's face took on a thoughtful shade. “All someone has to do is hold the thing he's in, to own him?”

“Yeah.  Cruel, isn't it?”

“You said yourself that they can't harm you,” Twist said to Myra. “But with strong enough emotions you can affect the physical world, even without your puppet.”

Myra's eyes widened and she sat up straighter. “You're right.”

“You can get to Idris,” Jonas said with a point to Myra, his eyes alight with inspiration. “Get him out, and then he can get you out.  Hell, he could get Jeffrey too.  And anything valuable they've got lying around...”

“Maybe,” she said, her eyes drifting over her rapid thoughts. “But, I never really got the hang of touching things,” she said, biting her lip again. “I tried, when I was trapped in my palace.  I never managed to do very much.”

“What?” Jonas asked Twist.

“She's not good at touching things,” Twist said quickly.

“All you have to do is hold the bottle long enough to make the wish,” Jonas said, drawing her rapt attention. “It is a bottle right?  I mean, can you find it?”

“Yes, I know exactly where it is,” Myra said, nodding. “They put it into a sort of cage, really close to where they put Jeffrey and I.  Jeffrey is in the room next to mine.”  Twist quickly related her words to Jonas, who started to smile.

“This could work,” Jonas said. “You don't have much to lose in trying.”  Myra looked to Twist with a smile.

“You can do it,” he said certainly. “No problem.”

“You think so?” she asked brightly.  “Should I try it now?”

“Do you think you can find your way back here, if you need to?” Twist asked.

“If you stay right here, I can find you again,” she said.

He reached up to lay his hands on her slight shoulders. “Then give it a go,” he said as casually as he could.

“Good luck,” Jonas offered, smiling to her.

She smiled back at both of them, and then her form wafted away like smoke.  It lingered for a moment where her spirit had been, and then disappeared into dust motes in the sunlight that fell into the room from the porthole windows.  Twist let out a sigh and looked to Jonas, surprised to find a somewhat worried expression on his face that mirrored his own anxiety.

“That was the right thing to do, right?” Twist asked, trying to make it sound like a casual question.

“Well, they can't kill her,” Jonas said.

Twist leaned his elbows on the table and wished that time would move on a bit faster.  If something horrible w
ere going to happen, he'd rather not wait for it.  He thought through possibilities, over and over, looking for any way that she could be trapped or hurt, but all he discovered were unfounded fears.  He looked up to find Jonas deep in his own thoughts, staring at nothing in particular.

“You know,” Jonas said suddenly, still looking at nothing. “I didn't really think that much of her at first.  I mean sure, clockwork girl.  She's different, and kind of cute in a metallic kind of way.  Lovely singing voice.  I knew she was important to you.  But I just wasn't … invested.”

“But now?”  Twist did his best to imagine how anyone in the world could not fall instantly in love with Myra, but he couldn't seem to do it.

“Now she kind of reminds me of Ara, back before she went psychotic.  Back when we were young, and I used to tease her.  Sure, she got mad at me back then,” he added, smiling now, “but it was in a playful way.  I never made her upset enough, or angry enough, to say the kind of things she said to you today.  It was all in fun, when we were just grubby little pick-pockets.”  Though Twist's mind caught on the idea of Jonas as a child criminal, Jonas gave a soft, nostalgic sigh.

“Is that why you started teasing Myra?” Twist asked.

“Probably,” Jonas said. “I wasn't really thinking about it.  But she is fun to tease,” he added, smiling fondly at the thought.

They sat together in reflective silence for a few moments longer, before there was a deep, resounding, concussive sound from the sky above them.  They shared a worried glance for an instant before they were both on their feet and hurrying up and out onto the open deck.  The others had heard it too, and came to join them quickly, all staring up at the gray clouds.

The clouds parted quickly as if rent back by an unseen hand, and warm, clear sunlight spilled down on the London streets for the first time in countless years.  People everywhere in the city looked up and saw a clean blue sky as the dark clouds rolled back.  Then, something black, squ
are, and enormous began to fall over Piccadilly.  It sank below the receding clouds slowly.  Hundreds of huge round balloons inflated quickly above it, trying to slow its descent.  The effort didn't seem to be working too well.  The people in its shadow ran screaming in all directions.

Twist stared in silent bewilderment.  The hulking mass looked for all the world like a medieval castle made of black metal.  Turrets and towers rose from the high walls, surrounding what could have been
a good-sized town inside, all set together on a flat plate.  Blue lightning arced around the walls and parapets savagely, while the balloons continued to appear above.  As the dark castle fell slowly, it seemed a vain attempt to save the city below.

There was suddenly a loud cracking sound from behind Twist, where he and Jonas stood at the edge of the deck.  He turned to see Idris, Jeffrey, and Myra in her clockwork form all standing in the center of the
Vimana's
open deck.  Each one of them wore an enormous smile, and appeared totally unharmed.

Myra gave a squeak of pure joy and leaped forward into Twist's waiting arms.  He caught her and held her tight, feeling her joy shine over him like tropical sunlight as she tucked her glowing smile into the crook of his neck.

“I did it!” she said, pulling back to smile at him. “I actually did it!”

“I'm so proud of you!” Twist said, beaming at her.

Myra laughed brightly and let go of him, turning to Jonas.  She wrapped her arms around his neck too, and he took her waist, spinning her around in the sunlight.

“Well look at that!” he said, letting her go. “The princess saved herself.”

“I did, didn't I?” she giggled back.

Idris stepped up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, looking at Twist sternly. “Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully
.  You had better take care of this wonderful little girl.  And I mean better than you have been.  No more losing her, no more fear, no more tears.  Either you will make her happy every day of her life, or I will.”  On the last of his words, his face took on a warm smile.

“Oh, you silly...” Myra said to Idris dismissively. “I'm perfectly happy with Twist.”

“You set me free,” Idris said to her. “You didn't even hesitate.  You could have wished yourself free and kept me as your own prisoner.  But you wished for my freedom first.  For that, you have become my favorite person on this dull little planet.  As long as I'm stuck on it, your wish will forever be my command.”  Myra only smiled at him fondly, but Jonas stared at him in shock.

“My God,” he toned softly. “You'll do anything she asks you to?”

“Anything
she
asks, yes,” Idris said loftily.

“That's as good as having him in a bottle,” Jonas shot to Twist.

“But, if you don't mind,” Idris said to Myra, “those people just tried to turn me into a slave.  I'd very much like to turn them all into slimy amphibians.  So, if you'll excuse me...”

“Oh, of course,” Myra said. “Have fun!”

“I will,” Idris responded with a golden grin. “Jeffrey, would you like to give me a hand, and make a few wishes?  I'll see that you get some bananas out of the deal.”

“I would love to,” Jeffrey said, jumping up onto Idris's shoulder. “I'd like a little revenge of my own.  They treated me like an animal,” he added, straightening his little tweed suit.

Idris looked back to Myra. “Just call my name if you should need anything.  Wherever I am, I will hear you.”

With that, he and Jeffrey vanished into purple smoke that wafted away on the wind.  Myra looked back to Twist and Jonas with a wide, proud, smile and took Twist's hand again.  His Sight responded instantly, Twist reveling in her sparkling joy, while the warmth of Jonas's calm presence pulsed gently at his neck.  For an instant, his whole world was perfect.