Read Online Beauties of the Beast (The Yellow Hoods, #4): Steampunk meets Fairy Tale by Adam Dreece - Free Book Online

here, but… he abandoned us to hunt Tee again.”
    “Who’s Tee?” asked Simon.
    “Tee Baker,” replied Franklin.
    Simon shrugged. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”
    “She’s the granddaughter of Nikolas Klaus,” said Franklin nervously.
    “Oh, Nikolas Klaus? What do you know of that long-dead inventor?” asked Simon, his words like poisoned velvet. There weren’t many who knew that Nikolas hadn’t died long ago. Marcus had covered up his death so that he could live a seemingly free life, something Simon hadn’t ever understood but figured there was a reason for. Marcus wasn’t the altruistic type.
    Franklin squirmed and rubbed his hands together. “I met Klaus. Bald, salt and pepper beard. You have him on a painting in the corridor, along with a young you and someone else. I was briefly in Klaus’ lab before it burned down.”
    Simon laughed. “Are we making up more stories, then? Well, I have a magic pony that breathes fire and is running for parliament in Freland,” he replied, his sarcasm absolutely biting.
    Franklin felt a lump grow in his throat. Simon had a way of seeping into one’s bones. His movements and tone, his words and expressions, made Franklin feel like he was prey being stalked. “No, it’s true! Look, I know where the steam engine plans are. Do you want them or not?” he asked, gesturing wildly.
    Simon stopped circling and studied the boy. He rubbed his forehead, wondering about everything that had been said. “Why would I want the steam engine plans when I have your father?”
    Franklin glanced around nervously. “Because… because I know my father, he wouldn’t help you,” he stammered. “You need the plans, that’s why you came after them in the first place.”
    “I did? I don’t remember visiting Inglea. Are you sure it wasn’t someone else?” Simon moved his head from side to side, wondering a bit more how to allow this scene to play itself out. “Klaus, LeLoup, the steam engine plans. You have an ever-growing list of make-believe.”
    Taking a slow breath, Franklin gave Simon a steely glare that caught the man off guard. “When I was in Klaus’ lab, I saw a mechanical arm prototype. I saw a rocket cart of his fly through the sky, and I’ve ridden on a King’s-Horse with Christina Creangle. What more proof do you want?”
    “Wait,” said Simon, putting his hand up. The ring of truth was too loud for him to ignore. “Let’s go back to the steam engine plans. What do you want for them, your father’s release?”
    Franklin stared at the ground, confused by why the very thought hadn’t occurred to him. “I… I figured you wouldn’t do that,” he replied.
    “And I’m going to guess you’re really after something more interesting, aren’t you? I’d be willing to allow a visit. But what is it you truly want?”
    “I want money,” said Franklin, looking up. “I have two guys who have kept me alive that I promised money to.”
    Simon gestured to Franklin’s clothes. “It seems that you already have a way to make money. Why do you need some from me? I can give you some for the plans, but that’s not really it. What do you want ?”
    A smile crept out of Franklin. “I want to change the world.”
    “Ah, there it is,” said Simon, pointing. “And as for those two men, I’ll have them killed. I have no need for them.”
    “No,” said Franklin startled.
    Simon laughed. “You’re in no position to negotiate.”
    “They’re with me,” he said, surprised at himself. “They’re my friends. You have lots of men, if they cause trouble you can have them killed.”
    Simon folded his arms. “How badly do you want to change the world?”
    “More than anything.”
    Taking a moment to reconsider what he was about to say, Simon figured it was worth the risk. “How about a little test? If you’ve really been to Klaus’ lab, then you should have no problem deciphering some plans I have of his. You have one day to tell me how it works.”
    “And if I