Read Online Wind Dancer: Secret War Steampunk Series - Adventure, Mystery + Mad Science by Raven Bond - Free Book Online
Authors: Raven Bond
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Naga. You have heard of them
haven’t you?”
Smeadly looked at Saira as if for the first time. Everyone in
India had heard whispers about the Naga, the sorcerous Serpent People who
killed in the dark. It was rumored that even the Thuggee of Kali gave the Naga
a respectful distance. Smeadly smirked at her.
“This little flower a fearsome Naga?” he asked derisively.
“You must be slipping Willy to think you could pull that one. He laughed and
then the laugh died as Saira caught Smeadly’s gaze. Will saw the man’s Adams
apple work. He could tell Saira was working her magic on him. He sat back on
his haunches to watch silently.
Saira sauntered towards Smeadly, running a thumb lasciviously
along the edge of her knife. Smeadly's eyes grew rounder the closer she came.
Will was reminded of seeing a snake catch a rodent, the rat frozen in place as
the serpent came closer.
Saira straddled Smeadly’s legs pinning him in the chair. She
carefully ran the knife down his cheek, a thin trickle of blood following where
it passed.
“I wonder if those teeth come out easily,” she breathed at
him.
“Oh God, Willy, I can’t tell you, man! I can’t,” Smeadly
erupted in terror, his eyes never leaving Saira’s gaze. “Can you not understand
that it would be the death of us all, you stupid Indian?” Saira stopped his
shouting by placing her blade against his lips.
“First, you should know that the Cap’n is a tribesman from
the Americas, an honorable warrior,” she breathed. “ I am Indian, as I am
from India . You,” she moved the knife towards his eye, “are apiece
of offal whose soul I will shrive with the rites of pain, and off up to the
Dark Ones in apology for your stain on the soil of my land.”
Will thought she might be overdoing it; he doubted Smeadly
had a soul, let alone thought much of it. But Smeadly screamed like the damned,
never taking his eyes off hers. “No Willy, please! Don’t let her do it!” The
little ganger started crying. “Don’t let her do it!” He broke down sobbing.
Will hated seeing anyone so undone, even a weasel like
Smeadly. It left him feeling unclean somehow. Still, Saira’s hexing seemed to
be working. He didn’t know what Saira was doing to him, but it was best to
continue the playing.
“Huntress,” Will said in low reverent tones to Saira, “I know
your offense at his life is great, but I ask you to spare him if he tells us
what we want to know.”
“But the shriving is such beautiful thing,” she crooned
softly in Smeadly’s face. “There is a moment when the pain is so transforming,
he will gain this radiant glow, and that is hours before death lifts him away.”
With a great sigh, Saira stopped the blade moving. “You may speak,” she ordered
him.
“I can’t tell you much.” Smeadly began hurriedly. “I do know
that powerful people are running this Willy, powerful ruthless people. The
thief was the Cat, you see, as canny as they come. He says as how it was the
big pay off, and would I move it to Hong Kong for him for a nice piece? They
found him yesterday morning in pieces almost too small to recognize.” Smeadly
paused wetting his lips. “He was canny Willy, the best I’s ever seen. Now he’s
mince, and the peelers aren’t even making a row of it.”
“Then that same morning an English toff with dead eyes comes
to me, asking if I could still move the Cat’s swag, only for him now instead.
Bugger wasn’t any local bloke I knows that. I swear Willy, I looked at
those dead eyes, and it was like something pissing on me grave. I said no, on
my soul Willy, I said no. I sent him to someone else.”
“Who Smeadly?” Will asked quietly.
“A Chin smuggler name of Hu Fan, runs a sea junk called the Destiny .”
Smeadly said. Both Will and Saira hissed between their teeth. Smeadly barked
out a mad laugh.
“I see you knows the blighter, alright!” Smeadly said.
“Figured no loss to me, old Hu runs afoul.”
“Tell us everything Smeadly,” Will
haven’t you?”
Smeadly looked at Saira as if for the first time. Everyone in
India had heard whispers about the Naga, the sorcerous Serpent People who
killed in the dark. It was rumored that even the Thuggee of Kali gave the Naga
a respectful distance. Smeadly smirked at her.
“This little flower a fearsome Naga?” he asked derisively.
“You must be slipping Willy to think you could pull that one. He laughed and
then the laugh died as Saira caught Smeadly’s gaze. Will saw the man’s Adams
apple work. He could tell Saira was working her magic on him. He sat back on
his haunches to watch silently.
Saira sauntered towards Smeadly, running a thumb lasciviously
along the edge of her knife. Smeadly's eyes grew rounder the closer she came.
Will was reminded of seeing a snake catch a rodent, the rat frozen in place as
the serpent came closer.
Saira straddled Smeadly’s legs pinning him in the chair. She
carefully ran the knife down his cheek, a thin trickle of blood following where
it passed.
“I wonder if those teeth come out easily,” she breathed at
him.
“Oh God, Willy, I can’t tell you, man! I can’t,” Smeadly
erupted in terror, his eyes never leaving Saira’s gaze. “Can you not understand
that it would be the death of us all, you stupid Indian?” Saira stopped his
shouting by placing her blade against his lips.
“First, you should know that the Cap’n is a tribesman from
the Americas, an honorable warrior,” she breathed. “ I am Indian, as I am
from India . You,” she moved the knife towards his eye, “are apiece
of offal whose soul I will shrive with the rites of pain, and off up to the
Dark Ones in apology for your stain on the soil of my land.”
Will thought she might be overdoing it; he doubted Smeadly
had a soul, let alone thought much of it. But Smeadly screamed like the damned,
never taking his eyes off hers. “No Willy, please! Don’t let her do it!” The
little ganger started crying. “Don’t let her do it!” He broke down sobbing.
Will hated seeing anyone so undone, even a weasel like
Smeadly. It left him feeling unclean somehow. Still, Saira’s hexing seemed to
be working. He didn’t know what Saira was doing to him, but it was best to
continue the playing.
“Huntress,” Will said in low reverent tones to Saira, “I know
your offense at his life is great, but I ask you to spare him if he tells us
what we want to know.”
“But the shriving is such beautiful thing,” she crooned
softly in Smeadly’s face. “There is a moment when the pain is so transforming,
he will gain this radiant glow, and that is hours before death lifts him away.”
With a great sigh, Saira stopped the blade moving. “You may speak,” she ordered
him.
“I can’t tell you much.” Smeadly began hurriedly. “I do know
that powerful people are running this Willy, powerful ruthless people. The
thief was the Cat, you see, as canny as they come. He says as how it was the
big pay off, and would I move it to Hong Kong for him for a nice piece? They
found him yesterday morning in pieces almost too small to recognize.” Smeadly
paused wetting his lips. “He was canny Willy, the best I’s ever seen. Now he’s
mince, and the peelers aren’t even making a row of it.”
“Then that same morning an English toff with dead eyes comes
to me, asking if I could still move the Cat’s swag, only for him now instead.
Bugger wasn’t any local bloke I knows that. I swear Willy, I looked at
those dead eyes, and it was like something pissing on me grave. I said no, on
my soul Willy, I said no. I sent him to someone else.”
“Who Smeadly?” Will asked quietly.
“A Chin smuggler name of Hu Fan, runs a sea junk called the Destiny .”
Smeadly said. Both Will and Saira hissed between their teeth. Smeadly barked
out a mad laugh.
“I see you knows the blighter, alright!” Smeadly said.
“Figured no loss to me, old Hu runs afoul.”
“Tell us everything Smeadly,” Will
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