Grey Griffins: The Clockwork Chronicles #1: The Brimstone Key (7 page)

Max’s stomach sank. He loved Logan like an uncle, but having a bodyguard shadow him all day was going to draw the wrong kind of attention. He didn’t want everyone to think he was a wimp.

“Don’t worry, Grasshopper,” Logan said, catching Max’s discomfort. “I’ll be out of sight most of the time. Just let me know if you need anything, got it?”

Then a voice called over the intercom…

“All students are to report immediately to the Grand Auditorium. Repeat: All students report to the Grand Auditorium.”

The Grand Auditorium was in the heart of Apprentice Hall, and when Max walked in, he could hardly believe his eyes. Unlike the subway stations, there was no mildew, stench, or crumbling statues. Everything was rich and luxurious. Flanked by three levels of balconies and hundreds of plush leather seats, a central aisle proceeded toward a stage draped with a velvet curtain. The walls were brilliant gold, filling the room with a warm glow. Soaring nearly seventy feet above their heads, the ceiling was alive with interlocking designs and five of the largest chandeliers Max had ever seen.

Xander Swift and his flock of admirers were blocking the aisle as they waited for the assembly to begin. Max
paused, knowing he’d have to cut through the middle of them. All he wanted to do was find Brooke and sit down.

“Hey, that’s the Sumner kid, right?” someone asked.

Max cringed.

When he turned around, Xander was standing there staring at him. The older boy was at least a head taller than Max, and it was obvious that he spent a lot of time in a weight room. He had green eyes, and his dark skin was flawless.

“Welcome to Iron Bridge,” he said, offering his hand to Max, as though he were welcoming Max to his personal residence. “I’m Xander Swift.” Max took it reluctantly. “Just transferred here from Stirling. Which academy are you from?”

Max looked around uncomfortably. “King’s Elementary,” he mumbled.

Xander looked puzzled for a moment. It was as though the idea of attending anything other than a Templar academy had never occurred to him.

“Nice work with that Medal of Arthur,” he said.

“Thanks,” Max replied as he stared at the ground. Xander’s charm was so contagious that Max was struggling to maintain his disdain.

“I hear you’re a pretty good duelist,” Xander continued. “Playing Round Table against a Grandmaster is crazy. You must have had some serious moves.”

Max sighed. The Toad brothers evidently couldn’t keep their mouths shut. The Grandmaster in question
was a gargoyle named Throckmorton, and Max was convinced that Throckmorton had been toying with him.

“Hey, there’s Brooke,” Harley said, catching Max by the arm before he pulled him through the crowd.

“Sorry… got to go,” Max offered in relief.

Xander shrugged and turned back to his friends.

Max felt his face flush as he wound his way to where Brooke was sitting. They had been neighbors ever since Max could remember. He had even asked her to marry him when they were five. Thankfully, she hadn’t mentioned it since.

“I was wondering if I would get to see you,” Brooke said as she stood up to give Natalia a hug. Moments later the two girls were comparing class schedules.

“We really needed you the other day,” Natalia said as they sat down.

“What happened?”

“I almost drowned!” Ernie declared.

Natalia went on to explain the details of their adventure as Max pulled out his share of the mysterious Round Table cards from the bunker. “Look at this.”

He handed Brooke a card with a hideous monster called a Reaper painted on the front. The thing had long fingers, iron nails, and skin the color of coal.

Brooke shivered as she looked at it. “I don’t remember Round Table cards looking this creepy.”

“No kidding,” agreed Max. “The whole deck was full of monsters just like it.”

“Don’t forget about the Clockwork King,” Ernie added.

“Really?” she replied with curiosity. “My dad was just talking about clockworks the other day. Maybe he’ll know where the cards came from.”

“I was kind of hoping to keep this quiet… at least for now,” Max said, lowering his voice. “I’m not even sure we’re supposed to have them. Do you think you could help us find out where they came from? You know…”

“Without telling my dad?” Brooke slipped the Reaper card into her purse. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“What about you?” Max asked. “Do you know anything about clockworks?”

“Not really,” she answered. “I mean, they’re all over the school, of course. You’ll see some in the dining hall at lunch. They serve the food.”

“You’re saying a robot is fixing my dinner?” Ernie asked incredulously.

“They aren’t really robots. Anyway, after a few days, you won’t even notice that they’re there.” Brooke laughed.

“You wouldn’t say that if you’d been thrown into a nest of those things, as we have.”

Natalia rolled her eyes. “Good grief, Ernest. That was just a pile of junk!”

“A pile of killer robot junk,” Ernie maintained. “And what about those blueprints?”

“Excuse me,” apologized a boy in a bowler derby as he
slid past the Griffins to reach a group of his friends. Max studied the hat thoughtfully, wondering if it would be as comfortable as his Twins cap.

“So why aren’t you dressed like everyone else?” Natalia asked, turning back to Brooke.

“I guess I didn’t feel like it,” Brooke said. “Besides, I was running late and I didn’t want to miss the
Zephyr
. This was just easier.”

“I don’t get it,” Max said. “Why does everyone wear stuff like that?”

“It’s all the rage,” Brooke explained. “It’s sort of a mix of Goth, punk, and nineteenth-century England all rolled into one. You’ll see girls with pink hair and combat boots wearing crinoline and corsets. You get used to it.”

“What’s the point?”

Brooke shrugged. “Templar kids have their own sense of fashion. It’s a different culture than we’re used to. They borrow their style from different eras and mix them together to make it their own. It’s edgy, and I kind of like it.”

“What about the goggles?”

“You definitely need to get some,” she advised. “They’re critical. Besides, they come in handy if you ever ride in an airship with open windows.”

Harley snickered. “Yeah, that happens to me all the time.”

Natalia’s eyes roved across the auditorium. “Are all the rooms going to be this extravagant?”

“Eventually.”

Just then the lights dimmed, and a distinguished man with an elegant walking stick strode across the stage. Despite a slight limp, his heels clicked in perfect cadence as he stepped to the lectern.

“Can you believe your dad is the director of the academy?” Natalia whispered.

“It’s weird,” Brooke admitted as she regarded her father. “I just hope the other kids won’t hate me because of him.”

Baron Lundgren was discussing something with Logan, who was standing just offstage. The two men seemed to reach an agreement, and then Logan disappeared.

Between his military posture and the streaks of noble grey around his temples, Baron Cain Lundgren looked positively regal. He might have been forty. Or he might have been two hundred. No one seemed to know for sure. His goatee was meticulously groomed, his suit was custom-tailored, and his eyes were filled with dark secrets.

Though the Baron did not hold an official membership in the Templar Knights, the Grand Council had unanimously selected him to direct Iron Bridge Academy. He accepted on the condition that he would maintain his role as Max’s mentor—a position he had inherited from Olaf Iverson, and one he took with deadly seriousness.

“Before we begin,” Baron Lundgren commenced, “I would like to take a moment of silence to remember our friends and family who fell at the hands of our enemies. This has not been an easy year, and as you can see, there are many empty seats in this auditorium—seats that should have been filled with bright minds. Let us remember them now.”

As the room fell silent, a knot formed in Max’s stomach. He considered looking around to see if anyone was glaring at him because of his father, but he decided it was better not to know.

“Our survival was fortunate, but it cannot be taken for granted. Every moment that passes gives our opponents an advantage, and I expect each of you to consider that as you approach your studies. Those who fell to protect your freedom would expect nothing less.”

Determined faces filled the auditorium as the Baron continued.

“Our sister schools in Stirling and Antioch, Carthage and Novgorod, Rome and Jerusalem, have all sent us their well wishes. Many of you have come to Iron Bridge from those academies. Know that you were hand-selected to be a part of this historic launch. Welcome, and well done!”

There was a wave of applause.

“As you can see,” the Baron continued, “much of our campus is still under construction. Though you may be curious to gauge the progress, the Construction Zones are strictly off-limits to students.”

He let his words sink in before continuing.

“Also, I do not recommend that you leave the safety of our campus without an escort. For those who haven’t been to New Victoria before today, sections of the city can be a bit dangerous. However, the mayor has offered his full support to our endeavors, and for that, we thank him.”

“Lastly, you will be expected to behave with discretion when you are in civilian cities, such as Avalon. Templar matters are meant for the Templar only. Guard your tongues as you walk in their streets. The less they know, the more freedom we will have to protect them.”

Max had never been comfortable with all the secrecy surrounding the Templar. Whatever they did and wherever they went was shrouded in mystery. Getting a straight answer was almost impossible, and it didn’t look like that was going to change anytime soon.

“Now on to a more pleasant topic,” the Baron continued. “As you know, each spring the Templar academies come together to crown the Round Table champion and—” Before he could finish his sentence, the crowd erupted in cheers. The Baron seemed to enjoy the enthusiasm, and he let it play out before continuing.

“The varsity qualifying tournament will take place in December. Sixty-four of you will compete for eight positions, as well as the traditional four alternates. But I must confess”—he paused with a grim look, though his eyes had a mischievous light about them—“the other academies are skeptical of our ability to challenge them…”

Cheers quickly turned into boos and foot stomping.

“I, for one, share your opinion,” Baron Lundgren said, calling the assemblage to quiet as he raised his hands. “We may not be at full strength, but with the highest-rated junior duelist in the world, we have a legitimate shot at the title.”

He motioned to Xander Swift, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Frustrated, Max watched as Xander stood and waved to the crowd. And that’s when he realized who Xander reminded him of… his own father, the notorious Lord Sumner!

Xander had that same easy way with people, entrancing them with his charm. As Max connected the two, his dislike for Xander grew.

“Lastly,” Cain said as Xander sat down, “I want to tell you how proud I am of each of you. You have earned your place at Iron Bridge, an institution that has graduated some of the most gifted men and women in our history. I have no doubt that you will uphold their legacy as you study to become our future leaders and heroes—and our world has never needed heroes as much as it does today. Congratulations and welcome.”

“Look at that,” Harley called out as the Griffins left the auditorium. He had stopped at a picture window that allowed a full view of New Victoria beyond the walls. Airships hovered over what looked like a sprawling replica of nineteenth-century London. There were spires that shot up to dizzying heights, ringing bell towers, bristling smokestacks, and cobblestone streets that wove like spidery veins through a cluster of dark roofs that seemed to go on forever. The sidewalks were packed with strangely dressed figures hurrying to their destinations.

“Who lives there?” asked Ernie as he watched an airship slip overhead, casting the window in shadow.

“Humans, faeries, and everything in between,” Brooke replied. “It’s a port city, so it gets a lot of strange visitors—and some of them aren’t very friendly. Unless you know what you are doing, you could end up getting stuffed in a sack and hauled away to scrub the decks of a pirate airship.”

Ernie’s mouth fell open.

At that moment a trail of sparkling dust flittered across the hall before coming to rest near Brooke’s shoulder. Like Max, she had a Bounder Faerie. The pixie was dressed in a gossamer gown of orange and adorned with gaudy jewelry. Though she was six inches tall, Honeysuckle could be vicious. The pixie folded her arms in annoyance as several giggling girls walked by and pointed at her. If it weren’t for Brooke, Max had no doubt that Honeysuckle would have turned them into slugs. With the exception of Brooke, Honeysuckle didn’t appear to be terribly fond of humans.

“So where’s Sprig?” asked Brooke.

Max shrugged. “As far as I know, she could be off chasing a butterfly in Kansas or snorkeling in San Diego.”

Natalia sighed. “You really need to discipline her, Max. She’s supposed to watch over you, but she can’t do that if she’s never around.”

“You can’t discipline a faerie.” Brooke laughed. “They aren’t pets. You just have to take them as they are.”

“Are there other kids here with Bounders?” asked Max, looking down the hall.

“A few,” Brooke replied.

“Look,” Natalia said, pointing to her watch. “We have to hurry, or we’re going to be late for homeroom.”

With that, the five of them set off with books in hand, heading around a corner and down a long hall that was lined with busts of past instructors atop marble pedestals. Ernie stopped at one that had shoulders and a neck but no head. “Who is this guy supposed to be? The Headless Horseman?”