The old locomotive, a beast of rust and wheezing steam, shrieked a protest as its brakes clamped down, grinding to a halt with a shudder that vibrated through the very tracks. Tane, her brow furrowed, pulled a gleaming pocket watch from her vest, its intricate gears mirroring the frantic ticking in her own mind. Behind schedule. Again. A quiet curse escaped her lips, swallowed by the hiss of the train. This stop had to be quick.

  Even before the carriage doors were fully open, a flurry of activity erupted. Servants, liveried in the vibrant pink and gold of the Petalcrest household, swarmed from the platform, their movements as precise and practiced as a well-oiled machine. They descended upon the train’s cargo, swiftly transferring crates of fresh produce onto a waiting horse-drawn carriage.

  “Good morning, Serena!” Tane called out, her voice a little too bright, a little too strained, over the cacophony.

  Serena, a woman whose beauty shone through the dust and grit of the road, barely spared Tane a glance as she guided the reins with steady hands." Her reply, however, was as cutting as any blade. “It would be a better morning, Tane, if you were actually on time for once.”

  Tane felt a familiar prickle of annoyance. She ran the city’s lifeblood, the railway. Line A, the breadbasket, ferried sustenance from the southern farms to the sprawling metropolis. Line B, the sinew, connected the city to the eastern mines, a constant artery of raw materials. Line C, however, was a ghost, its tracks swallowed by the encroaching desolation of the Wastelands, leading to the skeletal remains of the old power station. The Attack Force, those grim-faced protectors of the realm, had petitioned to reactivate it. But to risk the city’s only train on such a suicidal venture? She wasn’t prepared to gamble.

  “I’ve been waiting far too long.” Another voice, this one laced with an almost theatrical disdain, cut through Tane’s thoughts. She turned to see the imperious figure of Zalika Tanzanight, Archbishop of the Cathedral, sweeping into her private family carriage. The Tanzanights, renowned for their devoutness and their growing influence, were frequent travelers on Line B. Lately, though, their visits to the mines had grown with an unsettling regularity. Rumors, whispered in hushed tones, spoke of a discovery within them, something significant.

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Perhaps that was why their protection had been doubled. Tane glanced up, her eyes scanning the train’s roof. Perched there, like a predatory bird, was Electra Vicinage, her lightning-powered war hammer strapped to her back, its polished head gleaming even in the dim station light. Tane blinked. How did she get up there without me noticing? Electra was partnered with Viper Mossbrook who protected the stretch of line that passed through the desert before reaching the mines.

  Tane appreciated all the protection but thought it was a bit unnecessary. Also, just the other day, she had observed two new passengers boarding the B line. She was almost certain one of them was a Torqueburn, a member of another noble house. A chilling thought slid into her mind: were the Tanzanights, with their piety and power, subtly recruiting from each noble family? And to what end? Surely, they weren’t audacious enough to challenge the Petalcrests for ultimate control?

  Tane’s thoughts drifted to her own family, the Reddingtons, a house of gamblers and gunslingers. If war were to erupt, which side would they choose? Her mind conjured images of Blaze and Lori, their legendary skills a force to be reckoned with. Whoever secured their allegiance would undoubtedly hold the advantage.

  A final, meticulous visual check. All clear. Tane raised a long, brass whistle to her lips, drawing a deep breath before exhaling a clear, sharp blast that cut through the station’s din. Then, with a flourish, she waved a green flag, and the colossal iron serpent stirred, groaning to life.

  Leaning out, Tane watched the train, a gleaming testament to human ingenuity and ambition, snake its way out of the station, its destination the Tanzanight mines, and whatever secrets lay within their shadowed depths.