Engines & Demons - The Undestined

Chapter 35i

PART 3

Dak was woken from her sleep by the Workshop door being thrown open. The echoing boom of it reverberated around the forge, and  up through the building to her open bedroom door.

She had heard the sound in her sleep, and by the time she was fully awake she had already swung her legs from the bed and reached out for the glow-light lever. She rubbed her eyes as more sounds echoed up from below; a thump, a muffed curse, and then a cacophony of crashing as though a bag load of tools had been tipped on the floor.

She reached down to where she had left her heavy boots, and pulled them on, tucking her trousers into their tops. She had not worried herself with dressing for bed the previous night.

After the Commander's challenges the previous day, her father had decided to bide some time at the arena-field with his fellow Engineers, and so had looked around for someone to escort her home.

"I think that I can be finding my own way, father," she had said.

"Good," her father had replied, though a little uncertainly. "Ah, there is Engineer Vlontell. I am showing him my new designs. His opinion on them would be most useful."

He had patted the heavy satchel that hung about his neck.

"Of course, father. Will you be late home?"

"I could not say. You know how we Engineers can get to talking. Do not trouble yourself with preparing me this evening's meal. I will doubtless eat at the Hammer and Flame."

"Yes, father," she had said, and then watched as he had made his way through the press of people to greet the elderly traveling Engineer with a hearty slap on the back.

That had been at midday.

Looking out of the window, she could not tell what hour it was, but it was easy to see that it was somewhere in the depths of the night. She left her bedroom, pulled the lever to light the glow-lights in the living chamber, and went down as they rippled to life. She was just crossing the room below when her father hauled himself up the stairs from the forge. He stood on the top step, hands gripping the heavy banister as he focussed on her.

"Hello, daughter," he said. "I am home."

And then he swayed, stepping backwards to support himself on something that was not there. Dak hurried forwards and grabbed onto his belt before he tumbled back down the stairs.

"Come here, father," she said as she took his arm over her shoulder.

"Do not be fussing at me, girl!"

Her father pulled his arm away, and the force of the movement sent him staggering a few steps before he stopped himself on the covered shape of the Conquest Table. He pushed himself away from it, heading in an almost straight line that led him to collide with the back of his armchair by the window. He felt his way carefully around the chair and fell heavily into it.

He had barely touched the cushions before he pushed himself forward again and reached for the glass that stood on the nearby cabinet, but succeeded only in brushing it with his fingers and sending it sliding over the polished surface. Dak retrieved it before it was sent too far.

"Is that wise, father?"

"Of course it is wise! One drink for bed will cause me no harm."

"Have you not already had..?"

"Do not begin to chide me, girl. I have drunk sparingly this night. Enough only for my social obligations."