The Infernal Aether (First Draft)

Chapter 30 - The Hunt Is On!

A very annoying lunatic was beating a bass drum very near to my head. I groaned and flapped my hand in a vague attempt to stop the infernal noise and then instantly regretted the action. My body protested at the movement, bolts of pain from agonised muscles and bruised flesh restricting me to a slight gesture followed by a bout of extremely passionate groaning.

I opened my eyes to see the familiar surroundings of my bedroom. I tried to lever myself upright but once again my body defied me; the pain from my ribs, stomach and arms a more effective restraint than even the firmest straitjacket. I slumped back down into my bed, the effort having exhausted what meagre reserves I had possessed.

Kate and Maxwell entered the room. "I thought I heard something," said Kate with a smile. "How do you feel?"

"About as bad as you look," I said. The pair of them sported quite an impressive set of bruises, cuts and black eyes. "What happened? How did we escape that mob?" A thought occurred. "N'yotsu?"

"Did not appear," said Maxwell. "It would seem that our friend really has deserted us."

"So...?" I asked, before embarking on a particularly painful coughing fit.

"The army," said Kate, once my coughing and moaning had subsided. "A load of redcoats turned up to break things up. Managed to pull us away before the mob did any real damage."

"That is a matter of opinion," I muttered. "I feel like I am one big bruise."

"You were very lucky," said Maxwell. "A few minutes later and there would have been very little left of you to rescue."

"Yeah," said Kate. "Our mate Andras had that mob wound up, good and proper."

The memory of Andras taunting us through the medium of the clockwork man returned to me. "What is the creature planning?"

"Remember what the Ars Goetia said about Marquis Andras," said Maxwell. "Spreading chaos and dissent are exactly the sort of things that that creature is reputed to thrive on."

"Speaking of which," said Kate. "Now that you're back in the land of the living, we need to get out of here."

I laughed. "I assume that you are joking. I am not capable of much more than just lying here."

"The doctor says that your injuries are largely superficial," said Maxwell.

"Max, it hurts just to raise my hand. I need at least a few weeks to recuperate."

"I am afraid that is a luxury we cannot afford. Andras has already tried to kill us, and the rioting is getting more intense throughout London. It is not safe for us to stay here."

"I really cannot go anywhere," I said.

"Oh, stop being such a baby," said Kate. "If you stay here, you will die. If Andras doesn't get you, then you'll starve to death, because Max and I are going this afternoon and you don't have anyone else to look after you."

"But I cannot move," I said.

"Then we will carry you," said Maxwell. "That is how we got you in here."

I gave up. "But where will we go? I am not sure it is possible to outrun Andras."

Maxwell shrugged. "Perhaps the Demon has bigger fish to fry than us. Maybe it won't want to waste the effort pursuing us."

I raised an eyebrow; the one way I had of physically signalling my disbelief.

"Regardless," continued Maxwell. "The one thing that is clear is that we must find N'yotsu."