“Are you sure he’ll be here, Grandmother?”
“Absolutely! A man of his ilk, as the subject of such scrutiny, will wish to be seen on his own terms. This is his Arena, his territory. He’s marked it as surely as any tomcat!”
Rivka certainly hoped not. If the Arena had any scent, it was of bodies, sweat, and the harsh lemon of cleansers, and they weren’t even in the tightly pressed masses below. Grandmother had purchased a private suite not far from Cody’s. The guards down the hall had been generously tipped to notify them when Mr. Cody was on the way.
Ten seats were squeezed inside the booth, arranged in two rows to overlook the Arena. The scope was . . . magnificent. Rivka hadn’t expected to feel that way, knowing the horrors that could have befallen Tatiana and Lump, but the place was an architectural marvel. The metal mountain was about a hundred feet high, with built-in switchbacks and cliffs and platforms for the mechas to claim as they battled to reach the top.
The gremlin on Rivka’s shoulder chirped. It seemed only right to bring one along for this face-off with Mr. Cody. Grandmother had insisted the gremlin wear a cuff and a chain that attached to Rivka’s wrist, but bold little Emerald didn’t seem to mind. She was content clinging to Rivka’s broad collar, her eyes wide as she took in everything.
“Anytime now.” Grandmother paced, taking frequent glances at her timepiece. Two guards she’d hired lingered at the back of the suite.
Rivka smoothed her skirt. Grandmother had ordered a new dress made for this occasion, and this time Rivka had requested one of Frengian style. It was thoroughly unfashionable by Tamaran standards, with its bell sleeves, folded front, and defined and belted waist, and she loved it.
Even more, Grandmother had ordered it be dyed in a mottled gray and brown, as if it were oil-stained all over. Not that Rivka planned on fixing machinery during any fancy dinner parties anytime soon, but as Grandmother always said, one should be prepared.
Emerald the gremlin pivoted an ear, then lunged from Rivka’s shoulder to the floor. Rivka followed before the chain could tighten. The guards leaped up.
“Don’t go far, child!” called Grandmother, as if Rivka had any control over the matter.
Emerald scampered down the hallway. Rivka pulled on the chain with both hands, but as light as the gremlin was, she was awfully strong. Emerald hopped through a doorway, where a maid stood with a cart of fresh linens.
“Hey! You can’t go in there!”
This was a suite designed for royalty. It gleamed. It had space for dozens of people to sit or lounge. A full bar stood against one wall, and by the chimes of glass, a bartender was busy in the pantry. By the location, by everything, this had to be Mr. Cody’s suite. Emerald screeched and forced Rivka to turn around.
Past a buffet, a golden cage towered in the corner. Inside was a massive gremlin the size of a toddler. Rivka had never seen the like.
“You!” The maid’s fingers clenched Rivka’s arm.
“Let her go.” One of Grandmother’s men scowled from the doorway.
“Can’t have just anyone in here. It’s more’n my job’s worth.” The maid took in Rivka’s odd yet luxurious dress, her focus resting on Rivka’s face a bit longer than proper. Rivka stared at her evenly as she reached inside her pocket.
“For your trouble.” Rivka flashed a gilly coin. “I’ll only stay a few minutes.”
The maid snatched the coin away. “Two minutes. The man’s bound to get here anytime.” She shook her head. “Gremlins as pets. Never thought I’d see the like.” She stalked to her cart. The guard remained in the doorway.
Rivka walked toward the big cage. Emerald scampered up her body to claim her shoulder roost again.
On the base of the cage was a small sign: PRIME: THE FIRST GREMLIN.
“The very first gremlin? I wonder why you’re still here,” Rivka said. “So many of the other gremlins are getting new homes.”
The construction of this gremlin was different than all the others she had seen. The wings were massive to support the body, its skin seams poorly healed and mismatched in green blotches. The snout was long, its eyes large and round like coat buttons. It looked old. Haggard.
“Been here long time.” The words croaked out, and the lips parted to reveal a bitter, sharp smile. “Called personal pet for Cody.”
Rivka caught her breath. “You talk.” This was one of the gremlins Mr. Cody had mentioned, one that acted as translator for the rest.
“Oldest do. Also listen. We know you, what you do.” Prime granted a curt nod to Emerald on her shoulder. “What you plan to do. You, like Tree Medician. To us, worth more than silver.”
The Tree Medician. Miss Leander. Unable to speak through the tightness in her throat, Rivka pressed a fist to her chest to salute Prime. Then, her fingers searched her sleeve for her trusty screwdriver hidden in the seam. She leaned against the bars to work the lock.
“You need your freedom.”
“Freedom?”
“You need to wait until the Arena is quiet again later tonight to leave.” Hopefully no people would test the lock in the next while. “Can you do that?”
“I wait. I wait a long time.” Prime’s eyes stared through her. “You. More than silver.”
At that, Rivka retreated from the suite. Emerald was strangely mute on her shoulder.
“Well! How far did that gremlin drag you? Did you get into mischief?” Grandmother scoured Rivka with her gaze.
“M’lady?” called one of the men. “We’re being signaled. Cody’s coming.”
Rivka and Grandmother moved to the hallway. Mr. Cody approached with a full retinue. His stride showed no hesitation at their presence, but he did nothing to hide his grimace, as if he’d smelled a manure lorry.
“Mrs. Stout. Miss Stout,” he said coolly as he bowed. “Congratulations are in order. I understand you have a bestseller across the city-states. I hope you’re pleased, even as your success retards decades of scientific effort.”
“Perhaps it needed to be held in check,” said Rivka. “Perhaps there are things more important than innovation.” She reached to stroke Emerald on her shoulder. The gremlin purred though her posture was rigid as she stared at Mr. Cody.
His gaze slid over her and the gremlin. “Miss Stout, I think you can consider any offer of future employment rescinded.”
“That’s fine by me. I have higher standards. Grandmother?”
“I’m ready whenever you are, child!” Grandmother advanced down the hallway, practically shoving her way through Mr. Cody’s surprised retinue.
“You’re not staying for the bout?” Cody called.
Rivka stepped closer to him. They were of almost equal height, Mr. Cody’s stomach like a rounded barricade between them. “This is the bout. The chimeras won.”
At that, Emerald blew a raspberry.
Rivka strode down the hall, her chin held high, gremlin purring contentment on her shoulder.