The Daedalus arrived in Decadenn as the sun began to set. Excitement filled the ship as the crew scrambled about to finish last-minute duties and secure the vessel. It had been weeks since shore leave, and everyone was ready for a night out on the city.

Inside her tiny cabin, Cass dressed slowly. It had been a while since she wore something more than her work clothes. The skirt and stockings felt odd after wearing trousers all day, but a small part of her wanted to be different than the rest of the crew tonight. After tightening her corset over a simple blouse, she glanced at her reflection in a handheld mirror she had fastened to the wall. Her hair was as curly as ever and now hung below her shoulders. She touched the closest reddish-gold curl, wrapped it around her finger, and let it loose again. A memory came back, an image of her mother. With long golden curls. “Mama,” she whispered and brushed the silver locket that hung around her neck. It had been months since she last thought of them, and she realized this was the first time in years she recalled their faces.

She tucked the locket within her blouse before heading out onto the deck.

The sun had set, and the sky was set ablaze with color. Cass stood beside the railing as she waited for the rest of the crew. Jeremiah had hinted all day about a place he wanted to take the group, and for the first time, she decided she would go with them.

Bert touched her arm. “I’m visiting Eli Gresley tonight to inform him of our latest job,” he said quietly. “If Mr. Byron keeps his word, the promised amount should cover the rest we owe on the Daedalus.”

“I believe he will,” Cass said, surprised by the sudden conviction of that statement. When was the last time she had trusted in someone besides Captain Gresley and members of the Daedalus crew?

Bert opened his mouth, but then his eyes caught something behind her, and he stepped back. Cass turned around. Theo walked onto the deck, dressed in a fine dark overcoat, vest, and shirt, with polished black shoes and a top hat. Her eyes went wide. The last few weeks, she had become accustomed to the more casual young man who would wear a wool sweater during their dives, or have sleeves rolled up to the elbow as he bent over the desk in deep study.

However, this Theo looked like an heir of some kind. There was no Byron family in the Five, of course, so he had to come from some lesser, but no doubt wealthy, family, given the type of money he was paying for this job.

“Enjoy your time with the crew,” Bert said and headed for the plank.

Theo approached, and he dipped his head toward her. “You look lovely this evening.”

Cass felt the color rise to her cheeks. “I’m heading out with the crew tonight. Where are you going?” She realized she sounded rude. But he couldn’t possibly be going with them, not dressed like that.

“I’m meeting a friend and seeing what I can do about new filters for your gas masks.”

“Oh.” She couldn’t help but be curious. Who could that friend be, dressed as he was?

“Ready, Cass?” Jeremiah jumped down the last two steps from the top deck.

“Yes!” she called out. She looked at Theo and smiled. “Have a good time with your friend.”

“I hope so,” he said, his face growing sober.

Cass frowned. He didn’t seem very excited about wherever he was going.

Jeremiah caught her hand and pulled her away. “You’ve avoided going with us the last few times we were in Decadenn, so I’m going to make sure you enjoy yourself. And you dressed up, too! Hey, look everyone!” Jeremiah shouted across the deck as the others were gathering for their night out. “Cass is wearing a skirt!”

Cass blushed as Jeremiah held up her hand and every eye on deck came to rest on her. Gales! Maybe she should have dressed in her usual garb. “It’s just a skirt,” she muttered as she pulled her hand from Jeremiah’s. He laughed and led the way to the plank.

They all headed down to the floating pier to which the Daedalus was tethered, then toward the city itself. Cass glanced back, but Theo was gone.

Just like her previous visits, the beauty, lights, and vivacity of Decadenn took her breath away. Even at night, the city felt alive. Hundreds of people were out along the streets that flowed between the tall and vast buildings with gas lamps lighting the area. Scents filled the air: flowery perfume, roasting meats and bread, and smoke. Cass would have been lost except for Jeremiah’s bright red hair leading the way through the throng and the crewmembers around her, keeping her close by.

After three different streets, Jeremiah turned down a narrower and darker one. More smoke filled the air, blocking out the night sky above.

“Here we are,” Jeremiah said a minute later and pointed at a sign to the right.

Cass looked up. Painted in bold, bright letters were the words The Cog and Key. There was only a single door and one small window to the establishment, one of many along the dark and narrow alley.

“This pub is the best-kept secret in Decadenn,” Jeremiah said with a grin. “Amazing food and ale for just a couple sterlings. And sometimes there’s music.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Cyrus, one of the new crewmembers and a potential diver. “Just the downtime I need.”

Cass entered behind Jeremiah. The inside was dark and cozy. Leather booths lined one wall while two rows of square tables and chairs filled the rest of the narrow space. A bar was built into the brick wall to the right with a counter made from rich mahogany with matching barstools. Along the back hung a mirror and a variety of metal artwork. Gas lamps and the foggy haze of pipe smoke gave the room a pleasing atmosphere.

Most of the tables and booths were filled, but there were two empty booths in the back, so Jeremiah led the group to claim them. Savory smells filled the air, from steaming bowls of stew to plates of sausage and fried tomatoes to succulent pieces of chicken and vegetables in golden piecrust. Cass tried not to stare as she passed the tables heaped with food and ale.

The crew filled up the two booths with loud conversation and laughter. Cass was seated at one end of the booth next to Will. They’d hardly spoken to each other since Captain Gresley’s passing. Quiet Will preferred to work in the engine room, and even now sat watching the crew and the rest of the pub in silence. Cass didn’t mind the lack of conversation. She was feeling a bit quiet herself this evening.

As the group waited to be served, Cass glanced over at the counter. Two men worked the bar, dressed in white shirts, black vests, and bowties, one with blond hair, the other with curly black. They poured drinks and served with a flourish, and the blond man glanced at her and gave her a wink.

Cass could feel her cheeks reddening from the attention. There was no flirting on the Daedalus.

The gentle tune of a guitar began to fill the pub. Cass spotted a man sitting in the back corner with a guitar on his knee, which he had begun to strum quietly. The music matched the mood of the pub: soft, warm, and inviting.

The blond bartender walked over with a tray filled with frothy ales. “What’ll you be having this evening?”

Jeremiah spoke for the group. “We’ll have today’s meat pie special and a platter of sausages and fried tomatoes.”

“Very good,” the man said as he placed a mug down in front of Cass. She eyed the amber liquid. She’d never had ale before and wouldn’t start tonight. She’d seen too many enamored with the drink while living on the streets.

After the bartender left, Cass pushed her mug over to the middle of the table, then sat back and let her eyes drift shut as she listened to the guitar music . . .

“Cass, wake up.”

Cass blinked. The smell of fresh, hot food hit her.

“Tired?” Will asked as he passed her a plate.

“I must be,” she said with a laugh. Between the comfort of the leather booth, the dim light, and the subtle sound of conversation, the music had lulled her away. “How long was I out?”

“Just five minutes. I don’t think anyone noticed. Everybody else is too busy drinking and talking.”

Cass sat back and took in a deep breath. “I might head back to the ship early. I have no idea why I’m so exhausted.”

Will snorted quietly as they waited for the food to be passed around. “You’ve been working your tail off, Cass. I may not talk much, but I watch. You’ve been working as hard as Bert for the last few months.”

“All of us have.”

“Yes, but most of us have other places we can go and work. My skill with machines means I will always find a job if we lose the Daedalus. However, for you and Bert, that ship is everything.”

Cass stared at the table. The Daedalus was everything. The thought of living on the streets again . . .

Will placed a slice of pie on her plate. Chunks of chicken, vegetables, and light gravy oozed out from beneath the crust. Its smell was heavenly, causing her mouth to water and to temporarily alleviate the heaviness inside her.

“I’m sorry,” Will said as Cass picked up her fork. “I didn’t mean to be so serious.”

Cass waved her fork. “It’s all right.” Now all she could think about was food.

They settled into companionable silence. Jeremiah was right. The food was amazing here, no disrespect to Patterson. Patterson’s meals were wholesome and simple, just what the Daedalus crew needed, but this . . . this was food for the soul.

Cass sighed as she pushed back her plate, the grogginess from earlier returning tenfold. Jeremiah and the crew were growing even more rambunctious, with even Will loosening up after two mugs. She smiled as they broke out in an old pre-plague song. Others in the pub joined in.

Maybe there was something in what Will said. She was working hard. Helping Bert with their cargo runs. Teaching Theo to dive. Doing whatever she could to keep the Daedalus. She hadn’t realized it until Will mentioned it.

Just one more job, then we can relax a little. I’ll survive this yet.

She caught Will’s attention. “I’m going to head back to the ship.”

“Do you want someone to escort you back?”

“No, you enjoy yourself.” He gave her a questioning look, and she smiled at him. “I’ll be fine. We’re not far from the docks.”

He still didn’t seem sure, but Cass stood before he could protest. “I’ll see you in the morning,” she said, then made her way through the pub. Sleep. That’s all she wanted now. Some quiet time in her tiny cabin and sleep.

Cass covered a yawn as she emerged outside. What time was it? It must be later than she thought. The crowds from earlier seemed to have dissipated. She made her way through the streets, but after two turns, she stopped under a gas lamp and looked around. Was it two lefts and a right? Or only one left and a right?

She stood there and gripped her elbows as a cool breeze swept through the deserted street. What had been beautiful and enthralling about the city earlier now appeared harsh and cold in the gaslight. She looked around again and decided to go left.

Walking faster now, she passed by dark windows and narrow alleyways. Five minutes later with heart thrumming inside her ribcage, she stopped again. She took in a deep breath and straightened her back. It wasn’t like she’d never been lost before. Her life had been full of unknowns.

Just focus and think.

She would go back and take that next left.

Just as she turned, she spotted a glint of light off something gold. Cass swung around and stared at the corner, replaying the split-second image in her mind and comparing it to the now-empty street. She was sure she had seen something. Something like . . . like a man, only with a golden face and a top hat.

That was absurd. She shook her head and started back down the street. But she couldn’t get the impression out of her mind. Maybe she had seen something. After all, this was Decadenn, a city full of mystery. Some kind of human-looking automaton? Automatons were rare, but she’d seen a few in Belhold during the years. Were there ones with golden masks here?

Maybe she’d ask around when she got back—

A hand snaked around her middle while another hand clamped over her mouth.

Cass managed to get out a scream and kick back at the same time.

Her foot hit the knee behind her with a crack, and a man let out a cry. His grip lessened. Heart pounding, Cass launched herself forward, breaking out of the hold.

A glance back revealed not one but three men behind her, their faces lit up by a single gas lamp. One had a pained expression on his face.

Cass made a dash for the street ahead. She only made it a couple of steps before she was yanked back by edge of her corset.

“We’ve got a fighter here, boys,” one of the men said with a laugh.

“I want at her first for kicking me!”

Cass dipped and swung her leg out. She caught the taller man and sent him stumbling against the wall, then jumped back. She wasn’t a trained fighter but had learned a few tricks on the streets. However, three on one was going to be nigh impossible, and the shadows made it hard to see. She needed to find an opening quick so she could get away.

The third man moved in. Cass kept her body low and out of reach. She dodged his first grab and screamed once more. If she couldn’t get away, maybe someone would hear.

He reached for her again as the taller man closed in on her other side. Cass kicked out and caught the first man along his upper thigh. He fell back with a grunt.

The taller man grabbed her by the shoulder before she could try to escape a second time.

“You’re not very nice, are you?”

“Not to men like you.” She struck him in the shin and yelled out again.

He cursed and threw her to the ground. “That’s it! I’m done with you. Get her, boys!” he yelled.

Cass curled her body in, kicking out at random while screaming. It kept the men off for a little while, giving her time to scoot against the wall. Her lungs burned as her heart raced.

She tried to get up but was instantly pummeled back down. “Help!” she cried out as she rolled into a ball.

Why didn’t I let Will escort me?

Why did I get lost?

A boot connected with her head.

She could barely see from the stars dancing across her eyes.

I have . . . to get . . . away. I have to . . . survive.

She weakly got up on her hands and knees and started crawling.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Footsteps sounded behind her and drew away the attention of the culprits. She crawled faster. One of the men let out a curse.

Seconds later, there was thump, and her first assailant skidded across the pavement beside her, out cold.