Hemlock and the Maker's Fire

By B Throwsnaill

Hemlock has returned to the City with her former lover, Falignus. But he is not the same man he was when he left. As she begins to piece together the threads of her path toward confronting DuLoc, Hemlock is forced to grapple with the morality of controlling the wizards and the Senate. Can she lead them without coercing them? And will their coalition be strong enough to liberate the City from the threat of DuLoc's ambitions? These questions and more are answered in the epic conclusion to Hemlock's adventures!

• Language: English
• Publisher: B Throwsnaill
• Release date: Jan 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370964543

B Throwsnaill

B Throwsnaill cut his teeth on the classic works of fantasy and science fiction by authors such as Tolkien, Moorcock, Herbert and Gibson. The author's goal is to write fun and creative fiction that is grounded in personal experience and observations about the real world and its history.Writing a novel length work had been a lifelong ambition, and was realized with the release of Hemlock and the Wizard Tower in late 2010. In early 2012 a sequel was released called Hemlock and the Dead God’s Legacy. Hemlock and the Dread Sorceress, the third book in the series, was released in August of 2013. Work is underway on the fourth book.

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Hemlock and the Maker’s Fire

The Maker’s Fire – Volume IV

1st edition

By B Throwsnaill

Published by Bill Ainsworth at Smashwords.com

Copyright 2018 by Bill Ainsworth writing as B Throwsnaill

For more information about B Throwsnaill's writing please visit http://www.wiztower.com .

This book is dedicated to my family and especially to my late father.

I’d also like to extend a special thank you to my beta reader, C.D.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re–sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All characters and events portrayed in this work are fictitious.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

Prologue

Deep thunder rumbled as Hemlock climbed up a circular stairway, the tapping of her hurried footsteps reverberating within the tight, stone space as the flickering light of her lantern fought against the encroaching darkness that surrounded her. The darkness seemed unnatural—like a void that hovered at the edge of her perception rather than a mere absence of light.

She knew something important awaited her at the top of that long staircase, and she hurried to complete the climb. In the next moment, she saw a full moon above her as she emerged from the stairwell.

Suddenly, there was grass under her feet and all traces of the stone stairs were gone. She looked up and surveyed a wide field that extended several miles in all directions and was bordered by gently sloping hills in the distance.

A mild breeze brought a strange smell with it that put her on edge. It was a smoky smell, but nothing was burning.

Deep thunder sounded again, and this time, the earth under her feet trembled. About fifty feet in front of her, a figure rose smoothly from the ground as a dazzling array of glowing, circular runes surrounded it. The runes expanded until they had covered half the distance between her and the figure.

The glowing light of the spinning runes revealed the figure was a well-heeled man. He was dressed in a blue waistcoat with a black tricorne hat that barely contained his overflowing, curly, flaxen tresses. The fact that he was dressed like a dandy was beyond dispute, but his eyes quickly dispelled any notion that this self-indulgence marked him as someone to be taken lightly. Even at some distance, the eyes of the man overshadowed his dress. They were cold eyes—calculating and devoid of compassion.

Sub-Imperator DuLoc bowed to her as the network of runes approached her across the grass.

An animalistic snarl from behind startled her. A black-haired, pale-eyed, slender wolf leapt out of nowhere, sailed past her as she turned, and charged the approaching line of runes. She felt a strong bond with the wolf that she didn’t question. When the wolf reached the runes, there was a calamitous sound. The wolf yelped with pain until a shroud of golden light surrounded it. The runes broke over the shimmering wolf, casting shards of magical energy into the air that gradually dissipated.

She was momentarily puzzled by the fact that a frayed leather leash was tied around the wolf’s neck and trailed behind it. Her instinct was to grab the leash, but she realized it wasn’t strong enough to control the raging beast.

Instead, she refocused her attention on DuLoc. Hemlock took several steps forward and saw that DuLoc’s back was arched and his hat had fallen off. His body was wracked by the effort of maintaining the wall of runes, and still the wolf was creeping forward through them, shattering them as he went.

She began to feel triumphant as she reached the wolf. But the scene quickly faded into the sudden clarity of a morning in the Warrens and familiar surroundings.

Chapter One

The sky over the Warrens was filled with oddly rippling clouds with alternating pockets of light and dark that reminded Hemlock of when she had pulled a knitted blanket over her head as a child. This looming sky had a stifling effect on her spirits, and as she patrolled the dusty streets, she found herself ignoring the crowds around her. The thought of some petty crime occurring nearby didn’t stir her passion like it usually did. Instead, she just felt melancholy. Stinging memories of Safreon, her old mentor, had been haunting her all day—the air itself seemed to be laden with traces of his spirit.

After she listlessly traveled a few more blocks, she decided to return to her apartment. She had bad days from time to time, and the best remedy was usually a quiet day with a pot of tea. While some in the City indulged in intoxicating teas, she preferred the less-heady variety.

As she opened the door and crossed the threshold into her apartment, she hoped to be alone. But then she remembered that her apartment now housed three people instead of two. And someone was almost always home—typically Falignus, who rarely left at all.

She heard a dull sobbing coming from the bedroom. Surprised, she moved toward the source of the sound.

It’s him.

As this realization took hold, she experienced a mixture of compassion, discomfort, and curiosity. Something made her step on a floorboard she knew was creaky, and the resulting noise stopped the sobbing.

Hello? she said.

I’m here, said Falignus, sounding somewhat hoarse. He was her ex-lover and one-time adversary. He had been identified in a prophecy as being pivotal to her success. So, Hemlock and Tored had rescued him from the world he had been, until recently, banished to. It was a banishment she had caused. Although, at the time, he had tried to kill her. But he wasn’t the same as he had been. He’d developed a bestial aspect and an appetite for human souls. He was keeping his darker self in check―for now.

Is everything alright?

There was a pause.

Something inside Hemlock was desperate for him to respond negatively and tell her what was wrong. Another part of her was relieved when he didn’t.

Yes, of course.

Her thoughts returned to a hot cup of tea. She turned toward the kitchen but found herself rooted in place.

I have to go to him.

The realization came over her with a surprising suddenness. There had been little intimacy between them in the weeks since their return to the Warrens. Hemlock thought this was fine and probably made the most sense in the context of the threat of DuLoc.

But, suddenly, it wasn’t alright anymore. She knew she wanted more. She tried to shrug it off and go make her tea, but her feet didn’t move. Something had changed inside her. Maybe it had something to do with how she was feeling at that moment. She felt dead inside—like she’d do almost anything to feel something again. She considered that her judgment might be impaired by her mood, but she had the impression her mood was actually giving her better clarity.

Before she knew it, she was standing in the doorway of the bedroom and looking at Falignus as he lay on his bed. He’d lost weight since he had last been in the City. She barely recognized the gaunt form lying there as she compared it to the lithely muscular version of him she remembered from their night of passion in the Wizard Tower. But it was still him—the same man she’d felt a powerful attraction to and still did. And it was more than just an attraction.

It’s a connection.

You can talk to me, you know, she said softly, taking a step into the room.

He turned to face away from her and replied with an edge in his voice that surprised her. I’m fine.

She was taken aback for a moment, realizing that she had been envisioning how this moment between her and Falignus would unfold. With that one sentence, he had spoiled her scenario, leaving her feeling angry and betrayed.

I offered him intimacy, and he’s rejecting me.

If you’re fine, then why do you lie in this room for hours on end? Why don’t you compose yourself? Maybe do some work around the house or something? she said.

He turned over and glared at her. His arms were trembling, and Hemlock wasn’t sure whether it was from anger or the unwholesome desires he was now subject to since his ordeal in Ogrun. Oh, is that how I’m supposed to be acting? Well, if you’d provided me a script, I could have followed it. I’m just trying to get my head straight and figure out how to be a person again. If that comes across as a waste of time to you, then maybe I should leave. But, oh, that’s right—I can’t leave because I have to wait here for your little war to unfold so I can fight for you, right? So, I’m stuck here!

His words stung her and dispelled her anger—leaving remorse in its wake.

Look, I get it. I’m sorry I got mad. You’re just so withdrawn. You should talk to me. I can help you.

You rescued a beast from Ogrun and returned it to the world of men. But I’m still re-learning how to be a man. I have a lot to think about—a lot to come to terms with. Part of being a man is being able to live with dignity. Give me my dignity, Hemlock. Don’t expect me to pour my soul out like a child. Things may change, but you have to give me time.

What about your...hunger? She was nervous to mention it but knew it couldn’t be ignored for long.

Again, let me worry about that.

But you won’t…

I promise, I won’t hurt anyone. His tone had finally softened enough to satisfy her.

Hemlock felt deflated and her melancholy feelings of loneliness returned. She withdrew from his doorway and retreated into the kitchen to prepare some tea.

…

Hemlock stood on a stone platform as roiling lava licked and hissed at the rock under her feet. She was in a large, dark room filled with hazy air that was heated by the lava around her. There was a sheer stone wall at her back and a rocky platform like the one she stood on floated twenty feet ahead of her in the lava. Beyond that, a sequence of flat slabs of rock crossed the lava pool, ending near the far wall of the huge chamber where a long rope ladder had been hung from an upper balcony.

Renevos and Merit had designed an experiment in this large chamber in the Wizard Tower to test her abilities. The goal was to put her in a well-controlled amount of danger—just enough to trigger her powers. The hope was they would be able to study her powers and help her to better understand how to trigger them at will, rather than having to wait for the stress of peril to summon an involuntary response.

This should be fun.

She took three running steps, doing her best not to tip over the rock floating below her feet, and leapt onto the nearby slab. The platform sagged dangerously as she landed, but she shifted her weight backward and was able to stabilize it.

Her heart was beating fast, and her senses were heightened. The air itself seemed to undulate with heat as she prepared to jump to the next platform.

As she jumped again, there were cries from atop the far balcony.

That’s odd.

She landed hard again and nearly lost her balance as the platform sunk below her more than she had expected. She kept upright, but the platform tilted forward dangerously.

She was about to utter a curse when an unexpected brightness in front of her caught her attention. She realized why her platform—and the lava all around her—had dipped suddenly. A thirty-foot wave of lava rose on the other side of the room and was now surging toward her. Worse still, the rocky platforms in that area had been dislodged from the floor and were hurtling toward her on the crest of the wave.

Her pulse went from rapid to frenetic as she considered her next move. The approach of the wave of lava seemed excruciatingly slow as her adrenaline kicked in. It gave her plenty of time to consider how desperate her situation was. She hoped her platform would remain stable when the wave hit. And if it didn’t, she had to pray that another stable platform was close enough to jump to.

When the wave finally hit, it raised her platform abruptly and tilted it downward at a dangerous pitch behind her. She maintained her footing but realized a violent impact with the rear wall was imminent. Unless she did something, she’d be crushed between the wall and the platform she clung to.

Another platform was still riding the crest of the lava several feet above her platform. Her only hope was to reach it and remain flat when it hit the wall. She felt a tingling sensation and time slowed even further. She felt her fear slip away as power flowed through her.

At least I’ve channeled my power.

In the instant before her platform hit, she leapt up and struck the wall feet first. Thrusting upward with superhuman strength, she flew up and over the higher platform, landing deftly in a crouch, which allowed her to keep her balance as the new platform hit the wall sharply.

The wave of lava was repulsed by the wall and flowed back at lesser strength toward the other side of the chamber. Her platform was moving away from the wall slowly, but it was falling down the face of the now receding wave. She spotted another platform near the top of the wave that was moving away from her. She jumped despite the difference in height and the prohibitive distance.

She soared into the air, causing the platform she had left to sink beneath the lava. The apex of her jump took her above the top of the wave again, and she noticed flashes of light from the far balcony.

Is that battle magic?

She didn’t manage a clean landing this time. The platform sagged dangerously beneath her, and because she landed offset from its center, it began to spin slowly.

She rotated with the platform as the wave took her toward the center of the chamber. Another wave was approaching from the opposite wall, and she perceived with some alarm that there wasn’t another platform close enough to reach despite her magically enhanced strength and agility.

But then there was a bolt of lightning above her and an explosion. Next, the sound of groaning metal rang out like fanfare for a metal girder that had fallen from the ceiling and crashed down until it hung vertically fifty feet above the lava. There was a long chain attached to its end which fell down and arced from the back wall behind her toward the far wall. Before she consciously considered that it would pass fairly close overhead, she had already jumped straight up with all of her might.

She grabbed the last link of the chain, which was as thick as her forearm, and its momentum carried her across the room quickly. She looked toward the far wall and saw that much of the rope ladder had been burned away by the rise of the lava wave. But there was still enough of it left for her to risk a timed release from the swinging chain. This sent her hurtling toward the wall and the scorched end of the ladder.

She hit the wall hard and cried out. The wind was knocked out of her, and she was shocked for a moment. But she focused just in time to extend her arm as she fell and grabbed the rope ladder. She pulled herself up and climbed swiftly, leaping the final distance and landing in a cat-like stance atop the balcony.

The spacious observation deck of the fifth floor of the Tower stretched out in front of her, though much of it was in shadow. Otticus was in a full sprint toward her from within the space and skidded to a halt when he noticed her.

Behind him, she saw Miara, Renevos, and Merit standing near a prone figure that was restrained by a sparkling-blue magical net.

It’s Joxer. He tried to kill you during the experiment, said Otticus.

I noticed, said Hemlock.

I saw the spell he cast and then he put up a shield to cover his escape. But I teleported through it and took him down. He probably didn’t think I’d be here.

She walked toward the trio of figures and Otticus fell in step beside her.

Why did you do it, Joxer? asked Miara, looking down at the figure.

Jalis ordered it. The time of wizards is dawning again. DuLoc will restore our dignity and glory. I thought things would be better if I stayed in the Tower, but they’re not. I had to act, hissed the wizard.

How did you communicate with Jalis? Are there other sympathizers in the Tower? growled Otticus.

Joxer didn’t respond.

Otticus’ jaw clenched and the tattoos on his arms glowed.

Miara reached out and made a downward motion toward Otticus with her hands. Relax. We’ll get the answers we need in due time.

There was a sound of shuffling feet and four First Circle wizards rushed into the room.

Joxer has betrayed us. Place him in a cell and don’t allow him to talk to anyone. Otticus, go with them, just in case. There might be other sympathizers at large, said Miara as she modified her spell of confinement to form a tight band surrounding Joxer’s upper torso.

Otticus clearly wanted to stay, but he followed Miara’s order and left the room.

A hooded figure entered the room soon after the guards had departed. Hemlock recognized Urq, Renevos’ assistant. Urq shuffled to Renevos’ side, his graying red beard visible under the hood that concealed his face.

Urq mumbled something to Renevos, who nodded enthusiastically.

Though I was distracted during your test, Urq here was able to observe you. And I have good news. Joxer’s foul betrayal did have a silver lining. It made our test of your magical abilities much more realistic, said Renevos.

Did you find out how I can activate my powers? asked Hemlock.

We’ve discussed how your powers always seem to activate in times of crisis. Now that we were able to observe you in a controlled setting, I think we will be able to help you gain better control over them.

I need to use them against DuLoc before he has me at a disadvantage. It won’t be enough to get a burst of power when I’m wounded or in danger of being killed. I need to attack with my powers while I’m still at full strength, said Hemlock.

Urq and I have been studying the effects of stress on the body. We believe certain humors affect the body to make the heart beat faster and induce sweating, among other things. Urq says he detected an increase in these humors when you started using your powers. We will run another test using a potion to induce these humors in your body and see if your powers manifest as a result.

Miara shook her head. If Gwineval was healthy, he’d disapprove of this.

Perhaps, but the most dangerous part is past. We have the information we need. Taking a potion such as I suggest isn’t dangerous for a person in good health. I’m sure we could get volunteers to test it before we give it to Hemlock, if that is your concern, said Renevos.

I guess you’re right. But no more experiments like the lava course, alright? said Miara.

It’s up to Hemlock, said Renevos. Hopefully the potion will work and we won’t need more.

It’s alright, Miara. I know you’re cautious, but I need this. DuLoc seems to have full access to his powers, and I need all of my powers to fight him, said Hemlock.

This whole situation seems like madness. Miara pursed her lips as she spoke.

It’ll be alright. Hemlock gave her a curt nod, attempting to calm Miara’s fears.

We have to find out if Jalis has other agents in the Tower, said Miara.

Of course he does, said Renevos. Wizards come and go from the Tower all the time. Jalis surely has agents in the City that can get messages inside. Somehow, they convinced Joxer to martyr himself for their cause. We probably should make a harsh example of him.

And what would be harsh? said Miara, glaring at Renevos.

Renevos recoiled from her stare. I’m just pointing out that handling Joxer mildly might encourage other insurgents. Dealing with him harshly could discourage them.

Dealing harshly with Joxer might disillusion those who stand with us on principle. The wizards who respect raw power will likely side with DuLoc no matter what we do, said Miara.

So, we can’t kill him. But what can we do with him? Imprison him indefinitely? What if someone inside the tower frees him? Hemlock mentioned her concerns in rapid fire.

We could banish him from the Tower, but he’d go straight to Jalis, said Renevos.

Hemlock considered the problem. She certainly didn’t want to release the man to swell her enemy’s ranks. Then an idea came to her. She visualized the realms outside the City and their travel relative to it. A distant world would intersect the City in two days’ time. It was one of the farthest that the City joined with, and the intersection was infrequent.

I’ve got an idea, said Hemlock. In two days’ time, I’ll take Joxer to the veil and push him across. He’ll be stranded on a distant world. DuLoc won’t take the time and energy to retrieve him. And it will take years for our world to realign with the one he’d be sent to. It would be a long banishment.

Miara frowned but said nothing. Merit shuffled back and forth and looked agitated.

I think it would be for the best, said Renevos.

Miara nodded, but her eyes were downcast. I’ll go question Joxer again, she finally said.

Renevos, Urq, Miara, Merit, and Hemlock exited the chamber. Hemlock went with Merit when the group split up at the central staircase.

Hemlock hadn’t been alone with Merit since her return from Ogrun.

How have your experiments on the other automatons been going? she asked.

I’ve stopped them, said Merit.

Really? I’m surprised. Any reason why?

Merit turned his head from side to side as they descended, peering into the passages that led into the interior of each floor they passed. When they got to the third floor, they left the stairwell and made for Merit’s chamber. Merit looked behind him, and the hinges near his ears flapped rapidly.

What’s going on with you? Hemlock asked.

Please wait a moment, he said, reaching his chamber door, opening it with a key, and beckoning for Hemlock to enter.

Hemlock noticed that Merit had accumulated more books since she had last visited him. She strolled past his desk and noticed the titles of two open volumes. They were both ancient texts from the Imperial period.

She glanced at Merit, surprised he hadn’t resumed the conversation after shutting the door behind him. He stood beside the door with his hand cupped between the door and his ear.

Merit noticed her watching him and slunk away from the door, looking as embarrassed as his mechanical features would allow.

I’ll ask again. What is going on? said Hemlock. And why do you seem paranoid?

Miss Hemlock, you’ve asked me to keep secrets in the past. Now I must ask you to keep one.

Alright. I will. Now please tell me what’s going on.

I’ve been experimenting with magic.

Hemlock took a second to digest the remark. Experimenting? Is that wise? Wait…

I’m a wizard.

The short statement threw Hemlock’s world out of balance for a moment.

Impossible, she said.

I would have said so too, until recently. During the battle of Castle Stargis, I was ambushed by Grubbins while I waited at the outskirts of the battle. He stabbed me several times with a long knife and severely damaged my body.

What is with that guy? Remind me to kill him next time I see him.

He’s so twisted by hatred that I pity him.

We’ve got to talk about that. But first, I want to hear why you think you’re a wizard.

After he stabbed me, he was on top of me and about to deliver a fatal blow. I suddenly perceived the elemental forces surrounding me and I knew enough from my years in the Wizard Tower to understand what I was experiencing. It was exactly like the teachers describe. I remembered how Gwineval described a gust spell from his recent classes and I cast it! Grubbins went flying into the air, and I think he was hurt when he landed.

Amazing! Merit, what does this mean?

I don’t know. Renevos has repaired my body as well as he could, but permanent damage was done. Sometimes I lose control of it. But I can cast spells.

So, your theory about your body imprisoning you is true.

My body sustains me, but it seems to restrain me as well. Clearly, it was restraining my magical abilities.

Hemlock sat in the chair Merit kept on hand for guests. Neither of them spoke for a minute.

What spells have you been able to cast? asked Hemlock.

Every one that I’ve tried. Some of the more complicated ones have taken me some time to master, though.

Merit, this is incredible, though I’m not completely surprised since I can sense your location when I look into the worlds beyond our own. So far, I’ve only been able to track extraordinary people that way. And I’m not talking about normal wizards. Only people connected to my father and the Imperator have appeared. And DuLoc.

There’s more, Miss Hemlock. Watch this.

Hemlock looked at Merit closely. His body seemed to relax. His spinning gears slowed and the gentle whirring sound that always emanated from his body became difficult to hear. Next, the expression on his face became strangely vacant. She then became aware of a glow coming from the opposite side of the room.

A glowing figure stood in the corner. She had no idea how it had gotten there until she realized it was the spitting image of Merit. The figure waved to her slowly before wavering and another figure appeared for a moment. It was a young man wearing a tricorne hat similar to the one DuLoc wore. Merit’s iron body reappeared in the shimmering image and then wavered again, replaced by the youth. The youth’s features clenched in concentration and his figure solidified.

It’s me, Hemlock, said the shimmering figure in a dulcet voice.

Hemlock was taken aback. Merit?

Yes. I think this was my true form before I was imprisoned in my present body.

This happened to you when you were not yet full grown?

I can’t say for sure, but I believe so. I will return to my body now.

The insubstantial figure disappeared, and Hemlock heard the gentle mechanical whirring sound resume. She turned to see Merit stretching his arms and legs.

It’s a strange sensation, he said.

I bet, said Hemlock, sitting down again and trying to take stock of the spectacle she’d just witnessed.

Merit, how did you realize you could do this?

I happened to be late for an appointment. By chance, I imagined myself in the chamber I was trying to reach as my body stalled and I lost control of it. I accidentally triggered this ability and appeared in Gwineval’s room as he rested. It took me several moments to realize what had happened. Fortunately, I was the only one present besides a sleeping Gwineval. As I took in the strange situation, I started to feel very odd. I believe I started to experience dim recollections of the past. But I also started to feel an odd pull—as if I was being drawn away from the world. I had to return to my body.

Have you been able to remember anything about your life before the transformation?

Not yet. But I have unusual feelings that seem to connect me with events I can’t yet recall.

Maybe if you can stay out of your body for longer, you’d remember more. Did you feel that pull to the afterlife when you just…used your power? Hemlock asked.

Yes. I always feel it when I use the power. I use it sparingly because of that.

Hemlock paused to consider what she had seen before speaking again. Your image looked like you might have been alive in the same period DuLoc came from. You had a tricorne hat on.

Yes, I came to the same conclusion.

Do you think he might have known the old you?

It’s certainly possible. I was dressed as I believe nobility dressed in that time. The circles of nobility are usually small, Merit said.

Who have you told about this?

Nobody, except for you. I might have told Gwineval if he were well. I thought about telling Miara, but she seems so anxious trying to run the guild while Gwineval recuperates.

So why all the fear of detection? Hemlock was confused by Merit’s secrecy.

The wizards can monitor magic use. If they happen to notice my spell power, then they might deduce my new abilities. And they might force me to become a member of the guild. I don’t want that. I am used to my routines. And I love to read my books.

Surely Miara and Gwineval would make sure you are treated well if it comes to that.

I suppose. But I like my role now. I can move around the Tower freely and have little formal responsibility. I can read books all day, Merit explained.

But maybe you should be developing your wizardly talents.

To what end? My connection to my body is already tenuous. I don’t want to put undue strain on it.

Hemlock considered the options. You’d be a good magical researcher.

Perhaps. But we’re about to fight a war, aren’t we? You need information about DuLoc. That’s what I’ve been focusing on.

We also need information about you. If only there were some way to ask DuLoc about you without endangering your life.

It’s possible I could pose a threat to him in some way. I’ve considered that.

So, you’ll keep your abilities a secret?

Yes.

Hemlock was struck by an idea. I could ask Falignus. He might know something about the history of the automatons. He might also know of ancient texts that could help.

"I’d rather you