Steam Mountain: Rak Shoma, #2

By Sue Perkins

Maevens Ash and Orm's continued search for Ash's parents bring them to the country of Stavmo, a civilization whose power is based on steam.

Steam cars, whirlybirds, and small appliances, even guns, are all powered by steam... but at a cost. A huge factory has toxic smoke billowing into the air, and only the rich are able to escape the smell by living on the opposite side of town. Class is based on your hair color, and if your hair isn't red like the dictator who runs the country, you vanish into the mines or are thrown into the volcano.

But the volcano holds even greater secrets. And possibly a link to Ash's family.

The magical pair make friends with the rebels and try to help them fight for their rights, but in doing so they get separated and place themselves in danger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Caishel Books
• Release date: Jan 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9780995133716

Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins grew up in Devon, England and emigrated to New Zealand with her family. Sue and her husband live at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. Her interests include writing, reading, genealogy and aqua jogging. Sue’s first romance novel was released in May 2007, quickly followed by a fantasy trilogy, more romance books, young adult and middle grade novels. Visit Sue Perkins webpage to discover more of Sue’s books, including her fantasy romance novels and middle grade level fantasy books. Her aim is to write a full length epic fantasy novel. The outline is complete, and Sue hopes to finish it by the end of 2018.

Book preview

Dedication and Acknowledgment

To my husband Colin, thank you for supporting me while I get lost in writing my books.

Chapter One

Sweetheart, don’t wander off. You’ll get lost.

The voice came from a lower level. A silver-haired toddler stumbled up the stairs and stood near the top step, her little body trying to keep its balance. With a whoosh of magic, the child vanished.

Where is she?

A man and a woman with silver hair streaked with purple appeared at the top of the stairs and looked around. The man took the woman’s arm as they searched the entrance hall; the woman becoming frantic when they could find no sign of the child. Time passed and the woman sobbed uncontrollably as the man led her back down the stairs without the child.

*****

Ash woke with a start and panic choked her throat. Darkness surrounded her. Where was she? A trembling noise beneath her feet startled her even more.

It’s okay, Ash. Don’t worry, I’m here.

Orm’s familiar voice soothed her fears and his arm curled around her shoulders.

Why is it so dark? Where are we, Orm?

We’re in the carriage on our way to the next station. Remember? I think the movement of the carriage is making the lights go on and off.

As he spoke the carriage jolted and the ceiling globes flickered, then came on at full strength.

I’m confused, Ash confessed. I had the dream again. Are we doing the right thing, leaving all we know to search for people who might no longer exist?

There’s no going back, Ash. We will find them and I promise you we won’t give up until we do.

Orm’s words comforted her. To search for her parents on her own would be a tremendous task, but with Orm to support her, it wouldn’t be so daunting. She glanced out of the carriage window but only got a sense of darkness rushing past.

Have you any idea when we’ll get to the next platform?

No, it will certainly be a long time. I think we’re going under the sea and will eventually reach another continent.

You know, Orm, we wouldn’t have been able to get this far without magic. Teleporting had to be the only way to get to these carriages. I used to think magic the most important thing in the world. As children, my brother and I pretended to be maeven. We used sticks to focus the pretend spells, but as we got older, we used our hands. It came as a shock when Tuvor came home after the first year at Spires and told me he’d learned magic to be all in the mind. There are no visible indications of magic, except for the concentrated look when speaking with telepathy. Now I think of magic as a normal part of life.

I remember when Tam and I practiced pretend magic. Our older brother had no magic, and he didn’t understand. Told us to stop being silly. Orm laughed. Shows how wrong he could be, doesn’t it?

Orm hugged her, then settled himself more comfortably on the carriage seat.

Why don’t you try to sleep again, I’ll wake you if we slow down.

Ash laid her head on Orm’s shoulder, her silvery purple hair draped down over his arm. She shut her eyes. They had left Spires an hour after midnight and since then the time had been fraught with tension and worry, leaving her exhausted. Within moments she drifted off to sleep.

*****

Ash, wake up. We’re pulling into the next platform.

Ash opened her eyes and looked around with confusion, not sure of her whereabouts.

We have to get up. We’re coming into the platform after Laktu. Orm removed his arm from her shoulders and shook it. Ash realised he had held her in position for so long his arm had gone stiff.

We’re slowing down? When Orm nodded, she frowned. How long have we been travelling?

I’m not sure. He looked embarrassed. I’m afraid I fell asleep too, but I would imagine we’ve been going for several hours, if not a whole day.

A day?

The carriage slowed and a brilliantly lit platform slid alongside. Remembering how quickly the doors opened and closed, Ash and Orm scrambled to stand beside them, hand in hand, until the carriage stopped moving and the doors sighed open. The platform looked the same as the one they’d left and they stepped down from the carriage and looked around. With a whoosh, the doors shut behind them and the carriage moved off, leaving them standing on the dusty platform.

Ash wrinkled her nose at the musty smell.

I don’t think anybody’s been here for a long time.

I agree, there’d be footsteps in the dust if anyone had walked across the platform. Orm looked around and pointed to a circular map on the wall. Let’s go see where we are.

He led the way across to the circular map on the wall. Laktu is now in second position and the red circle is around–I still can’t read this. What does it say, Ash?

St-Stavmo. I didn’t notice this on the other map, but Laktu has stars around it and this one has clouds. If we assume the stars indicate magic, what do you think the clouds mean?

I have no idea. It might not be clouds, it might be smoke but I guess we won’t know the significance until we reach the surface.

Ash turned to face Orm. Let’s go then, but we mustn’t forget how to get back here. If we’re right and the carriage route takes us to different continents, this will be our only way to continue the journey.

Orm nodded and they walked along the platform.

Look, Ash. I don’t remember seeing this in Laktu. Orm stood before an alcove. No footprints or scuff marks disturbed the thick layer of dust covering the floor so they entered carefully, not wanting to blind themselves by kicking up the dirt.

I guess this is the platform. Ash pointed to a sketch on the wall. See the long block with two lines beside it? They would be the carriage rails.

I presume we have to take this route to reach the surface. Orm traced his finger along a dotted line which reached from the platform to a circular space surrounded by a building. Would you be able to teleport us there?

I expect so. The only problem is what we might find at the other end.

What do you mean? Orm frowned.

This map is old, Ash replied. The structure of this ‘circle’ might not be standing now. It looks like a spire and could have collapsed like the North Spire in Laktu. Let me try something first.

Ash concentrated on the circle and sent her mind out to investigate. Her usual way of teleporting created a force field to make sure they moved to their destination in safety, but this time Ash checked for any movement in the area. When satisfied the circle remained empty, she put up her force field and reached for Orm’s hand.

I’ve checked as much as I can, she told him. The only way to be sure is to go there.

Seconds later they vanished from the platform of Stavmo.

*****

Their arrival in the circular room disturbed the dust covering the floor. A huge wooden door closed off the entrance.

How do we open this? Ash gave it a shove, but the door refused to budge. She tried to examine the other side with her mind, but found the door prevented her access to the area outside the room. Orm, I can’t sense the other side. We’re trapped in here!

Panic flooded Ash’s body until she felt her throat close in a choke. Orm patted her arm and his action calmed her fright.

I think they must have lined the walls and the door with metal and we know metal makes it difficult to use magic. The floor must be wood or we wouldn’t have teleported here from the platform. There’s a lever over there. Let’s see what it does.

Her fear collected into a knot inside her as Orm examined the lever. She hated not knowing what would happen next. He pulled the lever and Ash jumped back as the door opened with a shriek, hiss and roar. She glanced at Orm who appeared to be still with shock. He reached out, grabbed her hand and dragged her through the door. They raced up a curved corridor following the outer wall of the circular room, another roaring and hissing came from behind and Ash guessed the door had closed again. They had travelled halfway round the outer wall when they came to the base of a stone staircase and stopped.

I don’t like this place, Orm. The noise of the door opening sounded like a wounded animal. Why do you think it made such a loud noise? Ash cast a worried glance over her shoulder.

It happened when I pulled the lever, so it must have been the mechanism. I’ve heard nothing like it before and I agree with you. I don’t trust this place. Despite you being able to check if anyone’s on the next level, I don’t think we should teleport and suddenly appear up there. I believe we should climb the stairs and have a good look around before we reveal ourselves.

The long climb reminded her of their descent into the basements of the North Spire, although this time they went up instead of down. Ash wanted it to be over. This tower had seemed familiar at first, but a forbidding chill had seeped into the atmosphere. They reached the top of the stairs and Orm peered round the stone buttress then beckoned Ash forward.

It’s all clear. There’s lots of dust on the floor and it smells musty, so I don’t think anyone’s been here recently.

Orm, this layout is exactly the same as the entrance hall of the spires in Laktu. The North Spire in particular. We should get out of here before something disastrous happens.

Ash crossed the hall and pushed at a heavy wooden door, knowing it should lead to this spires equivalent of a dining hall. The heavy block refused to budge and she took a frustrated step back, waiting for Orm to help her.

I think we should be careful and not rush through doors without checking first. Can you sense anything or anyone on the other side?

Ash checked but sensed nothing. She turned to Orm to tell him and her movement stirred the dust at her feet, causing her to sneeze.

We must be careful with these dirty floors. It wouldn’t do to sneeze at the wrong time. I can’t see any levers to open this door, so we must use force. His head tilted to one side as he surveyed the door.

Orm leaned into the wood and Ash stepped forward to help him. The heavy door resisted, but eventually their perseverance paid off and the door groaned open. The room on the other side looked exactly like the dining hall in their dormitory spire, but instead of long tables and the clatter of crockery and utensils, this room echoed with emptiness. Not a stick of furniture stood in the sunlight which struggled through the high windows, lighting up the dust motes floating through the air.

Let’s see if we can look out through the window beside the main door. Orm led the way back to the hall. We need to see what’s out there before we venture outside.

At first they didn’t see a thing because of the dirt on the windows, but Orm cleaned two small spots by rubbing his finger on the glass until the grime had cleared. The world outside looked green and clean, but in the distance a pall of smoke hung in the air. Between the tower and the smoke, a forest of healthy looking trees stood, hiding the cause of the pollution in the atmosphere.

Is there anyone outside? Orm tried to look to one side, but the angle of the walls prevented them viewing anything but the area directly in front of them.

I can’t sense anyone. Let’s teleport out but stay close to the walls. Ash held out her hand to Orm and within moments they stood outside.

There’s no one around. In fact, the whole area is deserted. Ash looked into the distance and frowned. I don’t like the look of such a lot of smoke. Do you think it could be a fire? Maybe it’s why there’s no one about, they might all be fighting the fire.

It looks deliberate, like smoke coming out of the chimneys of houses. Maybe they have big fires for making things. He looked at her. I think we should investigate, but we still need to use caution. We’ll walk instead of teleporting, although keep the location of this Spire in mind so we can get back here.

Orm turned to look at the polished black stone spire behind them and Ash followed his gaze.

It’s exactly like the four spires in Laktu, but this time there’s only one of them. Strange. Ash shook her head.

Not really. Orm turned to face her. "It proves at one time the places on the map linked to one another. Maybe not by land, but there had to be a connection.

Orm, should we spend the night here and start out first thing in the morning? We don’t know what we’ll find out there.

I think we should get going now. We need to find some food and drink or we’ll be starving by morning. Plus we have to discover the reason for the steam or smoke.

They walked down the meadow in front of the spire and entered the forest at the bottom. The space between trees provided a wide pathway to follow.

While we walk, how about teaching me your style of magic? It will be helpful if we get separated.

Ash saw the hope in Orm’s eyes and grinned at him.

Good idea. We have to act independently when necessary. Let’s start with the first five spells we learned at Spires.

For the next hour they strolled along, Ash instructing Orm on the difference between her way of casting spells and the method taught at Spires. Orm told her he found the concept intriguing but had difficulty casting the new spells. Once he got the first one to work his confusion cleared and he learned the others in rapid succession.

I like your way of teleporting, he told her. It makes sense to check the space first, put a shield around it, then move quickly and safely. The body shield is good too. Much safer than the Spires spell.

Pride in her magic made Ash walk with a lightness as her mood brightened. The trees thinned out and the daytime light faded. This caused her some concern.

Orm, we have to find food soon. It’s almost nighttime.

They came to the edge of the trees. Crops stretched to the distance and workers were leaving the fields.

We might have to take some food from the fields. Orm sounded dubious. Neither of them had ever resorted to stealing, in fact their elders had taught them not to take goods belonging to others. I don’t like it, but by the time we get to where those workers are, they will hopefully have gone home.

He had no sooner finished speaking than a strange boxlike vehicle drew up beside the people at the far side of the fields.

What an awful noise. Ash placed her hands over her ears to shut out the loud hissing and screeching noise. It must be loud if we can hear it from this distance. Look, the box is emitting clouds of smoke from what looks like a chimney on the back. Do you think that’s making the noise?

Probably.

The workers climbed in and the box turned and drove off, disappearing over the horizon. They walked down to the field and Orm walked out between the rows, examining the plants growing in the rich earth.

A mixture of vegetables. We should be able to make soup with these, it will tide us over until we get to a town or village.

They didn’t want to bring themselves to anyone’s notice and didn’t have any utensils, so Ash cast a spell to cook the vegetables. They ate their food and then settled down for the night beneath the trees at the edge of the forest.

Do you still think we did the right thing, leaving Spires?

Too late to have second thoughts now. Orm smiled down at her. They’ll never let us use our maeven ability in Homa after we left using the North Spire. There’s also the fact we have no idea how to get back there. The carriages only seem to go one way.

I worry our friends might get in trouble because we disappeared. Ash felt tears flood into her eyes. Rupe will be so worried about us she might mention the North Spire.

"No she won’t. Rupe has no idea of our whereabouts. We didn’t know where we were going when we entered the North Spire and if anyone goes in there looking for us they’ll find a dead end when they get to the laboratory