Free Dawn of Steam: Gods of the Sun by Jeffrey Cook, Sarah Symonds Page B

sword. The inscriptions are correct, and the man's skill is bolstered. This is where El Cid's blade went, all right. He certainly fights as if he believes its legend to be true, that in the hands of the worthy, the wielder cannot be defeated. Other stories have it that no man can defeat him, even though El Cid himself took the blade in a trial of combat. People have strange memories for legends.
    Perhaps someday the technicality of a woman's hand defeating a man will hold some water in a tale, but I don't want to risk it yet. Likewise, I don't think that thievery and disloyalty to his nation will be much proof that he was unworthy in the heads of most folk.
    He has some skill – that much is certain – and no lack of courage. With those things, he is near enough a match that I believe the sword still has the kind of enchantment that lingers about very old things: no matter how enlightened or advanced a nation thinks itself to be, the legend has power right up 'til someone disproves it. El Cid's story still has enough shine to it that a lot of folk still cling to it, and his sword is still a national treasure. The second that legend gets proven wrong, it will just be spendy but outdated blacksmithing.
    I keep diverting him off the others, and to myself. It's cost me the chance to get to York and put an end to his foolishness, but near as I can tell, that bit of fate lies with James Coltrane, once we get him back. Our fortune-teller's cards say so (clever stuff; tidier than tea leaves or Yoruba bones. I think you'd like her), and it seems right to me. For now, I'll keep stalemating the Spaniard and take my shots at the rest where I can. Until there is an opportunity to recover the blade without taking the shine off of its story, it's the best I can do.
    You said to me often enough, "The world is marching on, and as its marching, it's bringing along less and less of what makes it a magical place." The recovery of one of Spain's national treasures might help that a touch or two. A supposed British colonist being the one to bring it back to them might even go a long way towards pacifying them a bit.
    I know you're retired, off to study and whatever else it is you've found in New Orleans. Just now, I think I need to see this through. There's some good to be done with this crew. This chance and this challenge are too much to pass up.
    I'm sure you've also heard I had a hand in fighting the Spanish again. I argued against it the first time, but followed along when they put it to a vote. I have more stake with James Coltrane and his lot than I do with Spain. Besides, skirmishes with England might give some of the native tribes more time to figure a defense. That cause, at least, I can get behind. They're already talking about locals revolting in Argentina and parts of Mexico.
    Now that the war has started, I'd be of a mind to push them again to see it through, but York has captured James Coltrane, and that can't stand. Besides, he's got the Spaniard with him, which means the sword has headed south with them. All of that comes before a border skirmish that will resolve with or without us now that reinforcements are showing. On top of that, the fortune-teller says we need to keep moving to stay ahead of the storm. If the last storm she predicted was any indication, whether this one is literal or figurative, I'd just as soon not get caught in it.
    Yes, I got involved. I know you think I don't listen, but I do still follow plenty of your advice. I still check my boots in the morning: good habit even where there ain't so many spiders and scorpions. I still make sure I keep up with knowing Apache marks from the other tribes. And I ain't let any man's hand too near that didn't get a knife through it (still no inclination for them anyhow). I just think this venture is worthwhile. Maybe when folks get a better look at what's out there, they'll appreciate it for more than thinking about who might have some gold.
    But whatever else we manage to