Free Clockwork Menagerie: A Shadows of Asphodel Novella by Karen Kincy

with a thousand needles.
    “Does it hurt?” Himmel said.
    “It itches.”
    “Good. That’s your circulation returning.”
    “God, it itches horribly!”
    He caught his hand. “Try not to scratch.”
    “So bossy.” Konstantin managed a smile. “When did my telegram arrive?”
    Himmel’s arm tightened around him. His mustache tickled Konstantin’s neck as he sighed. “After I searched all of St. Petersburg.”
    “I’m sorry, I should have told you where I went.”
    “You weren’t subtle. Kotlin Island was clearly your primary target, but I found nothing.”
    “Was
she
there?”
    “No sign of the countess. Though she contacted Baron von Bach.”
    Although Konstantin’s skin warmed, his blood ran cold. “What did she say?”
    “That you seduced an officer in exchange for military secrets, but he fed you false information before reporting you.”
    “Which officer?”
    “That Dmitriev man.”
    “Alexsandr? That’s absurd!” Konstantin rolled to face him. “I would never dream of approaching him in such a manner.”
    “I believe you.” Himmel’s eyes darkened. “But the ambassador didn’t.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “He doesn’t know that I flew out for you. He’s been ignoring the situation, as if you deserve to be punished by the Russians.”
    Konstantin’s stomach plummeted. “He believes the countess?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “She caught me looking at the psychothaumaturgy in her laboratory.”
    Himmel clenched his jaw. “I’m not sure it matters now.”
    “But Theodore—”
    “You don’t understand the severity of this situation.”
    “Neither do you.” Konstantin shivered despite the warmth on his skin. “If the countess builds more beasts on the scale of the clockwork dragon, we won’t be able to defend Königsberg. Russia outnumbers us two to one.”
    “I don’t care about Königsberg.”
    “If Königsberg falls, the rest of Prussia is at risk. The German Empire itself.”
    “You could have been killed.” Pain roughened Himmel’s voice. “Frozen, executed, starved to death in Siberia.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “I don’t want your apologies. I want you here. With me.”
    Konstantin pressed his face to Himmel’s shoulder and inhaled the clean smell of his sweat. Himmel kissed his cheek, mustache tickling, and growled out a sigh. They lay together, listening to the drone of the airship.
    Though he knew the safety of Himmel’s arms was sadly an illusion.

    Sitting outside the office of Baron von Bach, Konstantin shuffled through papers. He had written a report on recent events: the clockwork menagerie, the psychothaumaturgy laboratory on Kotlin Island, the train to Siberia.
    Would it be enough? What could he bring as proof?
    Mouth parched, he leapt to his feet when the baron swept open the door. The ambassador’s face looked stony. “Enter.”
    Konstantin clutched the folder. He followed von Bach into his office and balanced on the edge of a leather armchair. “Sir.”
    “What do you have to say?”
    “Here are my findings on the Russian technomancy.”
    Von Bach grabbed the folder, glanced through the papers, and tossed them aside. “I’m aware of the events that transpired.”
    Sweat broke out on Konstantin’s brow. “May I ask how?”
    The baron ignored the question, blowing air through his nose like a bull about to charge. He opened a battered envelope and slid a telegram across the desk. The paper quivered in Konstantin’s hand as he read.
     
    Archmage Konstantin to return to Vienna relieved of duty indefinitely
     
    Static rushed through his ears. The telegram blurred into gibberish, like a textbook the night before an examination. Though even as a student, he had never felt this hopeless and foolish. “What does this mean?”
    “Good God, man, can’t you read?”
    Konstantin dropped the telegram, the paper damp with sweat. “There must be a mistake.”
    “Your actions in St. Petersburg violated half a dozen diplomatic conventions.” Baron von