The second night on the road brought a biting wind that howled through the carriage slats. They were passing through the "Iron Pass," a narrow canyon famous for being the graveyard of fallen dynasties.
Suddenly, the carriage jerked to a violent halt. Outside, the sound of Imperial steel clashing against something much heavier echoed through the canyon. Cheng immediately shielded Heng with his body, his hand reaching for the concealed high-pressure steam pistol he had hidden beneath the seat.
The door was ripped open, but it wasn't an Imperial guard. Standing there was a woman with a face half-hidden by a mechanical bronze mask and eyes as sharp as flint. She wore leather armor reinforced with strange, salvaged clockwork.
"So, you're the Scholar who thinks he can hand the Emperor the keys to the world," she spat, her voice raspy. "I am Lin, Captain of the Rust-Walkers. We don't care for the Emperor's gold, and we care even less for your engines."
"I'm not handing him anything," Cheng said, his voice cold and steady, the steam pistol leveled at her heart. "I'm surviving."
Lin looked at the pistol, then at the protective way Cheng held Heng. A flicker of something—perhaps respect—crossed her eyes. "If you enter that Capital, you're dead. But if you're willing to sabotage the Emperor's display, the Rust-Walkers might just find a reason to let you live through the night."
The Heartwarming Coronation
The tension in the carriage didn't dissipate even after Lin disappeared back into the shadows. Heng was trembling, but not from fear of the woman. He was looking at Cheng with a deep, quiet realization.
"She's right, isn't she?" Heng whispered, leaning his head against Cheng's shoulder. "We aren't just going to a party. We're going to a war."
Cheng tucked a lock of hair behind Heng's ear, his touch lingering and soft. "We've been in a war since the moment I stepped into that forge, Heng. But look at me." He waited until Heng met his eyes. "I didn't build those engines to serve a throne. I built them to make sure we never have to run again."
He pulled Heng into a grounding, protective embrace, the scent of jasmine and woodsmoke acting as a silent vow between them in the dark.