Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook Read Free Book Online Page A

admit that I despaired when I thought you only had a blade.”
    â€œI never only have a blade—but the only weapon I bring to a conversation is a knife. A gun means the talking is over.”
    â€œOh. Oh! I must make Lady Lynx say that.” Without a break in her stride, Zenobia tore off her right glove with her teeth before digging out a paper and pencil from her pocket. She scribbled the line as she walked.
    Inspiration was to be taken so directly? Yasmeen slowed to accommodate the other woman’s preoccupation, wondering if she’d often done the same when walking with Archimedes . . . who was charming and fun, much like the character Zenobia had created. Yasmeen had assumed it also reflected the sister, but Zenobia seemed far more sober and practical than her brother had been.
    â€œHow much of Archimedes came from Wolfram, and how much was you?”
    Zenobia tucked her notes away. “All Wolfram. It was easy, though, because I know him well. Lady Lynx will likely have more of me in her.”
    Because she didn’t know Yasmeen as well. Fair enough. “And so she’ll be French? Prussian?”
    â€œOh, no. English again, probably, just as I made Archimedes.”
    She’d already decided? “Then why the interrogation about my background?”
    â€œMy own curiosity, as I said—and to build a better character. But the English bit, it’s the audience, you understand. The New World is fascinated with the Horde occupation and those who’ve lived under their heel, and the English like to see themselves as heroes—and I sell more copies all around.”
    Which meant more money for Yasmeen, too. The mention of heroes worried her, however. She’d carefully cultivated her reputation to protect her lady and her crew; she wouldn’t see it destroyed with a stroke of a pen. “They won’t know she is me, will they?”
    â€œNo. They’ll assume it is based on that lady detective, the one every newssheet from London has been writing about. She was your passenger once, I believe?”
    Ah, Mina Wentworth. Yes, the detective had spent some time on Lady Corsair . Yasmeen liked her, even though the woman had been idiot enough to go soft for a man—especially a man like the Iron Duke. He captained a ship well, and was one of the few people Yasmeen would trust at the helm of her lady, but in pursuit of the detective he was as dense and as possessive as any man who ever lived.
    Yasmeen nodded. “She’ll do.”
    â€œPerhaps I will give Lady Lynx a background connected to the Horde rebellion—I could use some of Wolfram’s old letters to establish that, and the stories would be of her current adventures.” She paused, as if considering that, before continuing. “Yes, that will work very well. Were you ever part of the rebellion, Captain?”
    More crumbs? This trail would lead Zenobia all the way to Constantinople—what little remained of it after the Horde had crushed the rebellion there.
    â€œI’ve never been a part of it,” she said truthfully. “But I’ve had business dealings with the rebels. I’ll share the details with you in my letters.”
    â€œThank you. If there is anything that you think she shouldn’t be, Captain Corsair, I would appreciate you telling me now. I can’t promise that you’ll like what I write, but I prefer not to be . . . inaccurate.”
    Or to offend her, Yasmeen guessed. She appreciated that. “Don’t let her be an idiot, always threatening someone with a gun. Only let her draw it if she intends to use it.”
    Zenobia blushed again. “Unlike Archimedes Fox?”
    In her stories. “Yes. You have to assume that someone will try to kill you while you’re deciding whether or not to shoot them. So by the time the gun comes out, that decision should have been made.”
    â€œI see.” Her notes were in her hand again, but Zenobia