Timekeeper (Timekeeper #1)(83)

Danny’s throat tightened. After a moment he said, “I understand how Matthias feels, you know. The spirit in that tower, he and I …”

She nodded for him to go on.

“Matthias knew the bombs weren’t working, so he stole the Enfield spirit’s central cog. The spirit is with me now, in London.”

“Without his cog?”

“My apprentice is searching for it. I wanted Colton—that’s my spirit—to stay with me, to stay safe. You told me the tower here in London helps you. It’s helping him, too.”

They didn’t speak for the rest of the drive. When the auto shuddered to a stop, Danny turned to Evaline. She gazed solemnly back at him.

“I may be in the same position as Matthias,” he said, “but I won’t make his mistakes. He’s going to try to put you in that clock tower, but if he does, Colton might disappear. I’m going to do everything I can to stop that from happening. Do you understand?”

She nodded. Without her tower, Evaline was as pale as Colton. Her tired eyes made her look older than the woman she would have been if she were human.

Danny called for Cassie as soon as he opened the front door. She came out of his bedroom holding her wrench and started when she got a look at Evaline.

“Blazes, that’s her, isn’t it?”

Danny didn’t answer; he ran up the stairs to Colton’s side. There was no change in him, though his eyelids flickered when he heard Danny’s voice.

“He’s the same,” Cassie confirmed. “Hello there, are you Miss Evaline?”

The clock spirit had followed them, drawn to Colton’s presence in the house. She gave him a brief, sympathetic glance before turning to Cassie.

“Yes, that’s me. Do you know, too?”

“Cassie can be trusted,” Danny said. “She’s been taking care of Colton.” He nodded toward the spirit in his bed. “If you wouldn’t mind?”

Evaline drew near the edge of the bed. Colton struggled to open his eyes, sensing her presence they way she sensed his. A tiny ripple went through the air as she walked, a slight tug from the cog. Even Danny felt drawn toward it.

Evaline leaned over Colton until he opened his eyes fully. When he saw her, he made a small noise of recognition.

“Evaline,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Colton.”

“Do they know each other?” Cassie murmured to Danny, who shook his head. They were products of time, more or less made of the same substance. Of course they knew each other. In a way, they were each other.

Evaline removed her cog from her satchel and set it carefully on Colton’s chest. He tensed, fingers curling into the sheets, but his expression soon smoothed into relief. He opened his eyes and nodded.

“It helps him a little,” she said, turning to Danny and Cassie, “but it’s not a solution. Will you return to his town soon?”

“We have to. But I need to find Matthias first.”

“I don’t know where he is,” she admitted with a frown. “He said he was going to the office to resign, but that was hours ago.”

“He—? Damn it.” Danny walked in a tight circle and pushed his hands through his hair. “If he did go to Enfield, we’ll find him when we bring Colton back, but I can’t risk leaving until I know for sure Matthias isn’t in London. Otherwise I might never get Colton’s cog back.”

As Evaline tried to make Colton more comfortable, Danny led Cassie downstairs. They speculated on Matthias’s whereabouts and wrote up a list of places Danny could check. Danny often looked out the window, half-expecting Matthias or the police to be coming up the walk. He crept upstairs to check on the clock spirits, but they never seemed to move. What was hours to Danny and Cassie was but a minute to the spirits.

Danny’s mother came home in the early evening, her coat slipping off one shoulder and her hair a rumpled mess.

“The news is all over,” she said, setting down her bag. “Oh, hello, Cassie. Everyone knows that Enfield is Stopped. You should hear them going on about it, not knowing a thing, and the protesters all up in arms again. I heard there was a riot in Hanover Square. It was all I could do to keep from looking like I knew something. Did you find Matthias? How’s Colton?”

She was about to go upstairs to check when Danny blocked her way. “Matthias wasn’t home. Colton is fine. I mean, he’s not, but we’re still sorting it out.”

Leila clucked her tongue. “You best sort it out fast. I don’t know how long we can keep this up.” She headed into the kitchen.

He and Cassie shared a look. “I should be heading home,” she whispered. “My mum’ll worry. And speaking of mums, you need to speak to yours.”

Danny wanted to cling to Cassie, to beg her not to go, but he knew she was right.

She wrapped her arms around Danny’s neck and held on tight. “Ring if you need me.” She promised to check on them tomorrow before she slipped quietly out the front door.

Danny squared his shoulders and walked into the kitchen. His mother was nervously washing the dirty teapot, needing something to do with her hands. He tended to do the same thing.

“Mum, I need to tell you something.”

Leila set the wet teapot on the counter. “What is it?”

Danny took a deep breath. “Evaline is here. The Maldon clock spirit.”