Page 206 of Code Bound
The sound of metal grating against metal as it moves echoes loudly around us . . .
CHAPTER58
VESPER
We round the corner and I get my first look at what’s making the loud screeching, metallic sounds. At first, it’s hard to make sense of. There’s what looks like a pile of pipes and parts in the center of a large octagonal platform where a bunch of catwalks meet. As I stare at it, steam begins to rise from two of the pipes and the pile of metal starts to move.
“This is easy?” I growl at Havoc, staring at the machine.
He flashes a shit-eating grin at me. “You’ve got this,” and then shoves me into the center of the platform.
I stumble, my boots making clack-clack-clack noises that draw the Boiler King’s attention. His eyes light up blue as he rises to his full height—at least a meter taller than me—and he focuses all of his attention on me.
“I have changed my mind,” Svetlana declares. “I do not like the Warden.”
Locke appears at my side, his Arctic Smite in his hands. “We’re doing this,” he says. “But that thing is made of metal just like Lady Liberty. It’s gonna be a tough fight.”
I stare at the Boiler King, taking in everything about him. He’s large, tall, and intimidating. He’s completely made of metal like the other automatons we’d seen outside, but much bigger. His chest is made of one huge chunk of metal, his entire body modeled after a man that’s done nothing but build muscle for decades. Two large pipes pump steam out of his shoulders and as he moves and twists, more steam billows out. On top of his rounded head, beneath two large blue-light eyes, sits a tiny, golden crown.
“Intruder,” he growls in a gravelly voice before he lets out a loud roar that shakes the catwalk we stand on.
I tuck away my Bloodsense Fang.
“What are you doing? Locke growls. “We’re about to fight.”
“You think my blade is going to do any damage tothat thing?” I ask him with a raised brow. “At least your battle axe can slow him down.”
He sighs. “Is this going to be another yeti situation?”
He’d taken hit after hit from the yeti. And then again with Lady Liberty. His vitality is higher than mine, even after my level up to Tier Two. Which makes him the better distraction.
“No,” I say, rolling my shoulders. “The notification said we have to turn off his power, not kill him. So, we find his power source. I can do that while you keep his attention on you.”
Havoc chuckles behind us where he leans against the railing, clearly pleased with how quickly I changed my tactic.
“What powers the thing?” Locke asks, staring at the Boiler King as he starts to stomp toward us.
“The steam,” I point out. “When he moves, more billows. It’s gotta be the steam but I don’t know how it’s created.”
“So how do we turn it off?” he asks, taking up a defensive stance.
“I don’t know yet,” I admit. “Keep him?—”
“Busy,” Locke finishes. “Yeah, yeah. I know my role.” He lifts his battle axe up. “Hey, bucket head! Come and get me!”
And then he sprints around the platform, drawing the Boiler King away from me. The big dummy follows after him without a second thought, stomping slowly, his fists raised.
“He gets faster the longer it takes,” Havoc says helpfully.
I bare my teeth at him. “Wanna give me better hints than that? Like how and where to turn off the power?”
Havoc smiles, but he doesn’t give me the answers.
“Asshole,” I grumble, turning back to look around the area. All around us, the smaller metal machines hover, watching the battle unfold. They don’t move in thankfully, but they lend an eerie audience to the battle. If they attack, we’re screwed.
“Power, power, power,” I say, looking around the pipes along the walls. “What creates power? What makes the steam?”
“Electricity?” Svetlana replies helpfully. “We can unplug him.”
