What happens when a pursuer can’t be outdistanced, can’t be misled, and can’t be killed. Lark, a city scout, must confront those questions when the demonic creation of the dark scientist Baer Bore sets his sights on him. Can steam and powder overcome the flesh of a hound that cannot die? N. Jacob Wright’s brilliant pacing and steampunk sensibilities make this tale as intriguing as it is horrifying.

Why the beast had chosen him and his horse the scout didn’t know. He knew only that like those before him the beast could not be killed by even the most well placed of shots. His only hope was that the metal wonder he rode could outdistance the flesh and bones of his pursuer and that he could make sure the trail stayed cold once it had been lost.

“Easy does it girl. “ Smoke billowed from the nostrils of the creature as each hoof ricocheted with a loud ting off the rocks it galloped on. That was something he always loved about this model and that had drawn him to purchase it the moment it was available. The smoke from its nose was so impending, so final. It made him feel like every search across the crags was on a mission that had to be completed at any cost, that lives hung in the balance, that all would be lost if he didn’t report back at the base in time.

He smiled ruefully and watched his hands swivel with the joystick to keep the horse in a steady line. “Just a bit more girl.” He had to make it through to the gate that blocked the wildlife here from the rest of the world. This time, at least one life really did hang in the balance.

The horse snorted again, letting out more steam so that it could stabilize the pressure at its core. Lark knew the pressure skyrocketed from the running, and he grinned with pride.