Beyond Clockwork

Pinocchio never had to deal with rusty gears. He probably never had to deal with broken hearts, either. In the city of the Young Queens, magic abounds alongside mechanics. Terrin Shore, the Clockmaker of the southern slums, likes to consider himself a master craftsman, but he can't deny that his dolls are endowed with a certain veracity. He stopped making wind-up toys years ago, yet his dolls still move, speaking and interacting with such grace and humanity that he is tempted to...
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Pinocchio never had to deal with rusty gears. He probably never had to deal with broken hearts, either. In the city of the Young Queens, magic abounds alongside mechanics. Terrin Shore, the Clockmaker of the southern slums, likes to consider himself a master craftsman, but he can't deny that his dolls are endowed with a certain veracity. He stopped making wind-up toys years ago, yet his dolls still move, speaking and interacting with such grace and humanity that he is tempted to forget they're false. He makes a living from his skills, selling dolls to aristocrats and nobles with gold to spare. Ian is Terrin's most lifelike doll. Crafted in such detail that he can pass for human at a casual glance, he was made in the image of Terrin's closest friend, master thief Christiansen Townsend. Ian, however, is not Christiansen. He has a personality and attitude of his own, along with a rebellious streak. Despite his artificiality, he is head over heels in love with Terrin. Still, he knows how unlikely it is a doll-maker will fall in love with a doll. When Christiansen is injured while fleeing from the city's peacekeeping officers, Ian has a choice to make. Does he stand back and let Christiansen be submitted to the Young Queens' justice, where the thief will likely be executed? Or will he sacrifice himself for Terrin's and Christiansen's happily ever after? And is that even what Terrin really wants?