Read Online Keeper of the Books (Keeper of the Books, Book 1) by Jason D. Morrow - Free Book Online
Authors: Jason D. Morrow
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buggies were filled to the brim with harvested crops, barrels of ale and whiskey, and people of all ages. It was a bustling spectacle that Nate hadn’t seen since he’d visited back East. The streets were lined with vendors and trolleys, offering an endless supply of food and drink, as well as farming equipment and trinkets. There was no doubt that they had stumbled upon the market district of…what had Marum called this place? Tel Haven?
“I’m all for getting out of here as soon as we can,” Nate said, “But I have to find my brother.”
Marum turned to look at Nate, her purple eyes barely slits as her teeth clenched together. There was just enough malice in her stare to cause Nate to take a short step backward. “Do you want to survive this day?”
“That would be best,” Nate replied.
“Then we don’t have time to look for your brother. We’ve got to get out of the city first.”
“And just how do you plan to do that?”
Marum turned her head back toward the road and looked on as a large group of soldiers came riding through the dusty street in a hurry. “Quickly and quietly,” she said. She reached an arm behind her and shoved Nate against the wall. “Get back!”
Nate grimaced when he hit the wall, but any thought of discomfort fled from his mind when he saw the men on horseback coming closer. There were about six of them, but the one at the front of the group was clearly in charge. At first, Nate was nervous that he and Marum were too close to the street, but he knew making any sudden movement might alert the soldiers to their presence. He felt himself holding his breath as he pressed his back against the wall. Marum did the same.
The man on the lead horse spun around and started barking orders at his men. Nate took notice of their uniforms. They weren’t unfamiliar to him at all save for the color perhaps—a dark red tint, faded and dull. Each of the soldiers wore button down long-sleeve coats which were all tightened at the bottom with a thick belt to carry cartridges for their rifles. The stripes on their shoulders indicated their ranks, the man on the lead horse boasting more markings than the rest. Their trousers were straight-legged with a long black band along the outside seam that traveled from the hip all the way to the cuffs. And all the soldiers wore a cap with a short visor above their brows with a metal emblem at the top that Nate couldn’t quite make out.
Nate’s eyes then traveled to their weapons. Each man carried a rifle and a revolver. From what he could tell, the rifles weren’t much different than the ones the soldiers carried back home—a converted musket design with a trapdoor at the top which could fire one cartridge at a time. In the right hands, the rifles were extremely accurate and deadly. Running at this moment wasn’t quite an option.
The man on the lead horse had a determined look in his eyes. His hair was short like all the other men, and he grew a thick mustache that nearly covered his entire mouth when it was closed. The man was tall and wider from shoulder-to-shoulder than any of the others. And he was the only one to wear a saber at his hip. This was a man of importance. This was a man on a mission. This was a man who wanted Nate and Marum dead.
“Spread out!” the man said. “If you come across any of the other inmates, take them, but I want Marum. She is of the utmost importance. She can’t be too far yet.”
The others acknowledged the commander and rode away quickly. The lead rider trotted down the street, looking on both sides meticulously.
Then the street was clear of soldiers. Marum let out a deep breath as if she had been holding it in for a long time. She turned to look at Nate. “That was Gibbons, leader of the Rangers. He heads the whole Crimson Army under President DalGaard’s directive.”
Nate shook his head. “I don’t care. We gotta get out of here.”
“Right,” Marum said, turning back to the street. Her eyes
“I’m all for getting out of here as soon as we can,” Nate said, “But I have to find my brother.”
Marum turned to look at Nate, her purple eyes barely slits as her teeth clenched together. There was just enough malice in her stare to cause Nate to take a short step backward. “Do you want to survive this day?”
“That would be best,” Nate replied.
“Then we don’t have time to look for your brother. We’ve got to get out of the city first.”
“And just how do you plan to do that?”
Marum turned her head back toward the road and looked on as a large group of soldiers came riding through the dusty street in a hurry. “Quickly and quietly,” she said. She reached an arm behind her and shoved Nate against the wall. “Get back!”
Nate grimaced when he hit the wall, but any thought of discomfort fled from his mind when he saw the men on horseback coming closer. There were about six of them, but the one at the front of the group was clearly in charge. At first, Nate was nervous that he and Marum were too close to the street, but he knew making any sudden movement might alert the soldiers to their presence. He felt himself holding his breath as he pressed his back against the wall. Marum did the same.
The man on the lead horse spun around and started barking orders at his men. Nate took notice of their uniforms. They weren’t unfamiliar to him at all save for the color perhaps—a dark red tint, faded and dull. Each of the soldiers wore button down long-sleeve coats which were all tightened at the bottom with a thick belt to carry cartridges for their rifles. The stripes on their shoulders indicated their ranks, the man on the lead horse boasting more markings than the rest. Their trousers were straight-legged with a long black band along the outside seam that traveled from the hip all the way to the cuffs. And all the soldiers wore a cap with a short visor above their brows with a metal emblem at the top that Nate couldn’t quite make out.
Nate’s eyes then traveled to their weapons. Each man carried a rifle and a revolver. From what he could tell, the rifles weren’t much different than the ones the soldiers carried back home—a converted musket design with a trapdoor at the top which could fire one cartridge at a time. In the right hands, the rifles were extremely accurate and deadly. Running at this moment wasn’t quite an option.
The man on the lead horse had a determined look in his eyes. His hair was short like all the other men, and he grew a thick mustache that nearly covered his entire mouth when it was closed. The man was tall and wider from shoulder-to-shoulder than any of the others. And he was the only one to wear a saber at his hip. This was a man of importance. This was a man on a mission. This was a man who wanted Nate and Marum dead.
“Spread out!” the man said. “If you come across any of the other inmates, take them, but I want Marum. She is of the utmost importance. She can’t be too far yet.”
The others acknowledged the commander and rode away quickly. The lead rider trotted down the street, looking on both sides meticulously.
Then the street was clear of soldiers. Marum let out a deep breath as if she had been holding it in for a long time. She turned to look at Nate. “That was Gibbons, leader of the Rangers. He heads the whole Crimson Army under President DalGaard’s directive.”
Nate shook his head. “I don’t care. We gotta get out of here.”
“Right,” Marum said, turning back to the street. Her eyes
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