23. Sloan
TWENTY-THREE
SLOAN
“Wait, the same Dr. Oliver Livingston we met during the tour with Edison?” Jack asked.
“The same one,” Sloan replied.
All four members stood quietly for a moment, considering what the connection could mean.
“We need to warn Edison and the Queen.” Sloan swung the lantern, turning to walk to the camp.
“We need more proof before we start making accusations,” Aareth cautioned the captain. “I know what this looks like, but it’s possible these machines were stolen.”
“I agree,” Marcus chimed in.
“And how do you gentlemen suggest we get more proof?” Sloan asked.
“The bodies,” Jack said in a low voice as if he were talking to himself. “Has anyone looked at the bodies of the men who attacked us?”
“Follow me.” Sloan took the lead, lantern still swinging in her left hand.
Jack, Marcus, and Aareth walked with her through the tent city, where men were standing in small groups talking about the events of the day and what it could mean. More than one wary eye or frown was directed at the group.
As they broke through the ring of tents, Sloan made a beeline for a spot where a large blanket was thrown down covering six lumps.
Death was something that Sloan had learned to deal with through the years. Without hesitation, she grabbed a corner of the sheet and threw back the cover. Six dead men glared at the sky through unseeing eyes.
As expected, Marcus and Jack were the only ones that showed shock. Aareth’s cold blue eyes were as indifferent as her own.
Aareth knelt by the first figure. He removed the man’s mask. The man looked like he was in his mid-forties, with a bald head and twisted nose.
“Jack,” Sloan motioned for him to come over, “take the light.”
Sloan handed him the lantern. She knelt, examining the sword the dead man still carried in a clenched hand. “This is military issued to the soldiers of New Hope. I—I have one just like it.”
“He’s definitely a soldier.” Aareth moved on to the next body. “They all were.”
“How can you tell?” Marcus asked as he, too, knelt in the cold sand.
“Worn boots, like Sloan said, military-issued weapons, and we can know for sure if…” Aareth rolled up the right sleeve of the man he was examining to reveal a tattoo of New Hope’s banner, two crossed swords behind a black bat.
“Sloan, do—do you recognize any of them?” Jack asked.
“No, but I think Aareth is right.” Sloan stood and shook her head.
“So who attacked us?” Jack’s voice broke with uncertainty. “Doctor Livingston? The Queen? Both of them?”
“I don’t know, Jack.” Marcus’ eyes fixed on the corpses. “But I think we can all agree that whoever it is doesn’t want us to make it to Burrow Den.”
“Well, I say that’s exactly where we go and get some answers.” Aareth stood from his position next to the dead bodies. “We won’t find anything more here. Their pockets are empty—all we have to go on is their weapons and tattoos.”
“I can’t wrap my mind around Queen Eleanor being involved in this.
” Sloan pushed a rogue hair from her line of sight.
“But either way, we need to get to Burrow Den quickly. After the locomotive crashed, I sent a rider to the Queen to inform her of the attack. If she is involved, then we have to get to Burrow Den and figure out what’s going on before the Queen or whoever it is that attacked us has a chance to react. ”
“The mage bicycles will get us there twice as fast as any horse and we’ll be able to travel during the night.” Aareth motioned to the steel machines.
“I’ll have the foreman look at the machines and make sure they’re ready to travel first thing tomorrow morning,” Sloan instructed. “Let’s try to get a few hours sleep and reach Burrow Den before another attempt is made on our lives.”