85. Jack
EIGHTY-FIVE
JACK
Jack woke in his bed sometime during the late morning. He ached from head to toe. His insides felt as though they had been smashed into jelly, scraped up, then shoved back into his body.
A grunt escaped his lips as he rose from his bed. The Order was real, there was no doubt about that. Not only were they real, but they were also large and recruiting more to their cause.
Sloan would have her hands full. At once, memories of Aareth and his wild state resurfaced and pushed their way to the front of his mind. The man was haunted with the possibility of a wife he thought dead, now somehow alive. Jack’s first priority that morning had to be checking on his friend.
Jack opened the door to see Private Pia’s familiar face.
“Good morning, Jack.” The private smiled. “I hope you rested well. I heard about the raid last night.”
“It was definitely an experience.” Jack winced as another ache coursed through his body. “I’m just glad Sloan and Abigail arrived with the cavalry when they did. Have you seen either of them, or Aareth?”
“Sorry, I haven’t seen Aareth at all.” The private shrugged. “Captain Sloan left early this morning. I did see Abigail training outside, however. I can take you to her, if you’d like.”
“That would be great, thanks.” Jack decided to test a growing suspicion that had begun to nag at him, since he realized the private had been waiting for him outside of his door. “Actually, I know the way to the training grounds. I can go myself.”
“Sorry, I know it seems like you’re under guard, but you, along with the Ahab sisters, have been given escorts around the palace.” Private Pia grimaced, showing all of her teeth. “I even think someone’s supposed to be with Aareth, but that’s been a tough assignment.”
“It’s okay,” Jack lied. “I understand.”
As the pair made their way through the palace, it was clear Private Pia still felt like she owed him an apology.
“It’s not like the Queen doesn’t trust you, but it’s better this way.” Pia walked beside Jack, talking with her hands as much as with her mouth. “If you need anything, or get lost, you’ll have someone to help you. Think of us as your personal assistants.”
“Seriously,” Jack said placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “it’s okay. I know you’re just following orders. There’s a lot going on right now, both in the city and outside of it. I understand.”
The space between the magician and the private grew silent as they traversed the many halls and rooms of the palace. Jack took the opportunity to study his surroundings. There was a definite increase in security.
Pairs of soldiers dressed in dark uniforms paced the halls. Others stood sentry by closed doors, their rifles resting against their shoulders or by their sides.
This didn’t come as too much of a shock to Jack. An attempt had been made on the Queen’s life, after all.
“Have you heard, the tracks for the locomotive have nearly been completed?”
“What?” Jack broke his concentration on the emblem all the soldiers wore—the black bat with steel swords crossed behind it. “It’d only just begun before our trip to Burrow Den. How is that possible?”
“I guess the plan the Queen has is working.” Pia beamed with pride. “She’s uniting the known world. Most of the cities in the Outland have begun building their own railways toward New Hope. The tracks will meet soon as the work forces build toward one other.”
How the Queen managed to convince the cities in the Outland to undertake such a task was beyond him.
As a magician tracking the paranormal, Jack had lived with his father, traveling from city to city.
There was no great love for the Queen or New Hope.
He could even think of a few cities like Azra and Term that outright detested New Hope.
“What’s wrong?” Pia asked, slowing her strides. “Isn’t that good?”
“Yes, I mean, uniting the cities to offer aid and support is great. I’m just surprised it’s happening so soon. I thought our goodwill mission to Burrow Den would go a long way in showing the Outland cities that New Hope was their ally. I just didn’t expect it to move this fast.”
“It’s a testament to how great our Queen really is.
” Pia transitioned back to her optimistic personality and wide smile.
“Soon, we’ll be a united land. We’ll be able to trade with cities as far out as Burrow Den.
We’ll help each other reach new heights.
Who knows? One day, we might even be able to travel outside of our known lands. ”
Jack and Pia reached the outside training grounds a few seconds later. The area was built like a large oval with a dirt track along the perimeter. Inside, the dirt was a grassy area full of machines and exercise equipment, as well as sparring mats.
The training ground was filled to capacity. Every way Jack looked, soldiers were running, executing drills, sparring, or just good old-fashioned weight-lifting.
“There. There she is.” Pia pointed to the center of the training grounds, where a man and a woman circled one another with wooden swords.
Both combatants were heavily padded and wore mesh masks. The man dwarfed the woman, but his size did nothing to stem her courage. As Jack and Pia approached, Jack got a better look at Abigail’s progress.
She carried two wooden swords against her opponent’s one.
Both individuals had been at the practice for quite a while, judging by the sweat stains on their pads.
As Abigail ran forward to engage her rival, Jack did a double take.
The amount of progress Abigail had made in just a few days was astounding.
Her strikes were swift, her aim accurate.
It was all her opponent could do to defend against the fury of her onslaught. Abigail pushed the man back so far, he tripped as he stumbled off the mat. The fall signaled the end of the round. Abigail was helping the man to his feet, when Jack and Pia caught up to them.
“That was amazing.” Jack shook his head in wonder.
“Jack, I didn’t know you’d be up yet.” Abigail turned, lifting the mesh mask from her face. “Are you all right? Should you be walking around after last night?”
“I’m fine.” Jack gave her a mischievous grin. “And maybe it’s a good thing I see what you’re capable of. It’ll remind me not to mess with you in the future.”
“That would be a wise choice.” Sergeant Harrison lifted himself up off the floor. He removed his mask, revealing his familiar face. “Are you sure you’re not a descendent from some kind of warrior line?”
Abigail laughed and shrugged off the question. To anyone else, it would have seemed like an appropriate response. Jack knew better. He understood Abigail was deflecting the question of a mother she never knew and a father she had killed.
“I just thought if you were going to follow me for the day, we could do something productive.” Abigail grinned at the sergeant. “Do you mind if Jack and I have a moment?”
Sergeant Harrison and Pia both nodded. They walked a few feet away, already talking about their new assignments inside the city.
“Seriously, though.” Abigail exchanged her pair of wooden swords and her mask for a towel and a bottle of water. “How are you feeling after last night?”
“I feel a lot like I’d imagine Sergeant Harrison will after sparring with you.” Jack eyed the notches in the wooden training swords. “I’ll be fine.”
“Good.” Abigail glanced at the place the sun had chosen in the sky.
Jack was reminded for the hundredth time of how beautiful he found her.
As he got to know her on a deeper level, it wasn’t just how her smile captivated him, or the way her eyes captured the light and sparkled.
Attraction had evolved past any outward desire.
One of the main reasons he was falling in love with her was because of how strong Abigail was inside.
It was her determination and strength that made her so much more than just “pretty” to him now.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Abigail used the towel to make a second pass around her cheeks and forehead. “Do I have blood on my face or something?”
“No.” Jack searched in vain for an answer he couldn’t find. “It’s just, the more I get to know you … the more I?—”
Jack couldn’t get the words out before the white noise of physical exertion around them silenced. Jack and Abigail looked up to see the harbinger of quiet. Doctor Leah Noble glided toward them. Soldiers stood at attention.
“There you are.” Leah motioned to Abigail. “I was just about to begin the next series of examinations on your sister. I thought you would like to be present.”
“Yes, thank you.” Abigail began rapidly removing training pads from her body.
Jack found himself staring into the dark eyes of Leah Noble as they waited for Abigail. The woman was tall and slender. Her suit was black, with silver buttons that reminded Jack of half-moons.
“You are, of course, welcome to accompany us, Jack.” Leah let a tongue glide across her lips as she looked him up and down. “I know how close you have become to both Abigail and Elizabeth during your time in Burrow Den.”
“Uh—thank you.” Jack looked at Abigail to see if she had caught the awkward exchange. It was obvious she hadn’t, too busy removing her gear. “I think I will come, if it’s okay with you, Abigail.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Abigail took one last long gulp of water. “Let’s go.”
“Good.” Leah looked over to where Sergeant Harrison and Private Pia stood. Her voice transformed from pleasant to commanding. “You’ll no longer be needed to escort our two visitors. They’ll be safe with me.”