Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
JACK
Green magical power flamed in his right hand. He held it hidden under the wooden table in the bar. Panic seized at his heart, but at least now he had access to his magical ability. As the two guards came closer, the adrenaline that coursed through his body subsided.
The pair of soldiers making their way to him were Sergeant Harrison and Private Pia.
Jack kept his guard up, but allowed the magic in his hand to die away.
These two had been his friends at the palace.
If they were going to turn him in, they would have had their weapons drawn and come in a larger number, not looking over their own shoulders to see if anyone was watching them.
“What are you doing here?” Private Pia gave Jack an unexpected hug.
Even Sergeant Harrison looked relieved to see him.
“What do you mean?” Jack returned the private’s embrace, not quite ready to tell her everything that had happened to him. It would be better to see exactly how much they knew first.
“When Sloan told us to warn you and we couldn’t find you”—Sergeant Harrison shook his head; his eyes looked tired—“we thought you might already be dead.”
“Sloan?” Jack had to remind himself to keep his voice down. “What happened to Sloan and Aareth? Is the queen holding them prisoner, as well?”
Over the next few minutes, the trio exchanged stories of what had happened to them since the night of Jack and Abigail’s capture.
“When Harrison and I came to warn you like Sloan asked”—Pia shook her head—“you were gone. We were interrogated by some of the queen’s soldiers as to what Sloan told us, but we were able to fake ignorance. As far as we were concerned, we were following the orders of our captain.”
Jack let out a long breath through his mouth.
Sloan was gone, so were Aareth and Edison and Oliver Livingston.
They were all wanted criminals, and what had happened to Aareth, who knows what kind of condition he was in now?
Would he stay that violent wolf-creature that Pia had explained him to be, forever?
“One thing’s for sure…” Harrison lowered his voice so it was barely audible above the din in the bar.
“Everyone’s out looking for you. You can’t stay here in New Hope.
The word has been put out to bring you back, dead or alive.
The queen is supposed to formally address the army later tonight about what’s going on with Captain Sloan. ”
Jack’s mind was reeling with the new information. Should they go find Sloan and the others? But then Abigail was right. They couldn’t just up and leave Elizabeth.
These thoughts were tearing through his mind like a mage-powered locomotive, when Abigail pushed through the crowd.
She was followed by yet another soldier.
Unbeknownst to them, it seemed like Jack and Abigail had found a bar that was a local hangout for the militia. Lieutenant Baker followed in her wake.
“Well, isn’t this lucky?” Abigail smiled at the two soldiers seated with Jack. “Exactly who we needed to talk to.”
“Jack.” The Lieutenant went over and embraced Jack’s hand with a firm grip. “You came at the perfect time. My battalion just got off duty. This is a favorite local bar we come to when we get off our rotation.”
“Well, I’m glad we ran into you and not another group of soldiers.” Jack released the Lieutenant’s hand. He looked over his shoulder at the crowded room. He could see other off-duty soldiers now, but they were too busy with their own drinks to care much about what strangers were in the bar.
“We need to make this quick.” Lieutenant Baker took a seat at the table. His head was on a swivel as he looked around for anyone eavesdropping or too interested in the gathered group. “This place isn’t safe. We need to talk, but not here.”
Jack hated himself for thinking anything but the best about the three soldiers gathered at their table, but was he one hundred percent sure they could be trusted? After all, he had already been duped by the queen, which proved his trust radar was off.
“I agree,” Sargent Harrison said, catching motion by the door. “We need to get out of here before someone spots them.”
“Hey! Hey! Stop right there!”
The blood in Jack’s veins turned ice cold. A group of soldiers had just entered the bar and were looking straight at Jack and Abigail. Already they were shoving their way through the crowded room, raising their rifles.
Lieutenant Baker rose and grabbed Jack by the collar with both hands.
“Twenty-nine ninety-nine Martelle Street.” His words were calm and quiet, but his face had twisted into a sneer.
“You can trust the owner there. I’ll contact you when it’s safe.
Now hit me and run, because your life depends on it. ”
Jack’s mind was forced to process the information in a second before his fist was sailing through the air. His right hand made contact with the Lieutenant’s left temple. Lieutenant Baker stumbled back under the weight of the blow.
Jack could see Abigail doing the same to Sergeant Harrison and Private Pia. She threw Pia into the table and shoulder-checked Harrison as she ran toward Jack and the rear door.
To their credit, the two soldiers did an amazing job of selling the act. Private Pia tumbled off the table, while Harrison grunted and doubled over.
“Someone stop them!” screamed the soldiers who had just entered the bar.
Their voices were barely audible now above the shouts from others and Jack’s own beating heart. Jack and Abigail ran as one, pushing their way to the back of the room.
Twenty-nine ninety-nine Martelle Street, Twenty-nine ninety-nine Martelle Street, Jack repeated to himself.
Jack and Abigail finally reached the rear exit and blew through the back door. It led into an alley where yet another handful of city guards stood smoking. Their surprised expressions told Jack the men had not been waiting there to ambush them. It was pure stupid luck.
Jack skidded to a halt as recognition crossed the men’s faces. It was too late to try to go the other way down the alley. The guards chasing them had piled out of the bar and now blocked their escape.
“We’re ordered to bring you in, dead or alive,” huffed the soldier leading the charge through the bar. “You have three seconds to decide.”