Over the past week of searching, Jack had mulled over the fact that the woman, a trained assassin, spared their lives rather than taking them. The woman had moved faster than any of the guard, and she’d been injured. Jack shook his head as he thought about the grotesque shard of brass protruding from her leg as she’d first run into the woods.
His conscience could not agree with what he was about to do. But orders were orders. And as captain of the guard, Jack always followed them to the letter.
The smell of vomit, alcohol, and urine grew worse within. The dim lighting of the interior seemed bright in comparison to the spotted gaslight outside. Two musicians played a gentle, broken ballad that feigned an upbeat tempo. Iron bars stood between the band and the general crowd, as though the owner feared the tempers of his patrons should they dislike the choice in music.
Removing his sleeve from his face, Jack straightened and stepped up to the bar. “Tender, I’m looking for Jasper Hollow.”
The barkeep stopped wiping the grimy top with his yellow stained rag. He peered at the guards with his one brown eye. The other, covered in an amalgam of glass and steel, spun as if focusing on Jack in particular. “Who’s asking?”
“The duke has sent us with a mission for him.”
Two grey brushy eyebrows rose like wooly caterpillars ready to climb over the bartender’s bald head. “What business would the duke have with a reaper?”
Jack swallowed hard but wished he’d spat instead. “I’ll tell Hollow himself and no other.”
The bartender’s face showed no mirth, but his belly bobbed up and down with his laughter. His raspy laugh stopped suddenly as the bartender slapped a wide hand on the table. The resounding smack caused even the band to pause for a moment before they continued.
Jack suddenly found the tip of a short sword under his chin, pressing against his throat. Rupert and Colton both drew their guns on the bartender. The barkeep had moved as fast as the woman, and Jack knew before the man even said it.
“You’re talking to him.”
Jack swallowed and felt the tip of the sword break his skin. “The duke offers you free access to all his territories and a full pardon if you will complete his task.”
A smile grew across the man’s unshaven cheeks, exposing his brown, checkered teeth. “And that would be?”
Jack tightened his jaw. He hated himself for what he was about to do. “Recover Baron Darius of New Haven and kill Raven Steele, the reaper.”
FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:
The Chronicles of Steele: Raven is a steampunk fantasy novel that was over two years in the making. I’m so glad it’s finally making it to your hands! It has been written in four episodes which will be released about 2 weeks apart and FREE on the day of release. To find out when the next episode is available, please sign up for my spam-free mailing list at:
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Chronicles of Steele: Raven: Episode 1 Page 6
