Eaten: The Complete First Season by Michael La Ronn

Author:Michael La Ronn
Language: eng
Format: epub

CHAPTER 8

At the Great Northern Gate

King Carrodias and Geoffrey approached the rear gates of the city. Geoffrey wore a robe with a hood. He had folded his straw down so that the guards wouldn’t recognize him.

They greeted an asparagus guard at the cream-colored gates.

“Stop. The gates are closed,” the guard said.

“We are leaving the city,” King Carrodias said. He spoke lower than normal to mask his voice.

“No one is allowed in or out. Lady Duxelle’s orders.”

The king continued toward the door, but the guard drew his sword. “Take off your robes so that I may see your faces. You two are suspicious.”

“Can’t we just pass?” Geoffrey asked.

The guard shook his head. “If you need to leave, schedule a visit to the castle and state your complaint to Lady Duxelle. She is not accepting visitors right now.”

The king and Geoffrey stood still. The guard twitched and grew more nervous. “Show yourselves, or I’ll—”

King Carrodias pulled back his hood. “Albert, put your sword down and let us through.”

Albert quickly sheathed his sword and bowed. “Your Majesty, I had no idea—”

“Excellent job standing your ground. I am proud of you. Now open the gates.”

“But—”

“That is an order. I have business outside the city.”

“May I ask where you are going?”

“No.”

“There are Gourmans prowling the fields. It’s too dangerous.”

“Albert, stop arguing with me. Step aside, or I’ll have to discipline you.” The words were harsh, but the way he said them was soft, like he was talking to a dear friend.

Albert bowed again and sighed. “I’m not in trouble, am I?”

King Carrodias flashed his winsome smile. “Quite the opposite.”

Albert pulled a crank that opened the door.

The king saluted Albert, motioned to Geoffrey, and they passed through the door. They stopped and looked back at the city, which was bright and filled with dusk sunshine. The evening star flickered above the castle.

King Carrodias stared at the castle, the flying airships and the irregular, multi-colored pepper houses, and put his hand on his chest. “When I return, the war will be over.” He turned to the gate. “Albert, tell your father to stop by the castle sometime. It’s been too long.”

Albert saluted and closed the gate, shutting out the sunshine.

They stood in a spinach field that stretched for miles between the kingdom and New Eaton. The jícama moon hung in a darkened section of the sky, even though the sun was still setting. Fruit fireflies flitted around them, leaving wispy trails of light that hung in the air like smoke. One landed in Geoffrey’s hand, and he gasped as it preened itself and then rocketed off over the walls of the city.

The grass was trodden here and there by what seemed like a thousand footsteps, and there were stains of red and green blood on the ground—the spills of war. The air smelled both verdurous and stale. New Eaton glowed in the distance, looming near like a cancerous tumor on the horizon. Close, yet so far.

“I expected that guard to give us a harder time,” Geoffrey said.

“Why? I’m the king, remember?”

“You truly have their admiration.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.