Home Shattered by PC Nottingham

Author:PC Nottingham
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798823209786
Publisher: 4 Horsemen Publications
Published: 2025-08-13T17:27:48+00:00

​21

​Jab

Hear, O rodents! I warn you today there will be some who claim to be Grovekeepers, yet their paws will remain clenched when it comes time to give alms. They will lock their doors when beggars roam the street, desperate for a roof. They may even believe they are devout, keeping prayers and keeping fasts, but I see their shriveled hearts.

- Divine Poetics

Marching across Coppergrass dimmed the sense of beauty it might have had otherwise. Jab lacked the enthusiasm to appreciate the thin bushes that might’ve been trees or the squat trees that might’ve been thin bushes. All he had was enough energy to stare at Brouglas’s back and paddle-tail, matching his speed to avoid bumping him. Jab owed him that much. If Brouglas hadn’t risked his life to save Jab’s, he wouldn’t be here. But then Hunter would still be running Rado Town, so at least those rodents had benefited from Jab washing ashore.

Hunter kept staring at the ground. Jab wanted to ask if that bothered his neck, but anytime he spoke, one of the riders gave them a hard time.

“How much longer until we see the baroness’s castle?” Brouglas asked.

The lead rider spat from atop his horse, nearly hitting Jab’s hindpaw. “When you quit complaining.”

Even if Jab hadn’t been getting better at understanding Frenglese, the gopher’s tone would’ve told him everything.

Hunter piped up. “They deserve to know. They didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Yesterday you said they kidnapped you,” the rider grunted. “So which is it?”

“I, uh.” Hunter hugged himself and stared at the horse’s hooves. “I think you should tell them when we’ll get to the castle. I would if I knew.”

“It’s your own castle, you worthless sop,” the gopher said. “You never got around to learning about this island?”

Brouglas wiggled the chains. “He would’ve spent his time learning to speak proper. Watch your language. You’re wearing the symbol of our Lord Ganan’s Rake, Blest be Him. Show some respect.”

Jab tensed. There would be a consequence for that, but Jab didn’t mind. He remembered being around Grovekeepers who weren’t representing their faith well, and he wished he’d had the courage to speak to them then as Brouglas had to this brute now. Jab regretted so much of what he’d thought of Sprouters growing up. They couldn’t all be bad.

The lead rider yanked the chain hard enough to make Jab and Brouglas fall down. “You think you’re funny, do you? I’m wearing the baroness’s symbol because she pays me to catch vermin like you.”

Jab pushed himself up with his tail, springier than Brouglas attempting the same. Jab wished Brouglas had his armor and that they both had weapons. They’d take care of these brutes real fast, or at least wouldn’t be pushed around by them.

Jab looked over his shoulder, watching the carriage, laden with the stolen wood, roll behind them. He wondered which was more valuable, the lumber or him and Brouglas. Maybe if he could find some way to mess with that carriage and the lumber, that would give them a chance to escape.

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