Skip: An Epic Science Fiction Fantasy Adventure Series (Book 3) by Perrin Briar

Author:Perrin Briar [Briar, Perrin]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2014-12-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Five

Elian touched his cheek, a sad smile twisting the corners of his mouth. He dipped the hard stale bread into the watery lentil soup and bit into it, letting it roll down his chin. Felix stood beside two horses, saddlebags packed and ready for a quick getaway.

Something stomped through the undergrowth before them. They all froze. Then Felix pulled the hammer back on his pistol and aimed it at the forest. A hulking figure cloaked in shadow emerged.

“Hold it there, partner,” Felix said.

The figure stepped into the early morning sunlight.

“Mac!” Felix said, lowering his pistol. “Why didn’t you do the bird call like we agreed? I almost shot you!”

“You’re such a bad shot you wouldn’t have hit me anyway,” Mac said.

Felix grumbled under his breath. Mac went to his horse and checked the straps were tight.

“Where’s Jera?” Elian said.

“She wouldn’t come,” Mac said.

“What?” Felix said. “After we risked our lives to save her? How ungrateful!”

“What about the clock parts?” Grandfather Time said.

“Jera said Richard Ascar promised to replace the clock parts,” Mac said. “She believes him. She’s going to make sure the parts get replaced.”

Elian tossed the last of the watery soup out and handed the bowl to Felix.

“She can’t sacrifice herself like that,” he said.

Mac climbed into the saddle.

“She didn’t see it as sacrificing herself,” he said. “She saw it as a means to an end.”

“But she’ll still have to marry him,” Elian said. “He’s a monster.”

“Marrying the son of one of the richest men in the kingdom doesn’t sound too bad to me.”

“He’s a drug dealer.”

“Our mission here is over,” Mac said, voice forceful. “She doesn’t want us to follow her. There’s nothing more we can do.”

Elian grabbed Mac’s horse by the bridle.

“We can’t let Jera make this sacrifice for us,” he said.

“She’s making it for herself,” Mac said. “You don’t have anything invested in this now. I’m sure even the Ascars aren’t stupid enough not to replace the clock parts. Everything will work out fine. You’re a free man. You’ve done your bit to save the world. It didn’t make you famous like you’d expected, but that doesn’t matter.”

Mac leaned down and put his hand on Elian’s shoulder.

“She’s made her choice,” he said. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t you. Let her go. Here,” Mac reached into his pocket and extracted Puca, “she wanted you to have him.”

Puca was hunched over, the fur at the corners of his eyes stained with tears. Elian turned to Felix and Grandfather Time.

“Do you feel the same way?” he said.

Felix mounted up.

“It’s not our responsibility, Elian,” he said. “Jera said so herself.”

“This is about more than just us and a quick score,” Grandfather Time said. “We need to make sure the pieces are returned. Our mission isn’t over until then.”

“It’s another eight hours on horseback,” Mac said. “Fifteen if you walk. And look at you. Neither of you are in a fit enough state to be walking that kind of distance.”

“Then give us one of your horses,” Elian said.

Mac shook his head.

“You’re on your own from here on out,” he said.

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