The Collapsing Path (The Narrowing Path Series Book 3) by David J. Normoyle

Author:David J. Normoyle [Normoyle, David J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, action adventure, fantasy, teen, survival, Dystopia
Publisher: David J Normoyle
Published: 2016-04-01T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

15 Days Left

The rickshaw meandered through the dead streets of Arcandis. Inside, the heat stuck Bowe to his seat. Tiredness hung from Bowe like a sickness. If he’d closed his eyes in the days since the Raine Mansion attack, it hadn’t been for long.

Tired of waiting for a response from Eolnar, Bowe had decided to head out into the city. He had told Eolnar they shouldn’t be hiding behind the walls, and he was trying to back up his words with actions. So, over Toose’s strenuous objections, Bowe had taken his rickshaw out for an hour in the late afternoon the day before. There had been nothing to see except empty streets, but that hadn’t stopped him from heading out again. Better than sitting around in the mansion doing nothing. All his sleepless nights hadn’t resulted in any solutions. What was taking Eolnar so long to get in touch?

The rickshaw jerked to a stop, and Bowe stuck his head out the window. Toose had half a dozen Bellanger marshals marching along either side of the rickshaw, their heads bowed under the heat of the sun. “What’s happening?” Bowe asked.

“Grenier marshals escorting escay prisoners up ahead,” Toose said. “A moment’s delay.”

“Let me see.” Bowe stepped out of the rickshaw.

“I wouldn’t advise that, Guardian. Many of the Guild attacks have occurred when marshals were making arrests.”

“I’m not surprised.” The Grenier marshals were taking anyone they could get their hands on. Bowe could hardly blame people from reacting when they saw their loved ones arrested and taken to the Fortress. And the only escay leaving the Fortress were the corpses, which continued to be strung up in Drywell Square. A second scaffold had been erected.

“Guardian, it’s my job to keep you safe.”

“And I thank you for it. But my life is worthless if I can’t help Arcandis in its time of need.”

The Grenier marshals walked in two files with their swords drawn. Their legs dragged heavily through the dirt, but their eyes were watchful, flickering up and down as they keep a watch for movement in the houses on either side. Between the two files of marshals, a bedraggled group of escay shuffled forward, their legs hobbled together and their hands tied in front of them.

Bowe recognized one of men as having been in Leti’s kitchen, and he spotted a woman who’d been there too. Then he saw Leti herself.

“Who’s in charge here?” Bowe demanded. He frantically scanned the prisoners, but didn’t see Iyra among them.

“All stop,” the lead marshal said.

“What’s your name?” Bowe asked.

“What’s it to you?”

Toose, standing beside Bowe, strained forward. “Show some respect to the Guardian.”

“The Bellanger Guardian,” he said with a sneer, as if suggesting that meant something less than a full Guardian. Nevertheless, he offered his name. “Hoag.”

Bowe relaxed slightly when he’d studied the prisoners enough to be sure that Iyra was not among them. Tealman was there, though, with his young daughter in front of him. “What have these people done?”

“They were congregating.”

“I recognize some of these escay.

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