Crystal Keepers

  Now that Cole was awake and stressed, the ride seemed to take forever. The man didn’t look over again, but sometimes Cole had an uneasy sense that he might be watching him peripherally.

  When Cole got up to use the restroom, the man didn’t look his way. As he walked down the aisle, Cole cast a swift glance over his shoulder and found the man staring right at him. The man turned his head, coughing into his fist and averting his eyes.

  In the bathroom, Cole tried to generate alternate explanations. Maybe the man thought he looked familiar. Maybe the man was a people watcher. Maybe Cole had invited curiosity by glancing over at him too much.

  There were plausible reasons not to be worried, but Cole’s instincts told him the man was a threat. When it came time to abandon the train, Cole would have to watch out for that guy.

  As Cole returned to his seat, the man never glanced his way. Back in his seat, Cole tried to clear his mind and act calm. He didn’t catch the man looking over again.

  Well into the trip, the train began to slow, and a soothing, female voice came over a loudspeaker. “Please remain in your seats. The train is stopping due to debris on the tracks. This is not our final destination. Please remain in your seats.”

  Cole felt clammy. This was it. As the train slowed, he planned his next moves. He needed to get into the aisle, grab his bag, take the few steps to the emergency exit, and leave the train.

  Turning his head, Cole found the man looking at him curiously. This time the man didn’t glance away. Cole broke off the eye contact.

  He tried not to panic, but he was breathing hard. As soon as he grabbed his bag, the man would know he was getting off. But he couldn’t leave the rucksack! It contained his errand-boy uniform along with some instructions.

  The train stopped.

  “Please remain seated as the debris is cleared from the tracks,” the soothing voice said. “We are not at a station. This is only a temporary stop. Please remain seated.”

  Cole stood and clutched his stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick.” He winced and moaned as he slid past a woman into the aisle. The man across the aisle was watching him, but Cole avoided direct eye contact.

  Cole snatched his rucksack and ran. He shoved open the emergency exit and a buzzer blared. A quick glance back showed the man hurrying up the aisle behind him.

  From the steps beyond the doorway, Cole saw they were in a big city. None of the buildings were as tall or modern as in Zeropolis, but they went on as far as Cole could see, the highest rooftops level with the elevated train track. Cole jumped down to a narrow walkway. Looking toward the front of the train, he saw people at work clearing the debris. The track stretched on behind the train as far as he could see, paralleled by the walkway. Wanting to avoid the people at the front of the train, Cole raced toward the back.

  He heard somebody land on the walkway behind him. A hasty glance showed that it was the man from across the aisle.

  Racing at a full sprint, Cole could hear the man running behind him. Eyes frantically searching, he saw no stairs or ladders leading down from the elevated track. Jumping was not an option—he had to be forty or fifty feet up.

  He could hear the man gaining on him. Cole had almost reached the back of the train when he noticed a pair of planks up ahead bridging the gap between the walkway along the track and the top of a nearby building about twenty feet away. The weathered planks had no railings and weren’t visibly anchored to anything.

  They were also his best chance.

  Cole slowed as he reached the planks. The two were spaced a few inches apart, each no more than a foot wide.

  “Don’t do it, kid,” the man called. “Stop!”

  There was no time to think it through.

  Cole shuffled out onto the planks, sliding his feet rather than stepping, one foot on each board. He clasped the rucksack to his chest to keep his balance centered. The boards sagged and bounced as he got to the middle, creaking menacingly. He could picture them snapping. If they did, there would be no defense, nothing to grab. He could imagine himself falling—no Jumping Sword, no exo rig, just a long drop until his bones crunched against the pavement below.

  As he drew near the building, the planks flexed less. Emboldened, Cole took a few quick steps and leaped to the roof. Turning, he found the man standing on the walkway at the far side of the planks, staring at him from across the gap.

  “You’re making a big mistake, kid,” the man said. “I’m here to help you.”

  Cole pushed one of the planks off the roof of the building. The man caught hold of the other end, but as Cole’s end fell, the board was torn from the man’s grasp and plunged to the ground below.

  The man hopped onto the other plank and started toward Cole, edging forward, one foot staying in front of the other. With the man’s weight on the board, Cole found it harder to budge, but a good kick made it slide a little. The board wobbled, and the man pinwheeled his arms, knees bending, body swaying, eyes bulging.

  “Don’t, kid, you’ll kill me. I’m just trying to help!”

  The man was still closer to the walkway than the building. He recovered his balance and stared at Cole, no longer advancing.

  “Go back,” Cole said. “Take one more step this way and you’re going for a ride.”

  The man gave a little nod. He wiped a palm across his scalp. His voice became calmer. “Come on, kid. Let me help you.”

  “You work for the Hunter,” Cole said.

  “Maybe I do,” the man said evenly. “The Hunter wants to help you. If he wanted you hurt or killed, I could have taken care of that the second I jumped off the train. If he just wanted you caught, that could have happened back at the main terminal. He wants to bring you in quietly and give you a second chance.”

  “I don’t want to be captured by anybody.”

  The man shook his head ruefully. “It’s just a matter of time before somebody brings you in, kid. If it isn’t the Hunter, you’re going to be sorry.”

  Cole wondered if the man was an Enforcer. If so, he had some shaping abilities. Whatever his talents, they would be limited here in Junction. But he could still be very dangerous.

  “I don’t want to kill you, mister, but I don’t have time for this. I’m not going with you. I don’t want you chasing me. Don’t come any closer. I’m counting to three, then I’m kicking the board off. One. Two.”

  He wasn’t bluffing, and apparently the man could tell. He backed away and then lunged to the walkway beside the track. As soon as the man was clear, Cole kicked the plank off the roof. The man made no move to grab it. The board turned as it fell and slapped hard against the ground below.

  Without a backward glance, Cole went through the nearest door on the rooftop. A man waited for him on the staircase beyond. He was short and thin, with a yellowish pallor and a scraggly beard that grew thicker on his neck than his chin.

  “I’m Julian,” he said. “Googol sent me.”

  “What’s the password?” Cole asked.

  “We all have secrets.”

  “Unless we tell them.”

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  “I had the same idea.”

  CHAPTER

  24

  ERRAND BOY

  Cole and Julian said nothing more to each other for several minutes. They just ran. The path felt like an urban obstacle course—down stairs, out a window, along alleys, over fences, through several shops, across a crowded marketplace, under a bridge, and finally into a black horse-drawn coach.

  As far as Cole could tell, nobody had chased them during the entire run. Despite his somewhat sickly appearance, Julian had kept the pace fast enough to leave Cole gasping for breath with a stitch in his side. It was a moment before either of them spoke.

  “Is this your coach?” Cole asked, still panting. The rich interior featured fine, dark leather and velvet curtains.
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  “I don’t own it,” Julian said. “I’m the driver.”

  “Who owns it?” Cole asked.

  “Nathan Nicolls,” Julian said, leaning back in his seat. “A fancy guy. Manages perishable supplies at the First Castle. He doesn’t work in the kitchens directly. He makes sure they have quality ingredients to prepare food for the High King and his guests. It pays enough for Nathan to live a little like royalty himself.”

  “You sound relaxed,” Cole said. “Do you think we got away?”

  “We’ll know soon enough,” Julian said. “If we didn’t, there isn’t much we can do now. If somebody tracked us to this coach, we’re about to get arrested. But it seemed to me like we slipped away clean. You?”

  “I think so,” Cole said. “Are you Unseen?”

  “I’m about as close as it comes here in Junction,” Julian said, picking at his teeth with a fingernail. “It’s hard to keep organized here. We’re too close to the seat of power. The Unseen keep losing people. The big fish get caught. It works better to operate solo.”

  “Googol contacted you?” Cole asked.

  “He has ways,” Julian said. “I help where I can. I’m no expert. Sorry about those planks from the track to the building. Best I could manage on short notice.”

  “It worked,” Cole said. “I was glad to have help.”

  “I can do what you need today,” Julian said. “I’ll get you into the First Castle. The rest is up to you.”

  “That’s great!” Cole said. “Googol only told me that somebody would meet me. I wasn’t sure how much help to expect. I was ready for somebody to just point me in the right direction.”

  “I can’t do too much more than that,” Julian said. “I’ll take you to a good starting point. Just don’t mention me if you get caught.”

  “I won’t,” Cole said.

  “None of the Unseen have yet,” Julian said.

  “Have some been caught?” Cole asked.

  Julian raised his eyebrows. “You know how it goes. Folks disappear. You never hear from them again. But nobody has coughed up my name yet.”

  “Isn’t it a big risk that they might?” Cole asked.

  “You bet,” Julian said. “But I believe in the cause. And I get paid well enough. Double for you, since I had to stick my neck out back at the tracks.”

  “Did you stop the train?” Cole asked.

  “No, no,” Julian said. “Somebody else had that job. No idea who. They were probably long gone before the train stopped. My job was getaway and delivery to the First Castle. You have an outfit?”

  Cole hefted the bag he had carried from the train. “Errand boy. Googol told me you might have some tips for me.”

  “Ever work as a courier before?” Julian asked.

  “Not really,” Cole said. “And I’ve never been to Junction City.”

  “Hmm,” Julian mused. “You must be pretty slick. They would typically only send somebody familiar with the ins and outs of the First Castle to infiltrate it.”

  “I’m what they had,” Cole said. “It was short notice. Maybe they should have used you.”

  Julian shook his head. “I don’t mind moving a person now and again. But once you start prowling around and trading secrets, Owandell finds out and that’s it.” He slid his finger across his throat.

  Cole had seen Owandell before. Or at least a skillful imitation of him. When Cole, Jace, and Mira had tried to win Honor’s freedom from the torivor, their first challenge had been to visit a fabricated version of the First Castle on the day Stafford had stolen his daughters’ shaping powers and staged their deaths. As a consequence, Cole knew something about what the First Castle looked like, along with Owandell and Queen Harmony, although the day he had experienced happened around sixty years ago, so a lot might have changed since then.

  “He’s pretty dangerous?” Cole asked.

  “Let me put it this way,” Julian said. “People at the First Castle won’t say anything against the High King in public. But Owandell—people don’t talk about him in private, either.”

  “Scared?” Cole asked.

  “The fear runs deep for good reason. People who take an interest in him run into bad luck. Those who criticize him vanish. It happens quietly and reliably. I hope your business doesn’t involve him or his Enforcers.”

  “No. He’s been around a long time?”

  “As long as the High King,” Julian said. “If anything, Owandell ages slower.” He shuddered. “I don’t even like mentioning him here alone with you.”

  “My lips are sealed,” Cole said.

  “There’s an army of errand boys at the First Castle,” Julian said. “They get used throughout Junction City. The uniform makes you close to invisible in any public area. Errand boys get room and board, but beyond that they generally work only for gratuities. Always wait for your tip, unless the message recipient makes it clear you’re not getting one. Do you have a message to go with the uniform?”

  “Yes,” Cole said.

  “No need to tell me who it’s for,” Julian said. “If you need help, act like it’s your first day.”

  “That shouldn’t be hard to fake,” Cole said.

  “New lads are always starting out,” Julian said. “Errand boys have to give up the job once they turn fifteen. The youngest start at ten, but plenty begin at twelve or thirteen. Make sure you can name a syndicate you work for. The Falcons is a big one. Nobody knows all the Falcon boys.”

  “Okay,” Cole said.

  “People probably won’t ask,” Julian said. “As an errand boy, you’re basically part of the furniture. It’s like being a guardsman. Folks see the uniform, not the person.”

  Cole opened his rucksack and removed the gray outfit. It included shoes, hose, trousers, a shirt, a jacket, and a flat hat with a slender feather in it. The clothing reminded Cole of some goofy costumes he had seen at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. There was also a paper with information about addressing royalty.

  “I’ll go up top and start driving,” Julian said. “If we had been followed, we’d be swarmed by now.”

  Cole thought about how the Hunter had followed him and Jace from Hanover Station to zerobase before striking. Might he do the same again? What if Cole led trouble to Queen Harmony? What if the Hunter’s Enforcers picked up Julian after they parted? Cole decided it might be best to keep those thoughts to himself.

  “Okay,” Cole said. “Thanks for the lift.”

  “Take care,” Julian said. “I don’t expect to speak to you again. Keep your cool and lay low. Once we’re inside, I’ll stop by the interior stables and knock twice if all is clear. Get out the left side and go about your business. If we get stopped, I’ll pretend I was giving you a lift as a favor. You do the same.”

  “Got it,” Cole said.

  Julian exited the compartment, and a moment later the coach rolled forward. As Cole started putting on his errand-boy uniform, he wondered if the driver’s name was really Julian. He also wondered if the coach’s owner was really named Nathan, and if he did anything involving food supplies. If the driver had much sense of self-preservation, probably not.

  Cole sat in silence as Julian exchanged pleasantries with an unseen guard at the gates of the First Castle. He stated that his business was to do his regular pickup but spoke no names, leaving Cole still unsure about the true identity of the coach’s owner.

  Sitting inside the coach with the curtains drawn closed, Cole hoped the guard wouldn’t check the vehicle. He wasn’t hidden. The guard needed only to open the coach door to see him plainly. As the coach proceeded, Cole rubbed his eyes in relief. He shifted to the edge of his seat, ready for the coach to stop and the double knock to signal that he could exit.

  Cole wanted to peek out the window to see the castle but knew it wasn’t worth the risk. What if somebody who knew the coach’s owner saw him? How
dumb would it be to raise suspicions for an early peek of something he would get to see momentarily?

  He tapped the sealed cylinder against the palm of his free hand. The cylinder was addressed to the Honorable Barton Skellers. Finding Barton would be the first step to making contact with Queen Harmony.

  The coach continued at a modest pace for some time. How big was this castle? He had only seen some of it at the Lost Palace.

  The coach stopped. Reaching for the door, Cole waited for the knock. The coach started forward again. Were they at the stables? Had something gone wrong? Or had it been a random pause on their way to the stables?

  Cole hated not being able to look out of the curtains. What if he wasn’t even at the First Castle? What if the Hunter had intercepted the password? What if Julian was an imposter? He had no sure idea of his location beyond a conversation overheard between the driver and a supposed guard.

  The coach stopped again. Cole was left hanging, waiting for the knocks, then the coach went forward, ending the anticipation.

  Cole calmed himself down. A castle was a busy place. Of course there would be random stops. Right?

  The coach halted again. Two quick knocks immediately followed.

  Cole opened the door on the left side of the compartment and got out facing a blank wall. He shut the door and the coach rolled forward. Julian didn’t look back at him. Cole started walking in the opposite direction.

  The bulky style of the stacked towers and battlements of the castle looked familiar from the illusion he’d explored at the Lost Palace, though he hadn’t seen this side of the compound before. The soaring walls containing the yards and outbuildings loomed much as he remembered. He supposed that it took a while for the walls of an ancient castle to look any different.

  After Julian passed out of view, no other people shared the narrow yard behind the stables. But when Cole walked around to the front, many other people came into sight. He noted several guardsmen, some men working with horses, a lovely young woman in riding clothes, a couple of stable boys, and another errand boy. Nobody paid Cole any attention.