Forged in Blood I (52 page)
Authors: Lindsay Buroker
Tags: #Romance, #steampunk, #Young Adult, #Action & Adventure, #Fantasy, #Science Fiction, #Adventure
“Books,” Amaranthe barked.
“I can’t—ergh.”
Someone grabbed Amaranthe from behind, yanking her away from the siblings and propelling her into the rear of the cab with jaw-cracking force. Though she threw an elbow back, trying to catch her attacker in the ribs, the person evaded the blow. Her rifle was torn from her fingers. She didn’t know if it was the same someone or someone else. Men in black uniforms moved in her peripheral vision, and soon the cabin was so crowded with bodies, she couldn’t have unpinned herself even if someone
didn’t
have a forearm rammed into her kidney. Now it was her face that was smashed against something, her eyes meeting Books’s as she noticed he was in a mirror position two feet from her. It was neither the familiar sergeant nor the lieutenant that had him pinned, a cutlass prodding his back, but a grim-faced captain. Strong, calloused fingers tightened around the back of Amaranthe’s neck. She couldn’t see her own attacker, but he spoke from right behind her.
“Captain,” he asked in a rich baritone, that of an older but obviously not—as the grip pinning her proved—infirm man, “is hijacking a train still a capital punishment in the empire?”
“Yes, my lord. It is. In addition,” the captain said, his tone icy, “it is also quite illegal to attack warrior-caste children.”
Amaranthe blinked. It was all the movement she could manage at the moment. Warrior-caste children that muttered to each other in Kyattese? Just who in all the abandoned mines in the empire was standing behind her? Another general charging in to make a claim on the throne?
Books, with his head turned sideways toward her, must have had a better view of the man behind her, or he was simply more adept at assembling the pieces of this particular puzzle, for his mouth dropped open in… Amaranthe was sure that was recognition.
“Enlighten me,” she whispered to him.
“I… I could be mistaken,” Books whispered back, “since I’ve never met the man nor even seen him in person, military history not being my favorite subject in the least, but—”
The captain jostled Books, probably to discourage him from talking. Amaranthe wished the jostle would
en
courage him to get to the point.
“
Who?
” she mouthed, wanting the name, not an explanation.
The captain was discussing what to do with these interlopers with a third man, another officer. Take them to the capital to face the magistrate or simply hurl them from the train and let the mountain—and the high-speed fall—handle the matter?
“Well, that one is a criminal with a bounty on her head.” A finger jabbed toward Amaranthe’s nose. “The others may very well be too.”
Books finally mouthed a response to Amaranthe’s question. “Fleet Admiral Starcrest.”
Amaranthe sagged insomuch as the iron grip holding her would allow.
One of the empire’s greatest war heroes. And her just outed as a criminal. Oh, yes, this was sure to go well.
~
Forged in Blood II coming Summer 2013
Also by the Author
THE EMPEROR’S EDGE UNIVERSE
NOVELS
The Emperor’s Edge, Book 1
Dark Currents, Book 2
Deadly Games, Book 3
Conspiracy, Book 4
Blood and Betrayal, Book 5
Forged in Blood I, Book 6
Forged in Blood II, Book 7
(Coming in late summer, 2013)
Encrypted
Decrypted
SHORT STORIES AND NOVELLAS
Ice Cracker II
(and other short stories)
The Assassin’s Curse
Beneath the Surface
THE FLASH GOLD CHRONICLES
Flash Gold
Hunted
Peacemaker
THE GOBLIN BROTHERS ADVENTURES
Table of Contents
