Read Online The Fourteenth Key (The Chronicles of Terah Book 3) by Mackenzie Morgan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mackenzie Morgan
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let Brena know?”
“Not at this point. If I say something now, Janine will think Theresa said something, and Janine’s not the type to keep her opinions to herself. That would ruin Theresa in the Sisterhood.”
“How? Who would have a problem with her letting Brena know of an explosive situation?”
“That’s not the problem. If Theresa tells Brena, she hasn’t broken her vow to keep anything said by a sister between sisters. But if I tell Brena, Janine will assume Theresa told me, and that’s what could ruin her.”
“But Janine said enough to you herself to justify your warning Brena.”
“I know, but Janine will blame Theresa if I say anything.” When Chris started to argue, Kevin shook his head. “We need to find a way to keep the lid on Glenarbour without telling Brena.”
“How do you plan to do that?”
“I have no idea.”
Chapter 5
Paddy's Men
During lunch Kevin told everyone about the latest news from Ashmont, including the mass exodus.
Karl frowned. “That town has too many people to be in any danger from slavers.”
Gen. Crandal shook his head. “I doubt the slavers are anywhere near there at this point.”
“I’m more concerned about bandits than slavers,” Kevin explained to Karl. “That’s why I left Alek and Marcus there last night.”
“I’ll have a couple of guards ready to go this evening,” Darrell said. “Is Alek going back?”
“He volunteered, but he was busy all day yesterday and up all night. He could use a night off.”
Darrell nodded. “Do you want two guards? Or three?”
“Three,” Kevin said. “And I want them to stay there until enough people are back that the town doesn’t look abandoned, so tell them to pack for a couple of days. I want one on duty during the day, two at night. Marcus will be out on the river.”
When Karl frowned, Kevin explained. “He’s going to see if he can find any sign of a camp the slavers might have used or anyone along the river who can tell us something about a boat or people they didn’t recognize.”
Karl nodded.
Gen. Crandal looked at Darrell. “I could send some soldiers if you need your guards here.”
Darrell shook his head. “I can spare three for a while. If this turns into a long-term thing though, I may take you up on that.”
“How about the children?” Joan asked Kevin. “Are they safe there?”
“As safe as they’d be anywhere. They’re at the chapel, with Theresa and her pendant.”
“But she has other duties, too. Tell her if she’s concerned about them, send them home with you. I’ll take care of them until she gets back.”
Kevin nodded as he pushed back from the table. “There’s a stack of messages on my desk I need to take care of, so I’m going to my office for a while. Gen. Crandal, let me know when you and your men are ready to leave.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Gen. Crandal’s men arrived early that afternoon. He took them straight to the dining room and helped Miranda set some food out for them. While they were eating, Gen. Crandal stepped into the hall and flagged down a passing guard. “Would you let Myron know the soldiers are in the dining room?”
The guard nodded and headed towards Kevin’s office.
Gen. Crandal walked back inside the dining room and looked over the men. They weren’t dressed like most dinner guests at the castle, but he’d seen them look worse. They might have beards, long hair, and old clothes, but their eyes no longer looked haunted like they had when they’d first arrived at the camp in the mountains.
Most of these men had lost everyone they loved to slavery, one way or another. Some had seen their loved ones killed during the attack, some had seen them sold off to strangers. Some had held them in their arms as they died during the long sea journey, and a few had seen them killed simply because they were too much trouble.
Some had come to Camden as young boys, sold as farm laborers until they were old enough to serve in
“Not at this point. If I say something now, Janine will think Theresa said something, and Janine’s not the type to keep her opinions to herself. That would ruin Theresa in the Sisterhood.”
“How? Who would have a problem with her letting Brena know of an explosive situation?”
“That’s not the problem. If Theresa tells Brena, she hasn’t broken her vow to keep anything said by a sister between sisters. But if I tell Brena, Janine will assume Theresa told me, and that’s what could ruin her.”
“But Janine said enough to you herself to justify your warning Brena.”
“I know, but Janine will blame Theresa if I say anything.” When Chris started to argue, Kevin shook his head. “We need to find a way to keep the lid on Glenarbour without telling Brena.”
“How do you plan to do that?”
“I have no idea.”
Chapter 5
Paddy's Men
During lunch Kevin told everyone about the latest news from Ashmont, including the mass exodus.
Karl frowned. “That town has too many people to be in any danger from slavers.”
Gen. Crandal shook his head. “I doubt the slavers are anywhere near there at this point.”
“I’m more concerned about bandits than slavers,” Kevin explained to Karl. “That’s why I left Alek and Marcus there last night.”
“I’ll have a couple of guards ready to go this evening,” Darrell said. “Is Alek going back?”
“He volunteered, but he was busy all day yesterday and up all night. He could use a night off.”
Darrell nodded. “Do you want two guards? Or three?”
“Three,” Kevin said. “And I want them to stay there until enough people are back that the town doesn’t look abandoned, so tell them to pack for a couple of days. I want one on duty during the day, two at night. Marcus will be out on the river.”
When Karl frowned, Kevin explained. “He’s going to see if he can find any sign of a camp the slavers might have used or anyone along the river who can tell us something about a boat or people they didn’t recognize.”
Karl nodded.
Gen. Crandal looked at Darrell. “I could send some soldiers if you need your guards here.”
Darrell shook his head. “I can spare three for a while. If this turns into a long-term thing though, I may take you up on that.”
“How about the children?” Joan asked Kevin. “Are they safe there?”
“As safe as they’d be anywhere. They’re at the chapel, with Theresa and her pendant.”
“But she has other duties, too. Tell her if she’s concerned about them, send them home with you. I’ll take care of them until she gets back.”
Kevin nodded as he pushed back from the table. “There’s a stack of messages on my desk I need to take care of, so I’m going to my office for a while. Gen. Crandal, let me know when you and your men are ready to leave.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Gen. Crandal’s men arrived early that afternoon. He took them straight to the dining room and helped Miranda set some food out for them. While they were eating, Gen. Crandal stepped into the hall and flagged down a passing guard. “Would you let Myron know the soldiers are in the dining room?”
The guard nodded and headed towards Kevin’s office.
Gen. Crandal walked back inside the dining room and looked over the men. They weren’t dressed like most dinner guests at the castle, but he’d seen them look worse. They might have beards, long hair, and old clothes, but their eyes no longer looked haunted like they had when they’d first arrived at the camp in the mountains.
Most of these men had lost everyone they loved to slavery, one way or another. Some had seen their loved ones killed during the attack, some had seen them sold off to strangers. Some had held them in their arms as they died during the long sea journey, and a few had seen them killed simply because they were too much trouble.
Some had come to Camden as young boys, sold as farm laborers until they were old enough to serve in
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