Keeper Randt himself that I have orders to take these. We must separate the Topsiders. They cannot be kept in the same place.â
My guard hesitates. He looks to his friends for help. One of them shrugs.
âFriend Keepers,â says Straoc, âI will not have Randt waiting. Thank you for your service and please return to your normal duties.â
âWe cannot,â my guard says, almost apologetically. âOur Keeper Arcos tasks us to bring them to him.â
âDo I mishear you?â Straoc replies, in mock confusion. âI believe you were tasked to escort them to the Lock. Now you say Keeper Arcos asks for them himself?â
My guard stays quiet, chastised.
âArcos and Randt rule the city now,â Straoc says, speaking confidently. âKeeper Randt requests the Topsiders and will send them to the Lock in due time where Arcos may have his personal interview, so leave them and go back to your side of Capian, where you and Arcos belong.â Straoc pulls a long yellow ribbon from his belt and lets it drop, hanging from his hand like a whip. The guards surrounding us immediately draw their weapons and tighten their grips on our arms. Jo even squeaks in pain. I can hear the creak of leather against skin. This guyâs either crazy or that ribbon isnât used to decorate birthday presents.
No one moves for several moments. I hear the sounds of rustling in the forest, of birdcall. Finally, my guard clears his throat. âYou make idle threats,â he says, openly reluctant. âThere are six of us. You cannot take the Topsiders.â
Straoc sways the ribbon back and forth. What is that thing that theyâre so scared of? He smiles, a strangely gracious smile. âIt is not you, friend, or your men that I would worry on. I have my own orders, and if I cannot take them to my Keeper Randt, then neither shall you.â
âDid he just say heâll kill us if they donât let us go?â Rob asks.
No one answers. My guard rocks forward and back. Another dips his fingers into a small pouch at his belt and leaves them there, like heâs ready to pull something out and throw it.
âI donât want to die here,â Jo says, her voice soft but carrying.
âMy clan leader does not want you to either, Topsider,â my guard says, and apparently this means heâs given in, because hands release weapons, fingers slip out of pouches. âKeeper Straoc, take them as you will. Keeper Arcos will be looking forward to seeing them placed in the Lock soonest.â
âOf course,â Straoc agrees.
The guards separate from us and hurry through the gates at a sprint, their long legs moving them ridiculously fast. The nearby columns hum and weâre left alone, still bound, with the new guy who just threatened to kill us.
âI am sorry about the confrontation. Keeper Arcos and my Keeper Randt have not been entirely friendly of late. And I am sorry for the rope.â Straoc smiles sadly. âBut until I take you to Keeper Randtâs tower, it would do well for you to have the appearance of having been captured.â
I catch Rob frowning at what he just said. Thereâs clearly something bad going on between the leaders of these people. Why would we need to only âappearâ to be captured?
He moves toward Jo, and I can see that itâs taking all her willpower not to pull away. Heâs not just a strange man approaching her, heâs a
strange
man. He doesnât touch her, but itâs clear that heâs checking out every inch of her bodyâit makes me feel sick just watching. He walks in a circle and finally crouches, looking at her feet.
âLeave her alone,â I say, trying to make my voice as intimidating as possible. I strain in my bindings, as if I could stop him.
He stands in a hurry, hands up in apology. âI am very, very sorry. It is just that I have never seen a Topsider before. So delicate. You do not