Robinson Crusoe 2244 by E.J. Robinson Read Free Book Online Page B

of tunnels that snaked through rock, scaling up and down with the smallest of lanterns to light their way. A meaty hand was wrapped under his arm, willing his legs to move.
    They finally emerged under the eaves of the Seventh Spire. Slink peeled back a shroud of ivy that led to the Tongue.
    “The Tiers all fled for the Shelf. The people are rioting and the Red Guard will learn of your escape soon. If we don’t get you across the river now—”
    Robinson tried to thank him, but his tongue was severely swollen and his mouth had gone numb.
    “Save it, Nobe. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”
    Slink waited and then pulled him out of the tunnel and rushed them across the street. He was just about to turn into the Clutch when a contingent of Red Guard appeared two blocks away. He froze. And then a carriage skidded to a halt in front of him. The door blew open and Taskmaster Satu flung an arm out.
    “In here, boy!”
    Slink debated a second before helping Robinson inside. Taskmaster Satu told Slink to get home as quickly as possible before slamming the door and ordering the driver to go.
    “My father …” Robinson mumbled.
    “Fled with the children, but they will be coming for him. He has papers at home. Your mother’s things. With any luck, we can beat the Iron Fists there and meet him.”
    “She lied to me,” he sobbed, tears falling freely. “She said she loved me.”
    Taskmaster Satu was overwhelmed with pity. “We suspected they might be using her to glean information from you.”
    “ We ?”
    “My allegiance has always been with your parents and the One People. But we needed a way to prove my loyalty to Tier Saah. My loathing for you was part of that.”
    Robinson felt like a fool. Outside the carriage, he witnessed the looting of merchant businesses. A gang of thugs had taken up anything resembling a weapon to meet the Red Guard in the street.
    “Is this what Tier Saah wants? The end of the One People? Is that what the campaign is about?”
    “Oh, no. Tier Saah has set his sights on something much bigger and grander.”
    The carriage was suddenly rocked from outside. The driver tried spurring his horse through the mob, but a horde of men overtook it and soon it toppled over. Robinson crawled out from underneath the wreckage and set off for the estate on foot.
    Taskmaster Satu, bloodied but alive, stumbled out after him, calling his name.
    A quarter turn later, Robinson was halfway up the Shelf when he smelled the smoke. He knew immediately where it was coming from. The panic brewing inside him reached a fever pitch when he rounded the bend and saw flames billowing out of his family estate.
    He turned the corner at the rear of the house and saw Vareen lying outside the door. Her throat had been slit, her scarlet lifeblood pooling around her. Robinson was not surprised, however, to see a knife in her hand. It was tipped with blood. Lying next to her was the family driver, his skull bludgeoned and gaping.
    Robinson rushed into the kitchen, immediately inhaling a lungful of smoke. He grabbed a wet rag to cover his face and stumbled toward the children’s rooms. They were empty. Then he heard a noise coming from the parlor.
    Halfway through the main hallway, Robinson jumped over a burning beam that had split the roof wide open. A torrent of rain spilled in but failed to quench the fire.
    When Robinson entered the parlor, he saw Brapo Liesel behind his father, a garrote wrapped tightly around his father’s neck. Brapo was bruised and bloodied, but it was clear this fight was almost over. The teen charged the assassin with a scream and leaped onto his back, gouging at his eyes. He let loose a heavy backhand that sent Robinson sailing. His yellow teeth glowed ominously in the flames.
    “I get extra for you!” he said, scooping up a dagger.
    Robinson froze with fear. But as the brute stepped forward, Leodore unexpectedly kicked out, knocking his attacker off balance. Robinson’s instinct took over and he