The Pure: Book Three of the Oz Chronicles by R.W. Ridley Read Free Book Online Page A

important.’
    “Canter stepped forward, eyes still
zeroed in on Lou. ‘Very well. Keep in mind, General Roy and his swarm are still
officially ruling this world. I can’t guarantee they can’t pick up on this
transmission.’
    “‘I haven’t seen a Délon in two weeks,’
Wes said. ‘Word is they’ve lost control of the north and most of the west.’
    “‘Wrong,’ Canter replied sharply. ‘Not
lost. Losing. General Roy’s never been more dangerous.’
    “Kimball sniffed the ground and
approached the group of Silencers to the right of Canter. They nervously
scampered from him. They looked like a group of fiddler crabs darting across
the beach.
    “‘You’re running out of time,’ Canter
said. ‘They’ve captured two more Storytellers. And they hold two Keepers.’
    “I turned to Tank and April to see if
they understood the nonsense we were hearing. They both shrugged and then their
eyes widened as if they were suddenly terrified. I turned back to find Canter’s
upside down face just inches from mine.
    “‘The new one is a liability,’ he said
fixated on my mouth. “‘I-I-I,’ is all I managed to say.
    “‘It’s none of your concern,’ Lou said.
    “Canter shifted his attention to her.
‘Everything you do is my concern. You don’t seem to appreciate what I’m
risking.’
    “She laughed.
    “‘You dare laugh at me,’ he barked
advancing on her. Ajax grunted and stepped in front of her.
    “Canter faltered. He examined the ape’s
face and then chuckled hideously. He held out the tongue hanging around his
neck. ‘Missing something?’
    “Ajax roared and leapt forward. Kimball
turned and bounded toward them. All hell was about to break loose.
    “‘Enough!’ Lou screamed. Ajax and
Kimball instantly heeded her command. ‘We don’t have time for this!’
    “Canter chuckled again. ‘Take your
orders, ape.’
    “‘Back off, Canter. Don’t think we don’t
know why you’re helping us. If the Délons fall, you’re in control. So, don’t
tell me about the risks you’re taking. Just tell me where to find him!’
    “‘Him who?’ I asked without thinking. It
was none of my business, and I didn’t want to make it my business.
    “Canter turned to me. ‘Curious boy.’
    “I swallowed and shook my head. ‘Not
really.’
    “‘Then hold your tongue. Your sweet,
delicious tongue!’
    “I could hear the other Silencers smack
their sewn lips. I grit my teeth and fought back the bile.
    “‘I told you before,’ Lou said. ‘He’s
none of your concern. Now, I assume you’re here because you have new
information.’
    “He slowly turned from me to her. ‘The
Bashir are advancing from the west.’
    “‘What’s the Bashir?’ she asked.
    “‘Ask your new friend,’ Canter said.
    “‘New friend?’ Wes said.
    “Lou shot me a sideways glance.
    “‘Me,’ I said. I turned to April and
Tank. ‘Or us, rather. He’s talking about us.’
    “‘Okay then, what’s the Bashir?’ Lou
asked me. The trust had vanished from her tone.
    “‘Ugly cusses,’ Tank said. All eyes
shifted to him. ‘Hard to describe, really. Massive heads. Tusks that curve
back, nearly touch their giant slimy eyeballs. Thick hands the size of Texas
watermelons...’
    “‘They stink to high heaven,’ April
added.
    “‘Yeah,’ Tank concurred. ‘Big, mean, and
smelly. That about sums it up. Seen one squash a guy like a bug near Memphis.
Guts and mess all over the place...’
    “‘We get the point,’ Lou said, her gaze
still fixed on me. “‘That’s a Bashir,’ I said timidly. ‘But I don’t see what
that has to do with me.’
    “Canter leaned in and sniffed me. He was
so close he raised goose bumps on my flesh. ‘I know your smell, creyshaw.’
“‘Creyshaw?’ I said backing away. ‘What’s a creyshaw?’ “He laughed. ‘You are a
creyshaw.’
    “Back-off, Canter,” Lou said.
    “Canter complied and moved to the edge
of the orchard. ‘The Bashir are hunting your creyshaw,’ he