The Romulus Equation by Darren Craske Read Free Book Online

plans, remember? Faith is a little hard to give once you’ve been caught out as many times as I have.’
    â€˜Well, this is
not
Cornelius’s plan… this is
Destine’s
plan,’ said she. ‘The key to telling a believable lie is to cloak it in the truth as much as you can. To bolster our disguise I shall pretend to be a member of the Hades Consortium’s higher echelons, and you,’ the fortune-teller sized the massive strongman up and down and then back up again, ‘you shall be my bodyguard, an area of familiarity for you.’ Destine took a deep breath and nodded firmly, steeling her nerves. ‘And so… we begin.’
    â€˜I never thought I’d see the day when I missed Cornelius’s plans,’ mumbled Prometheus under his breath.
    â€˜You there!’ called Destine to the nearest seaman that she found as they walked up the gangplank onto the ship’s deck. ‘What is your name, boy?’
    â€˜Watkins, ma’am,’ was his reply.
    Destine nodded. ‘
Très bon
. Seaman Watkins, kindly escort me to your captain.’
    â€˜Sure, ma’am. But who’re—?’
    â€˜Do not dawdle, boy!’ snapped Destine. ‘We are in a hurry!’
    Within five minutes, Destine’s company of three were led to the captain’s cabin, a room with a blanket of must and alcohol clinging to every inch of the damp wooden beams. Once Prometheus had flopped Renard’s body onto a long wooden bench in the corner, he towered at Destine’s back. The captain was a surly sort, with his boots up on the table.
    â€˜Slater,’ he said, by way of an introduction. ‘We ain’t had the pleasure, Mrs…’
    â€˜
Madame
, if you do not mind,’ said Destine.
    â€˜Fair enough…
Madame
.’ The captain pulled a knife from inside his waistcoat and thrust it into the table, watching it sway from one side to the next like a metronome. ‘You’ve got about ten seconds to tell me who you are before I chuck you in the drink.’
    â€˜Do not take that tone with me, Captain, lest you wish my bodyguard to remove your insolent tongue!’ snapped Destine, distinctly out of character yet one that strangely suited her. ‘You are speaking to a member of the Hades Consortium’s inner stratum, so show some respect! My wounded companion here goes by the name of Renard – perhaps you have heard of him?’
    Captain Slater’s face dropped. ‘My orders were to take some bloke named Renard to Italy.’
    â€˜Indeed,’ said Destine. ‘But he has been badly wounded and he must receive urgent medical attention at the Hive or he will be lost to us. And our mutual employers would be most upset about that, hmm?’
    â€˜What’s wrong with the local quacks?’ asked the captain.
    â€˜Discretion is paramount in our organisation, Captain Slater, surely you know that,’ replied Destine. ‘Only the surgeons of the Hades Consortium can save him.’
    â€˜That may be, but I don’t have passage orders for you, nor your…’ Slater squinted at Prometheus, ‘... whatever
he
is. On whose say-so am I supposed to take you?’
    â€˜You are familiar with Baron Remus?’ tested Destine.
    Captain Slater nodded, his face rather pale.
    â€˜He has personally ordered Renard to be taken to Rome and that is exactly what you shall do, Captain, or Remus will hear of it,’ said Destine, each word rising in tone and volume. ‘Is that completely understood?’
    â€˜Y-yes, ma’am… sorry, ma’am. I’ll issue the order to cast off right away!’
    â€˜
Bon!
’ said Destine, fighting the urge to take pleasure from the moment, but she could not resist allowing the feeling to wash over her. Is this how Cornelius always felt? If so, it was intoxicating in the extreme. ‘We require quarters and seclusion for the duration of our voyage. Order your