Lord of Order by Brett Riley (the reading list book TXT) 📕

the rest of the professions did. Neither, it seemed, would the emigration. Night or day, Sunday or not, the prisoners marched.

And so I beseech you, Babb cried, as if he had read Ford’s thoughts. Turn your eyes and ears to God. Trouble yourselves not, for our Father stands with us. His greatest earthly servant, Matthew Rook, has sent us three men to lead us into our new life. Trust in them, for to do so is to trust in the Most High.

Is Jerold right, Father God? Or has the adversary laid a finger on his heart? Oh, dear Father, has the devil touched mine?

After the service, Royster, Benn, and Clemens stood beside Babb at the front doors, shaking hands as the congregants exited the Temple. Ford embraced all four men, but even as he passed into the day’s dull heat, he shivered.

10

Troy sat in his saddle and glared at the Crusade guard standing before him. To Troy’s right, Jack Hobbes’s jaw clenched hard enough to shatter his teeth. To the left, Gordy Boudreaux’s eyes narrowed. The guard white-knuckled a shotgun. He glanced over his shoulder at the troops lined across the bridge thirty yards away. They stood at ease, but if anything happened, they would cut down everyone in their path, even this guard, who had positioned Tetweiller between himself and the lords, a human shield. All of this before anyone had said a word. For the hundredth time since they had captured Lynn Stransky, Troy wondered how moments like this were possible, how the Crusade had changed so much without his noticing it.

Or maybe it never changed, and I’ve just been blind my whole life.

Blushing, Tetweiller sputtered, It’s a damn outrage. Gabriel, you better straighten out this young pup before I pistol-whip him and kick his damn teeth in.

The guard’s shotgun moved upward two inches, as if he were about to jab the barrel into Tetweiller’s back, but Troy said, You don’t wanna do that, son.

The guard froze.

Ernie, come on over here with us, Hobbes said.

Tetweiller approached and put a hand on Troy’s saddle. They say we ain’t allowed across the river no more. And they requisitioned my horse. My horse.

No wonder the old man had lost his temper. When outsiders took over your hometown, you tended to take it personally, especially when they also commandeered your mount.

They had me leadin em street to street, droppin Troublers and guards every few feet, and then this whippersnapper asks if I can dismount and show him a good fallback point in case we got attacked, Tetweiller said, spittle flying. When we come back, Pete was gone, and they drug me all the way here, tellin me Royster ordered it all. I’d of busted his head open, but you see how I’m outnumbered. All them jackasses back there for one old man. They didn’t even have the balls to tell me about Pete until they got me on the north side of the water.

Tetweiller had ridden Pete for ten years. Tears welled in the old man’s eyes.

Troy’s stomach roiled. These devils. I reckon it’s good they took Pete behind Ernie’s back, or else he wouldn’t be standin here right now, and at least a dozen outlanders would never see another sunrise. Troy took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. A shootout would help no one. He looked at the guard. I want to talk with your bosses right away, he said. If you see em before I do, tell em. As for this mess, Ernie Tetweiller is a retired lord of order. Pete better be back at his house by dark, or you and me will have this little chat again. Not Royster. Not you and thirty guards against one old man. Just me and you. We clear?

The young guard glanced over his shoulder. His fellows on the bridge had not moved.

Don’t look at them, Troy said. Look at me.

The guard swallowed hard. He could not have been older than twenty, and he was caught between a furious lord and the specter of the envoys. But it was not Troy’s business to make the guard’s life easier. Perhaps this was a test to see how far they could push him before he pushed back, but either way, his course was set.

I’ll see what I can do, sir, the guard said. But I’ll have to ask Mr. Royster for permission to release the horse.

Troy pulled on the reins. Japeth turned. Troy helped Ernie Tetweiller into the saddle behind him. Go ahead. But if you don’t get the okay, you better bring Pete home anyhow.

He spurred Japeth and trotted away. Hobbes and Boudreaux followed. Troy did not have to look to know the young guard had turned and sprinted back toward his comrades.

Boudreaux had an armory to inventory, so he took his leave. Troy dropped Tetweiller at his house to wait for Pete. Afterward, Hobbes rode home with him. They hitched their horses and went inside. McClure and Bandit waited in the den. The girl had helped herself to some tea and a bowl of water for the dog. Troy and Hobbes took off their hats and gun belts, hanging them on the rack near the window. McClure still wore hers.

Have I ever seen her without em? Not that I recall.

Troy nodded at the girl. How are you today?

Fair to middlin. You seen what’s goin on across the river?

Hobbes sat on the sofa. Troy joined him and said, What do you know?

It was full daylight, so I couldn’t get too close. They got every man, woman, and child just sittin in the streets, with the guards marchin up and down like the whole bunch might stand up at once and make a break for it.

Hobbes grunted. In this heat, they’re more likely to die.

Yep, said McClure. There’s somethin goin on down at the river too. I couldn’t get close enough to see. I’ll try again after dark.

If there’s time, Troy said. First, I need