A Mutiny in Time (Infinity Ring #1)

They passed a shop with cuts of meats displayed in the windows and approached a tavern, where a large group of people had just exited, filling the street. They’d just started shoving their way into the mass of people when Riq was suddenly lifted off his feet and backward. He shrieked in surprise, and Sera spun to see what had happened. The huge bearded man had caught up to them, had grabbed Riq by the back collar. He slammed the teenager to the ground and lifted a fist to punch him.

Sera snapped. She screamed and jumped on the man, wrapping one arm around his neck. He threw her off and into a pack of people. They broke her fall, put her back on her feet. She looked just in time to see Riq, still on his back, kick out with a foot, slamming the man in the shin. A roar escaped his lips.

A second later, Dak charged in, ramming once again into the Warden’s side with the knob of his shoulder. The man tumbled to the ground as Dak helped Riq back to his feet.

“Make way!” Sera yelled, pushing a path through the crowd. The three of them sliced their way through, leaving their stunned enemy to regain his wits. They broke free from the throng and picked up speed once they were in the open. Angry shouts from the Time Warden rose up behind them as Dak took the lead again.

After a minute of hard running, he rounded a large cart and horse then ducked to the right, in between two high walls that separated a tannery and a cooper’s shop. Riq and Sera followed — Sera was terrified they were letting themselves get trapped, but there wasn’t any time — or breath — to argue. They reached the end of the long, narrow alley and entered a backstreet, bordered by a filthy stream. Dak found a stack of abandoned wooden boxes, then slipped behind them. Sera squeezed in next to him, and Riq did the same.

No one said a word — all of them trying desperately to quiet their heavy breathing. The Time Warden couldn’t have been too far behind, so if he’d noticed where they’d gone, he’d be on them within a minute.

Two passed. Three. Four or five. As the time stretched on, a calmness settled over Sera. Maybe they were safe. Maybe they’d lost him.

“We did it,” she whispered.

Dak gave her a worried smile. “Yeah, but now we know he’ll be looking for us. It really stinks that we can’t walk around the village and enjoy the sights a little.”

She blinked at him. “Are you serious? That’s your biggest concern right now?”

“Hey, we might see my parents, too! You said they’d be drawn to the Breaks. What if they’re here?”

Riq cut in. “Our biggest worry is solving that riddle and finding a Hystorian. If we can’t do that, what does it matter?”

“Well,” Dak said. “Who’s got an idea?”

“I think we should go to the local beekeeper,” Riq offered. “Seems pretty obvious to me.”

“The beekeeper?” Dak scoffed. Then he was off. “Okay, okay. Sometimes it pains me to have to explain such obvious stuff to people, but at least you were smart enough to know that beekeeping was a big deal in those — in these — days. Without the development of sugarcane, they needed the honey — plus the beeswax was vital for the candle-making industry.”

“Right,” Riq said, his voice full of annoyance. “I figured as much. So why are you talking to me like I’m an idiot?”

Dak looked flabbergasted. “Because. Hello? Towns and cities didn’t have beekeepers! That was all done in the abbeys and monasteries, nowhere near a place like this. Good grief.”

“Well, aren’t I just the dumbest person who ever lived?” Riq asked.

“Do you really want me to answer?” Dak said.

“You guys, seriously,” said Sera. “For the love of mince —”

Just then something clicked. Like a lock falling into place inside Sera’s mind. The words of the poem clarified in her thoughts. “Don’t worry,” she said, trying to hide the rush of excitement. “I got it. I know the answer.”

“What?” Dak asked. “You do? How? Who is it? Where?”

Sera grinned. “Our Hystorian is a butcher.”



The poem had no real meaning — it had just been trying to spell out a word. “Bee” in the first line. “You” in the second. Then “tee” and “sea.” BUTC. And finally it said that it ended with “her.” BUTCHER.

It took a while to explain, but in the end Sera just hushed their questions. If she was wrong, they’d keep looking. For now their problem was making it to the butcher without being spotted by the Time Warden.

“I’ll take the lead this time,” she said. She realized she was clutching the satchel at her side in a tight fist, as if someone might snatch it away if she didn’t. “You two keep a lookout while I decide which way we should go.”

“Okay,” Dak whispered back. “But if you get us killed, I’m gonna kill you.”

“Deal.”