Free Keepers of the Lost Garden (The Lost Garden Trilogy Book 2) by K.T. Tomb Page B

holding his gaze with her own. “And capture the precious Tree.” She paused and looked away. “But make no mistake, Alexey, I intend to burn Eden to the ground. I want nothing less than the total destruction of the Garden of Eden...”
     
    To be concluded in:
    Destroyers of the Lost Garden
    Evan Knight Adventures #3
    by K.T. Tomb
    Available now!
     
    Amazon Kindle * Amazon UK * Amazon AU
     
    ~~~~~
     
    Also available:
    The Minoan Mask
    A Chyna Stone Adventure #1
    by K.T. Tomb
    Amazon Kindle * Amazon UK * Paperback
     

 
    Also available:
    The Last Crusade
    An Adventure Novel
    by K.T. Tomb
     
    (read on for a sample)
     
    Chapter One
     
    A lone messenger—carrying the standard of the German Emperor and wearing the Crusaders’ tunic—rode swiftly toward them, shouting, “ Coeur de Lion! Coeur de Lion! ”
    “Halt!” King Richard called out and his order was relayed back to the warriors he led. When the messenger pulled up in a cloud of dust, he bowed briefly.
    “Wolfgang! I watched you in the battle at Acre. Speak freely!” Richard said.
    “Your Majesty, I have urgent news from near Jerusalem,” he said in French. “Is that where you travel, to fight Saladin again?”
    Richard nodded. “Yes. This time, we shall finish him off. What is your news?”
    “Our Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa is dead. He and his horse drowned in a river.”
    Richard’s heart sank. He took a deep breath of the hot desert wind and let it out again. “What of the German campaign?”
    “It is ending. After the Emperor’s death, the Turks hit us hard. King Philip or King Leopold may take up Barbarossa’s campaign, but most of us, barely a thousand who are left, are going home to Germany.”
    “As bad as that?” Richard asked, shocked that their numbers were so decimated.
    “Worse, Majesty. There is plague breaking out among the troops on the road closer to Jerusalem. I was sent to warn you before you got close to the city.”
    “Are you sure it is plague?” Richard asked, shocked even more. “Not siege sickness?”
    “It is plague, Sire. I have seen the dead with their underarms burst open.”
    “That is a sure sign of it. Well, this is unexpected, on all counts,” Richard murmured in chagrin. He had no immediate supply provisions to take the German campaign under his wing, even if he could stop them from fleeing. Nor did he wish to bring plague into his own troops.
    “Unexpected, indeed, Majesty. Our hearts are broken from the loss of our leader, and our troops are withdrawing before more of us succumb to plague. I am ordered to officially announce that Jerusalem is yours, should you choose to take it without us, against Saladin. I know there were plans that we might again fight alongside you, but now, we cannot. It is a fearsome time for all Christians to head into Jerusalem.”
    “Thank you for the news and the warning. Please relate my sorrow at the loss of Barbarossa to your countrymen.”
    “Thank you, Your Majesty. I shall do so. Is there a return message about the English campaign?”
    “We shall proceed onward toward Jerusalem, as planned,” Richard said firmly.
    The blond man nodded, his face stoic. “Very well, Sire.”
    Richard paused. “Will you join us, Wolfgang?”
    “With respect, I cannot, Your Majesty. I am charged with my final duty of warning all those on this road of the growing plague in Jerusalem, and of Saladin’s men punishing the Christian pilgrims in heinous ways. Then I go to my ship bound for home. I have paid for my passage. If I fail to board the ship, word will be sent to my family that I am dead.”
    “Carry out your duty, then. And Godspeed,” Richard said.
    “Godspeed to you and your men as well.” Wolfgang galloped past them on his sweat-streaked horse.
    Richard waved his hand and his army, once again, rode behind him toward Jerusalem. The men were quiet—no one dared to ask him anything. They rode in silence for quite some time as King Richard grew to feel more