The Keeper by David Baldacci Page A

references like “first target” and “use for prisoners,” and with a shiver I read the word Destroy written over both the Care and hospital. I wondered why, but then it occurred to me that in a war, the side that could not take care of its citizens or treat their wounds would likely not be victorious.
    I looked at Delph, who had been peering over my shoulder. He looked sickened by all of it.
    “A nutter, Vega Jane, a nutter who wants to kill. We got to stop ’im.”
    I looked at Luc. “Can we go to the aero ship now?”
    We made our way quickly through a number of passageways until I was hopelessly lost. But when I looked back at Delph, he nodded.
    “I know where we are,” he whispered. “It’s just up there on the left.”
    Sure enough, Luc and Cere stopped and turned to the left and passed through another opening in the wall. The aero ship towered over us like an enormous beast waiting to strike and then devour. There was no one else here.
    We drew nearer to the huge wooden carriage that would hold both troops and their weapons. It was then that I noted the series of holes in the sides.
    “What are those for?” I asked.
    In answer, Luc pointed against one wall. “How he plans to steer it. Look.”
    Delph and I saw the long oars with large, flat rectangular ends neatly stacked there.
    Luc showed us how they worked and then took us through the rest of the aero ship, pointing out the contraption that filled the huge bladder with heated air, and the steering mechanism. And how vents in the bladder released air and allowed the aero ship to descend.
    I nodded in understanding. “And what’s the cause of your reddened eyes?” I asked.
    “Mixing the morta powder,” he said. “Powder dust gets in ’em.”
    “But Kori has red eyes too. Surely he doesn’t make —”
    “Thorne don’t care how old or young one is, Vega,” said Luc. “We all have to work.”
    My blood boiling at this revelation, we went back out in the passage. I said expectantly, “The grubbs?”
    He nodded wearily. “Aye, the grubbs.”
    And I observed, as he said this, that he placed one large hand on the hilt of the short-barreled morta that rode on his belt. He turned to Cere and said, “You best head on back. Kori will be missing you.”
    Cere gave him a worried look. “Luc, think what you’re doing. If Thorne finds out!”
    “You just go on, Cere. Go on now,” he added sternly.
    With a baleful glance back at us, she quickly disappeared down the tunnel.
    “Let’s be off, then,” Luc said firmly, but I could see the fear in his eyes. Not because of the grubbs, I didn’t think, but because of the king.
    I glanced at Delph. I could tell he was thinking exactly what I was.
    Luc could be killed for helping us. But I didn’t know any other way to do this. And I did have a plan. Well, part of one anyway.
    Delph was expecting me to lead. Hel, I was expecting me to lead. I just hoped I wasn’t leading us to our doom.

I COULD BOTH FEEL and hear my heart pounding as we walked down that long, dark passageway. We had gone far enough, perhaps a half mile, that I could just tell we were entering areas that were far removed from the life of the Kingdom of Cataphile denizens. Luc was walking in slow, measured strides, his gaze swiveling from side to side. When I looked at Delph, he was glancing over his shoulder.
    “Luc,” he said, turning back around. “Do grubbs attack anything?”
    “No. Not without a reason.”
    I looked at Delph. “So let’s not give them a reason.”
    Luc’s steps slowed as we neared what looked to be a blank wall. I thought perhaps Luc had taken a wrong turn down here, when I heard it. I suppose that’s when we all heard it. And then felt it.
    Rumblings, and the ground under us starting to shake. Dirt and stone dust from overhead cascaded down. We started to cough and gag. I had turned to run back the way we had come when I felt a hand on my arm, holding me in place.
    Luc said, “It’s all right. Just