Khronos (Hanover and Singh Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

from Khaos, she stopped at the dock’s edge.
    “What is it?”
    Hannah took a deep breath. “Herr Bremen, you are not yourself.” She nodded at Khaos. “Fräulein Wallendorf is a liability. You should leave her here.”
    “Leave her here? In London?”
    “ Ja , Herr Bremen.” Hannah took another breath. “There is something more.” A sudden gust of wind whipped at her short hair, pricking at the fine hairs on her skin.
    “Yes?” Aether shivered in the cold.
    “What about me, Herr Bremen?”
    “You?”
    “Am I not to accompany you to Germany?”
    “Why should you do that?”
    “Because,” Hannah leaned forward, “I am your assistant , Herr Bremen. You need me.” Aether shuddered under another gust of wind. He stared at Hannah, examining her face, her hair and her body until her cheeks blushed red and she lowered her eyes. “I can still be useful, Herr Bremen. We can still get the impediment machine.”
    “The impediment machine?” Aether thrust out his arm and gripped Hannah by the elbow. “What do you know of it?”
    “Herr Bremen?” Hannah lifted her arm, tried to pull it out of his grip.
    “What do you know?”
    “I know only what we discovered together. That it is powerful. That it brings forth demons...”
    “Demons?” Aether scoffed and let go of her arm.
    “ Ja , Herr Bremen, demons.” Hannah rubbed her elbow and stared at Aether’s face. “I know they have it, Hanover and the Indian.”
    “And do you know where they are?”
    “North,” Hannah lifted her chin. “They are headed north. We have a man on the airship.” She frowned. “You know this, Herr Bremen. You planned this.”
    “Yes, of course,” Aether waved his hand. “Get on the boat. You are coming with us.” Clapping his hands together, he turned.
    “And what of Armbrüster, and the men?” Hannah called after him.
    “Them too,” Aether continued walking. “Bring whoever you think is important.”
    Hannah watched as Aether slipped into Khaos’ embrace as she walked forward to join him. Turning away, Hannah scanned the riverboat straining at the mooring lines securing it to the dock. She spotted the Master of the boat by the wheelhouse and beckoned him over.
    “Yes?” His black hair twisting in the wind, the man stuffed his hands inside the deep pockets of his oil-smeared moleskin trousers.
    “When do we leave?” Hannah pressed her toes over the edge of the dock and stared down at the man.
    “I am ready. We can leave whenever you want. Although...”
    “What?”
    “It’s a bit rough. It will be heavy going all the way to the sea.”
    “Enough to make people sick?” Hannah cast a glance at Khaos as she twisted her arms around Aether.
    “I reckon so.”
    “Good,” Hannah flicked her hand at the men waiting a discreet distance from Aether and Khaos. “We are leaving,” she shouted. “Get the baggage onboard.” Hannah turned back to the Master. “I will pay you extra if you will take us through the channels providing the roughest passage.”
    “Extra?” the man grinned. “Danger money, eh?”
    “Call it what you will,” Hannah cast her heels onto the deck of the riverboat and climbed down the ladder to the gunwales. Ignoring the Master’s hand, she leaped onto the deck, picked up her heels and made her way to the wheelhouse. The man watched as she stormed away from him, impervious to the cold as the wind whipped at her hair.
     
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    Backing away from Hari, the crewman stumbled over the doorframe, falling over the feet of the men hovering in the corridor. Scrabbling onto his knees, the crewman looked up at Hari and raised his hands.
    “We don’t want any mischief, mate. You don’t have to get rough.”
    Hari looked at the man and his crew shuffling away from the door. He noted the mens’ thick arms and necks, their chests twice the size and circumference of his own. Hari paused in the doorway.
    “Are you all right, Hari?” Luise smoothed her hand around Hari’s arm as she joined him,