All The King's-Men (The Yellow Hoods, #3) Read Online Free PDF

born—all out of one man’s adolescent anger.”
    “None shall shine brighter than the king,” said Nikolas, quoting a famous line from the long-dead king.
    Marcus rubbed his thumb and fingers together. “Do you know what is so beautifully sinister about that phrase? It reaffirms not only the supremacy of the royals, but that everything is justifiable in order to preserve it. It was the spark to a dry age ready for a brush fire. Like all such fires, it destroyed in an instant that which took ages to rebuild.”
    Nikolas rubbed his bald head, thinking back to how he’d lost his family in just such an attack. Marcus was the closest person he had to a brother. Yet, in all the years he’d known him, Marcus had never mentioned his tie to the dawning of the Era of the Abominator. “Your father survived by the kindness of a soldier, yes?” said Nikolas.
    “No, actually,” said Marcus, staring out the window again. “There was so much blood in the room that my sleeping baby father was thought dead. The soldiers were so excited, with the king right there with them, that they went on to the next execution. My father simply slept through it. The next morning, a maid was sent to clean the room and found him.”
    Nikolas closed his eyes, fighting to recall. “Maven, yes?” 
    “You remember the name?” replied Marcus, chuckling a bit, rubbing his short white hair. “Your memory never ceases to impress me. Maven Senior, yes. She ran off with my father, and delivered him to a wealthy family. Her daughter, Maven Junior, was my nanny.”
    “Hmm,” said Nikolas, “I did not realize there was a junior and a senior Maven.”
    Marcus nodded.
    For a while, they sat in silence. Marcus resisted the urge to get to work. He was enjoying spending some time with Nikolas. Though occasionally throughout his life he’d found someone with whom he could have a truly intelligent conversation, it was never the same as with Nikolas.
    Nikolas studied the interior of the carriage once again. It was a remarkable piece of engineering. Twice the length of a regular carriage, yet the ride was smoother than anything he’d experienced before. They were sitting in the back half of the carriage, the two sections separated by a wall. The back compartment allowed them to sit beside each other; a table with food was in front of them and a wall of caged books was behind them. 
    The front compartment was Marcus’ mobile office. It was lined with books and slots for managing letters from the field and orders to go out, and had a map and instruments on mechanical arms dangling from the ceiling.
    Marcus reached forward and sliced the remaining piece of cake in half. He offered the final piece to Nikolas, who smiled in polite refusal. 
    Nikolas unbuckled the secured teapot, and refilled both of their cups. He paused, examining the iron ring in the center of the table that the teapot sat on, keeping it hot. He paused as he thought through how it likely worked.
    Marcus noticed Nikolas, teapot in one hand and a cup in the other, frozen in midair.
    “The heating ring?” he asked, smiling.
    Nikolas nodded.
    “Have you improved it yet?” joked Marcus, thinking back to the old days.
    Nikolas shook his head gently. “No. I’m just contemplating the ways in which you have done this. Was it you or was it Simon?”
    “Oh, it’s mine. I wouldn’t allow Simon to touch much of this,” Marcus said, gesturing to the carriage. “As always, I took my vision and had select inventors help me achieve it. Richelle did some pieces as well.”
    Nikolas nodded, barely hearing Marcus. Suddenly, his face lit up and he laughed. “Friction. Conducted from the shock-absorbing system, yes?”
    Marcus laughed. “Yes! Now, before you accidentally burn us, please put the pot back.”
    Nodding happily, Nikolas complied. After securing the teapot, they sat drinking their tea, lost in thought once again.
    As the landscape changed from forest to grassy plains at the outskirts of a