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Aahead of the under his breath The forest soon slih the leaves The sniffers’ hoere her by heavy branches

The three of the ed up by blackness All Alek could see were spots burned into his vision by the searchlight Behind the now, offering Hoffe for the others’ freedoht their way through the fence, they’d risk killing their last engineer and translator

Alek found hier’s plan had worked to perfection

Bauer tightened his grip "Please, sir We can’t go back"

"Of course not" Alek shook himself free and came to a halt "But there’s no need to rush, unless ant to give poor old Klopp a heart attack"

Klopp didn’t argue He stood, stooped and panting, his hands on his knees Alek looked back the way they’d co Not even a bird in the sky

He was finally free, but he’d never felt more alone

Prince Aleksandar knehat his father would have said It was ti?"

Bauer quickly counted the bags "The wireless set, the tools, the gold bar - we’ve got it all, sir"

"The gold ," Alek said, wondering how much the last of his father’s fortune had slowed them down He would’ve traded all of it for the extra ht the that things were different

"And there’s this," Klopp added, pulling a leather scroll case from his jacket It was marked with the crossed keys of the papal seal "He said you should carry it from now on"

Alek stared at the object It was a letter fro that Alek was heir to his father’s titles and estates, despite the wishes of his granduncle, the eue that it ary as well It hy the Gerht one day have the power to end this war

As Alek’s fingers closed around the case, he realized that he’d always relied on Volger to keep the letter safe But now he had to carry his own destiny

He slid the case into a pocket and buttoned it shut "Very good, Klopp Shall I take Volger’s bag for you?"

"No, young master," the man panted "I’ll be fine"

Alek held out his hand "I’ us down"

Klopp paused This was the lanced at the wildcount for approval, but no longer He handed the bag over, and Alek grunted as the weight hit hiold

The creature hed Less than an hour old, and already it was beco tiresome

"I hope you learn some new tricks soon," he muttered, to which the creature blinked its eyes

Bauer hoisted the other two bags "Which way, sir?"

"You er didn’t provide you with any ed

Alek took a slow breath It was all up to hi into madness and war To the east was the Otto, vast and alien, into the heart of Asia And spanning the two continents was the ancient city of Constantinople

"We stay in the capital, for now We’ll need to buy clothesand perhaps horses" Alek paused, realizing that with the gold bar they could buy their oalker if they wanted The possibilities were endless "At least in the city some of the storekeepers will understand Gerback the way they’d colimmered on the horizon

"We head west for an hour," Alek said "Then circle back toward the city Perhaps we’ll find a friendly inn"

"An inn, sir? But won’t the Ottoht for a moment, then shook his head "They won’t knoho to look for, unless the Darwinists tell them And I don’t think they will"

Klopp frowned "Why not?"

"Don’t you see, the Darwinists don’t want us to be caught" As Alek spoke the words, his own thoughts became clearer "We know too ines work, the nature of its mission It won’t help them to have us in Ottoman hands"

Klopp nodded slowly "They could say it was only Volger and Hoffht them So there’s no one else to look for!"

"Exactly," Alek said "And as a warship, the Leviathan has to leave neutral territory by toone, no one will knoe’re here"

"What about the Germans, sir?" Bauer said quietly "They saw the Stor crest, and saw the Leviathan ines Theyto escape tonight, even if the Ottoents were everywhere in Constantinople, and tonight’s ruckus hadn’t been subtle

"You’re right, Bauer But I doubt there are any Gerht - a quiet, cos in payuise ourselves properly"

He walked into the darkness, setting his course by the last glihts behind theuments, no debate

As simple as that, Alek was in command