It seemed so simple, cross a train yard, hop a train and Todd and Nick would be free, on their way home to Elk's Ridge in Yellowknife. Nothing is ever simple or easy for the Ruger men, however. Captured by Vice-Chancellor Raleigh, Todd is imprisoned, leaving Nick alone and seeking a way to free his mate. Help comes from an unlikely and unexpected ally. Todd's freedom places the Rugers yet again into the Chancellor's debt. He sends them on a fact finding mission to the small village of Eldrid, the same village where Nick was raised a slave.<br><br>There they discover how past events led to their present society, the origins of sentries and slaves and what made some of them so special. They also uncover a conspiracy spear-headed by Vice-Chancellor Raleigh. An attempt at stopping him isn't as successful as they'd hoped when old enemies are confronted. The realities of war, and why some people don't survive, are hard lessons for both Todd and Nick to learn.<br><br>Through firefights, explosions and a vicious attack from a seemingly unbeatable supernatural being, one thing is reinforced over and over-the most important thing each one has is each other. Will they survive or join an ever-growing list of casualties?

Collared Souls

“We wouldn’t be in this mess now if things had been taken care of differently with those brats,” John said.


“I don’t know that and neither do you,” Jimmy said at once. He turned his attention back to Todd. “We met a woman and man in Eldrid. She seemed to know a lot about Nick already and orchestrated the entire thing.”


“I think so, but like I said, never had any proof.”


“A few days after we got home from Eldrid, John and I were visited by this woman and another younger woman who did some kind of hypnotic thing and made us forget names.” Jimmy rubbed at the back of his neck, looking down at the table again.


“When you saw her, you got upset and didn’t like her,” John added.


“So what about the others? And Adam? He told Nick that you took him from his village. Adam named you, Dad.” Todd turned to his father, who was still standing off to the side.


Chapter 21