snatched the coin before it could fall back to his hand. Had he really seen what he thought he saw? He had looked through the crystal before and seen nothing unusual.
“Two eggs and mash.” The server plopped down a plate, interrupting Quinlan’s discovery. “You want ale or water?”
“Water, please,” Quinlan said.
The server poured a goblet full of water as Quinlan looked back at the corner table. He saw the nervous man scan the room again, and Quinlan feigned being preoccupied with his food. When they were locked in conversation again, Quinlan brought the coin to his eye and looked through the clear crystal. Everything looked completely normal except for the hooded man. The faint aura of green light was no trick upon the eyes. The man’s entire body glowed, and the light was brighter at the openings of the cloak, around his gloved hands and covered face.
Quinlan’s heart began to race as he considered what this might mean. Just then, the hooded man looked straight at Quinlan. Though covered by the hood, his glowing green face was as clear as if there were no hood at all, and his eyes glowed a brilliant green. They spewed hatred in a way that shook Quinlan to the bone.
He quickly pulled the coin from his eye to see the blackened shadow of the hooded face turned his direction. There was no doubt in Quinlan’s mind what the hooded figure was.
Quinlan’s heart pounded hard in his chest, and his stomach rose up to his throat. He tried to swallow but couldn’t. He looked down at his food, trying to look indifferent, but a moment later he looked back at the men. The hooded figure was still staring at him.
Quinlan put a few coins on the table, stood, and walked to the door as nonchalantly as possible. Once outside, he started running, but before he had gone twenty paces, the door to the inn burst open, and the hooded man stepped out. He quickly spotted Quinlan and gave chase.
Quinlan’s fear was now fully confirmed, and he looked for some way to escape the Shadow Warrior’s pursuit. He didn’t know what this evil vassal of Lucius had in mind, but he was sure it couldn’t be good.
There was no time to tack up Kobalt and get away, so Quinlan ran past the stables toward the shops beyond. He dodged down the first street and ran as fast as his feet would take him. He turned back to see that the Shadow Warrior had made the corner too and was gaining on him.
Up ahead was a crowd of people buying produce at an open market. Quinlan dodged quickly between the people, trying desperately to put some distance between himself and his pursuer. He looked over his shoulder again and could see that the man was frustrated by the crowd and the need to be somewhat discreet.
Quinlan ducked into a shoemaker’s shop and found a full shelf of shoes to hide behind. He peered through the shoes toward the street and watched as the Shadow Warrior passed by, continuing his search farther down the street.
Quinlan pulled the crystal coin from his pocket and looked at it once more. “Where did Baylor get you?” he murmured.
“Wanting a fine pair of shoes?” a voice behind him asked.
“Just looking today.” Quinlan told the shoemaker. He walked to the door and stepped out carefully, looking in the direction he’d seen the Shadow Warrior travel. Turning back toward the inn, he found himselfface to face with the man who had been sitting across from the Shadow Warrior.
“I think my associate wants to speak with you.” The man leered and tilted his head to the side as if to look over Quinlan’s shoulder. Quinlan turned his head and saw the Shadow Warrior standing just behind him. A large hand gripped his shoulder, and he felt the tip of a dagger at his back. “Come with me,” the dark voice said close to his ear.
Quinlan wanted to call for help, but even in this crowd of people he knew there was no one who could stand against a Shadow Warrior. Why would they even try? No one here knew Quinlan.
The warrior pushed Quinlan
“Two eggs and mash.” The server plopped down a plate, interrupting Quinlan’s discovery. “You want ale or water?”
“Water, please,” Quinlan said.
The server poured a goblet full of water as Quinlan looked back at the corner table. He saw the nervous man scan the room again, and Quinlan feigned being preoccupied with his food. When they were locked in conversation again, Quinlan brought the coin to his eye and looked through the clear crystal. Everything looked completely normal except for the hooded man. The faint aura of green light was no trick upon the eyes. The man’s entire body glowed, and the light was brighter at the openings of the cloak, around his gloved hands and covered face.
Quinlan’s heart began to race as he considered what this might mean. Just then, the hooded man looked straight at Quinlan. Though covered by the hood, his glowing green face was as clear as if there were no hood at all, and his eyes glowed a brilliant green. They spewed hatred in a way that shook Quinlan to the bone.
He quickly pulled the coin from his eye to see the blackened shadow of the hooded face turned his direction. There was no doubt in Quinlan’s mind what the hooded figure was.
Quinlan’s heart pounded hard in his chest, and his stomach rose up to his throat. He tried to swallow but couldn’t. He looked down at his food, trying to look indifferent, but a moment later he looked back at the men. The hooded figure was still staring at him.
Quinlan put a few coins on the table, stood, and walked to the door as nonchalantly as possible. Once outside, he started running, but before he had gone twenty paces, the door to the inn burst open, and the hooded man stepped out. He quickly spotted Quinlan and gave chase.
Quinlan’s fear was now fully confirmed, and he looked for some way to escape the Shadow Warrior’s pursuit. He didn’t know what this evil vassal of Lucius had in mind, but he was sure it couldn’t be good.
There was no time to tack up Kobalt and get away, so Quinlan ran past the stables toward the shops beyond. He dodged down the first street and ran as fast as his feet would take him. He turned back to see that the Shadow Warrior had made the corner too and was gaining on him.
Up ahead was a crowd of people buying produce at an open market. Quinlan dodged quickly between the people, trying desperately to put some distance between himself and his pursuer. He looked over his shoulder again and could see that the man was frustrated by the crowd and the need to be somewhat discreet.
Quinlan ducked into a shoemaker’s shop and found a full shelf of shoes to hide behind. He peered through the shoes toward the street and watched as the Shadow Warrior passed by, continuing his search farther down the street.
Quinlan pulled the crystal coin from his pocket and looked at it once more. “Where did Baylor get you?” he murmured.
“Wanting a fine pair of shoes?” a voice behind him asked.
“Just looking today.” Quinlan told the shoemaker. He walked to the door and stepped out carefully, looking in the direction he’d seen the Shadow Warrior travel. Turning back toward the inn, he found himselfface to face with the man who had been sitting across from the Shadow Warrior.
“I think my associate wants to speak with you.” The man leered and tilted his head to the side as if to look over Quinlan’s shoulder. Quinlan turned his head and saw the Shadow Warrior standing just behind him. A large hand gripped his shoulder, and he felt the tip of a dagger at his back. “Come with me,” the dark voice said close to his ear.
Quinlan wanted to call for help, but even in this crowd of people he knew there was no one who could stand against a Shadow Warrior. Why would they even try? No one here knew Quinlan.
The warrior pushed Quinlan
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