Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor by Chuck Black Page B

down the street and into a deserted alley, never relinquishing his grip. With every step, Quinlan fully expected the dagger to make its plunge into his back. He had to try something, even if it was a pointless and desperate action. With the next step, he twisted his body and fell away from the dagger while reaching for his sword. With a quick somersault, he recovered to one knee and held his sword before him.
    Quinlan was pleased the move had worked but fully expected the Shadow Warrior’s blade to plummet toward his head. What he saw instead was the warrior just standing before him in silence. Quinlan pushed to his feet as the warrior sheathed the dagger and then lifted the hood from his head and let it fall to his back.
    Quinlan gaped at what he saw. The warrior’s face was grotesquely scarred, as was a large section of his skull on the left side where no hair grew.
    “Give me the kasilite medallion.” The warrior’s voice was deep and dark.
    Another voice spoke. “Can I have his money and sword?” Quinlan glanced to the side and saw the other man from the inn.
    “Shut up, Victor!” The warrior scolded, then held out his hand. “The medallion.”
    Quinlan gripped his sword tightly. “I don’t know what you mean.”
    The warrior slowly lifted the left portion of his cloak back over his shoulder and drew his sword. “I can either kill you and take it, or you can give it to me and I may not kill you. Either way, I
will
have it.”
    Quinlan gulped but held fast to the sword, sending up a silent plea for help. Somewhere inside he found the courage to speak the words that he had been taught would summon Silent Warriors to his aid: “The King reigns … and His Son!”
    The warrior cringed at the words and glanced from side to side, then sneered and raised his sword.
    “Looks like you will die alone.” He pulled back to strike but hesitated. Quinlan heard hoofbeats coming up the alley behind him. Had the Silent Warriors heard him? He wanted to look but dared not take his eyes from the warrior in front of him.
    “Ah, Gravicus, what have you found here?”
    Quinlan took a couple of steps back from the scarred warrior and turned to see who had come to his aid. Two large warriors dismounted and strode toward them. Quinlan’s relief turned to confusion as the scarred warrior replied, “Go away, Yin, and leave him to me. There’s nothing here for you.”
    “What’s he after, Victor?” the warrior named Yin asked the man behind Gravicus. Victor’s nervous mannerisms had returned. He looked anxiously at the two newcomers and slowly retreated backward up the alley.
    “Victor, we know where to find you.” Yin said. “What is Gravicus after?”
    “Tell them, and you’re a dead man,” Gravicus growled.
    Yin drew his sword. “Victor, I can be so much more painful.”
    “The kasilite medallion,” the nervous man blurted, then turned and bolted up the alley.
    Quinlan was becoming aware that his peril was far from over. He stood between one Shadow Warrior and two other warriors who seemed just as dark, though he wasn’t yet sure.
    “The kasilite medallion?” the warrior said with delight. At that, his accomplice drew his sword. “That would certainly give us an advantage, now wouldn’t it?”
    “I found it, and I will take it to Lucius,” said Gravicus. “It will restore me to his service!”
    The other warrior laughed. “Nothing will restore you, Gravicus.You have failed him too many times. Now look at you, scuttling about with worthless scum like Victor. You
are
desperate, aren’t you?”
    Quinlan now realized fully what was happening. The crystal coin was precious indeed, apparently as much to the Shadow Warriors as to anyone else. It was a window into the world of warriors—a tool to expose the secrecy of those dark foes who came from the Kingdom Across the Sea after the rebellion against the King. He considered throwing the crystal coin, or medallion, and making a run for it, but the Shadow