city guard doing their job.”
Just then Jack came up the alley.
Alexander looked his sister in the eye and shook his head to disagree with her but addressed his command to Jack, “Report.”
“They’ve been paid by the Reishi Protectorate to kill you. The price is for your head, not your capture. There are two guards on this side of the wall, one standing in the breach, another two on the other side of the wall and a crossbowman on the rooftop of this building here. I didn’t see the seventh, but I’d wager he’s armed with a crossbow and perched on a building on the other side of the wall with a good view of the breach.”
Before Alexander could speak, Anatoly nodded and said quietly, “Well done, Master Bard.”
Alexander couldn’t help smiling. “You certainly do have a flair for the dramatic.” He clapped Jack on the shoulder, “Well done, indeed.”
He turned back to his sister. “Abigail, these men are hired killers. They’ve accepted money for the job of ending your life. In doing so they’ve forfeited their right to draw breath.” He looked at her without flinching. “We have to kill them to escape with our lives.”
She didn’t look away from her brother’s scrutiny and only considered the new information for a moment before nodding. “I agree. What’s your plan?”
“I’d like to take the crossbowman out first. Do you think you can make it up that drainpipe and onto the roof without him hearing you?”
She nodded. “Then what?”
Alexander considered for a moment. “Jack and Anatoly, you go around these buildings so you can come down the street toward the guards. Jack, tell them you brought help. All you want is the description of the fugitives so you can have a chance at the reward. Abigail, you’ll be waiting on the back of the roof, out of sight, until you hear Jack and Anatoly coming. Once they’re close enough, you stick an arrow in that crossbowman’s back and then head for the front of the building.” He looked at her to make sure he had her attention. “Have another arrow ready, use it if you have a good shot, otherwise climb down onto the awning over the shops in the front, and get back on the ground so we can move. When I hear the guy on the roof fall, I’ll put an arrow into one of the guards at the breach. Then Lucky and I will head for the wall. At that point we fight our way through.”
“A sound plan,” Anatoly said grimly as he unslung his war axe. “Keep an eye out for the other crossbowman. Once we’re through the wall, we’ll have to move quickly into the back allies before more guards arrive.” He looked from Alexander to Abigail. “Remember your lessons. Let your training guide your hand.”
Chapter 10
Abigail was quiet as she made her way up the drainpipe and onto the roof. The peak of the roof ran parallel to the front of the building and was gently sloped so she had cover but wasn’t in danger of falling off. She quietly crawled into position and nocked an arrow. She stole a glance over the peak of the roof and saw that the crossbowman looked bored. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was afraid he might hear it. She schooled her breathing and waited, just out of sight.
Alexander stood in the shadows at the back of the alley, which ran forty or fifty feet to the perimeter road between two buildings. It was another twenty feet across the road to the guards. He waited, still as a statue, arrow at the ready with just the slightest tension on the string.
Lucky stood just around the corner, leaning against the building.
Moments ticked by.
Then Alexander heard Jack. “Hey, I brought help.” The slight slur was back in his voice. Alexander couldn’t see him from where he stood but he could picture the wobble in his stride.
The guards were not amused. The sergeant on this side of the wall drew his short sword and called for the guards on the other side of the wall to come through.
Alexander heard Jack
Just then Jack came up the alley.
Alexander looked his sister in the eye and shook his head to disagree with her but addressed his command to Jack, “Report.”
“They’ve been paid by the Reishi Protectorate to kill you. The price is for your head, not your capture. There are two guards on this side of the wall, one standing in the breach, another two on the other side of the wall and a crossbowman on the rooftop of this building here. I didn’t see the seventh, but I’d wager he’s armed with a crossbow and perched on a building on the other side of the wall with a good view of the breach.”
Before Alexander could speak, Anatoly nodded and said quietly, “Well done, Master Bard.”
Alexander couldn’t help smiling. “You certainly do have a flair for the dramatic.” He clapped Jack on the shoulder, “Well done, indeed.”
He turned back to his sister. “Abigail, these men are hired killers. They’ve accepted money for the job of ending your life. In doing so they’ve forfeited their right to draw breath.” He looked at her without flinching. “We have to kill them to escape with our lives.”
She didn’t look away from her brother’s scrutiny and only considered the new information for a moment before nodding. “I agree. What’s your plan?”
“I’d like to take the crossbowman out first. Do you think you can make it up that drainpipe and onto the roof without him hearing you?”
She nodded. “Then what?”
Alexander considered for a moment. “Jack and Anatoly, you go around these buildings so you can come down the street toward the guards. Jack, tell them you brought help. All you want is the description of the fugitives so you can have a chance at the reward. Abigail, you’ll be waiting on the back of the roof, out of sight, until you hear Jack and Anatoly coming. Once they’re close enough, you stick an arrow in that crossbowman’s back and then head for the front of the building.” He looked at her to make sure he had her attention. “Have another arrow ready, use it if you have a good shot, otherwise climb down onto the awning over the shops in the front, and get back on the ground so we can move. When I hear the guy on the roof fall, I’ll put an arrow into one of the guards at the breach. Then Lucky and I will head for the wall. At that point we fight our way through.”
“A sound plan,” Anatoly said grimly as he unslung his war axe. “Keep an eye out for the other crossbowman. Once we’re through the wall, we’ll have to move quickly into the back allies before more guards arrive.” He looked from Alexander to Abigail. “Remember your lessons. Let your training guide your hand.”
Chapter 10
Abigail was quiet as she made her way up the drainpipe and onto the roof. The peak of the roof ran parallel to the front of the building and was gently sloped so she had cover but wasn’t in danger of falling off. She quietly crawled into position and nocked an arrow. She stole a glance over the peak of the roof and saw that the crossbowman looked bored. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was afraid he might hear it. She schooled her breathing and waited, just out of sight.
Alexander stood in the shadows at the back of the alley, which ran forty or fifty feet to the perimeter road between two buildings. It was another twenty feet across the road to the guards. He waited, still as a statue, arrow at the ready with just the slightest tension on the string.
Lucky stood just around the corner, leaning against the building.
Moments ticked by.
Then Alexander heard Jack. “Hey, I brought help.” The slight slur was back in his voice. Alexander couldn’t see him from where he stood but he could picture the wobble in his stride.
The guards were not amused. The sergeant on this side of the wall drew his short sword and called for the guards on the other side of the wall to come through.
Alexander heard Jack
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