Adventuresome

Chapter 9

Tancred the Leech stood in the torture room in an easy stance. Hands shaking with anger, Lilliana faced him.

"That is enough!" She shouted.

"Lady Lilliana, what a pleasant surprise."

"I cannot stand by as you torture this poor man."

Tancred inspected the knife he still held. "Even though he killed Lord Tibol? I know how your dear father is close to the Tibol family." A hint of a smirk crossed his face. "Or should I say he was close to the Tibol family."

"Great job," Dominick said, his voice weary in her mind, "You've gotten on Tancred's bad side."

Just help me get this prisoner free.

Dominick gave a snort. "Why should I?"

"Nothing planned, Lady Lilliana? It was rather foolish to come here at all. You should have stayed home."

Tancred started to close the distance between them. His knife flashed in his hand, reminding Lilliana of the crystal she had seen on the hilt.

"You are a mage."

Tancred's smile widened. "Ah, so you noticed that did you?" he gave a dramatic sigh. "Well, that is unfortunate my lady. No one needs to know about the spirit I control. I cannot have you spreading rumors like that around."

"You step away from her you bastard."

Maura pushed passed Lilliana, standing between her and Tancred. The sword Lilliana had seen, the enormous one Maura had had strapped to her back, was unsheathed. Lilliana was surprised at how easily the desert wanderer held the sword. After all, the sword was nearly taller than its wielder. And yet Maura acted as if it weighed practically nothing.

"You again." Tancred sneered. "I'm surprised to see you. I thought rats knew when to leave the ship. If you escaped from that cell, well, let us just say I'm curious what would bring a rat further into the prison."

Maura leveled her sword towards the man.

"You may have that fancy knife, but you don't scare me."

Dominick please, help us fight Tancred.

"You got yourself into this mess, I thought we should leave immediately. This prisoner was no concern of ours."

"Ah, I see. Your sword. I did quite like it. I suppose I will have to take it back again."

"From my cold, dead hands." Maura said icily. And Lilliana noticed how Maura's expression darkened. That sword must be truly special to her.

Fine, Dominick, don't help us.

She stepped forward. "Tancred just let the man go, release him to us. You're outnumbered and I have my father's staff."

"You think I am afraid of your father's staff?" Tancred let out a laugh. "Please, I know how that Dominick spirit likes to work and trust me when I say I am not at all concerned. How about instead of releasing this man, I let you, Lady Lilliana, leave with your life. Just leave Maura Latcher, her sword, and your father's staff. Do that and you are free to go."

"I won't do that." Lilliana said firmly, and Maura glanced over at her in surprise.

Did she think I was going to give her up for the chance of saving my life? Just because Tancred said those things?

But Tancred took advantage of Maura's surprise. With a quick slash of his knife, he knocked Maura's sword to the side and followed with a hit from his fist to the side of her head.