The Power and the Glory

Book 2 Chapter XVI: The Storm Breaks

Not only that, a servant would only go out at this time of the afternoon, when everyone was busy getting dinner ready, setting the table, and preparing the dining room, if she had to do some emergency shopping. Under such circumstances she would carry a large basket to hold the groceries. This woman had nothing in her hands at all. She was going in the wrong direction to be on her way to the shops, and she had no purchases to suggest she was coming from them.

Warning bells rang in Abi's head. Something was wrong here.

She advanced slowly, trying to pretend she hadn't a care in the world and didn't even realise there was someone ahead of her. The other woman continued to walk towards her. As she drew nearer an idea struck Abi. Criminals tended to avoid targeting people who could identify them. She couldn't remember where she'd heard that. Now was as good a time as any to find out if it was true.

Looking the woman right in the face, she said, "Excuse me, do you know what time it is?"

The woman started. With a wary look at Abi she took her watch out of her pocket. "It's ten past four."

"Thank you very much," Abi said. She made sure she kept her tone light.

She walked past the woman without a backwards glance. Instinctively she felt sure she was staring at her. The faintest rustle of cloth was the only warning she got.

Abi leapt away. The knife slashed through the air where she had been a second ago.

~~~~

Down in the crypt the stone coffin stood empty. Its lid was propped against the wall. Its former occupant clambered stiffly up the stairs. As soon as she was safely out on level ground she ran at a surprising speed to find and defend her creator.

~~~~

An angry exclamation some distance ahead was the first warning Ilaran got that there was someone else around. The next one was the distinctive metallic sound of a blade scraping against stone. He drew his knife and walked faster. He broke into a run when he heard someone cry out.

He rounded the corner to see a terrifying sight. A stranger who could only be an assassin held a knife within an inch of Abihira's throat. The blade was so close to her skin that it had already nicked her cheek. Abihira clung for dear life to the assassin's wrist. Her own strength was the only thing holding her attacker at bay.

If Ilaran had his bow and arrow he could have killed the assassin from a distance. Unfortunately he kept them in the window seat in his bedroom. They were of less practical use than a knife if he needed to defend himself. He should have realised he would need them to defend someone else.

The assassin's back was to him. She didn't see him approach. But Abihira did. He could have killed the assassin without her even knowing he was there if Abihira hadn't looked so obviously in his direction. Suspecting something, the assassin turned her head. Ilaran swung the knife at her neck. She dodged. He missed and cut her arm instead.

The cut was too shallow to do any real damage. It did throw off her aim, though. She lashed out with her own knife. It missed Ilaran's ear by several inches. Vaguely he thought he heard running footsteps drawing nearer. There was no time to stop and listen.

I hope that's Siarvin and not another assassin, was all he thought about it.

Abihira kicked the assassin in the stomach. She doubled over in pain. Her knife dropped out of her hand. Abihira grabbed it and stabbed deep into her neck. At the same moment Ilaran drove his knife into her back. The assassin made a wheezing, gasping noise that suggested he'd hit her lung.