The Darkslayer: Book 02 - Blades in the Night (27 page)

Georgio watched as the big woman bit Tonio in the calf, but the big man still managed to grab him and Haze by the hair, pulling them into the fray. Tonio head-butted Frigdah with Haze’s head, knocking Haze out cold. Frigdah, though, still held onto his legs like a leech. Georgio wailed, kicking and screaming, but he was still caught amidst the battle. He watched as Tonio pulled a knife from a small scabbard on his hip and begin stabbing at the big woman clutching his legs. The blade plunged deep into her shoulder, causing her to scream. She finally lost her grip. Georgio closed his eyes as Tonio raised the blade for a killing blow. Then he heard a growl and a scream—from Tonio.

Georgio opened his eyes to see Tonio’s face and throat catching the full onslaught of thirty-two claws ripping into him like a furry black tornado. Octopus’ white claws tore deep into the man’s eyes, nose, and throat. Tonio roared in pain. He grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck to try and pull him off with his free hand, but Octopus only tore up his face more. As Georgio kicked at the demonic man, Tonio tried to stab the cat.

Sis finally recovered and launched herself onto Tonio’s arm, pulling it down with all her might. Georgio saw an opening and never moved so fast in all of his life, flying up the twisting stairs without a glance back. He could hear the fighting below as the screams and yells echoed along with screeches of the savage cat. But he just kept running.

*****

On the stairs, Tonio’s body began to bloat from the wounds suffered by the cat’s claws. He could feel the effect spreading like poison through his system. Using both hands, he finally tore the cat from his bloodied and shredded face.

As soon as the cat hit the steps, it scurried upward. Tonio continued his onslaught on the women, soon leaving them in a battered and bloodied heap on the stairs, all unmoving. He recovered his dagger and limped up the stairs after the boy.

*****

Georgio had no idea where he was by the time he got out of the alley. The thoughts of freedom from the terrors he’d faced caused him to only try and get as far away as he could. He couldn’t have cared less where he was going, at least until he stopped after several minutes of running to catch his breath.

Looking around, he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Octopus running toward him.

“
Octopus,” Georgio said, gasping for air. “Did … Did you come to find me?”

The big cat rubbed across his legs and then bounded off, only to stop a few dozen feet up the street, apparently waiting for the boy.

“
Okay, I’ll follow you, but I hope you’re going home.”

The big cat cut in and out of several alleys that Georgio didn’t recognize, as he was clueless where in Bone he was. After several minutes, though, things became all too familiar as his fears of Tonio were left behind, knowing that he was nearing home.

Never in his life would he have imagined that people could do such terrible things to him, but at the same time, he was starting to get used to the fact that he had a hard time dying. He clutched at his right hand where Tonio had cut off his fingers, still in disbelief that they had grown back. He actually couldn’t wait to show Venir.

Georgio wasn’t far from the Drunken Octopus now, and once in sight of it, he ran full speed to get inside the tavern and find Venir, or even Melegal. If they weren’t there, then he would head up to the apartment where he was sure Lefty would be—that is, if Lefty wasn’t out looking for him too.

Seeing a gaping hole in the Drunken Octopus’s wall, Georgio jumped through it and found himself amidst a crowd of activity. No one gave the boy any notice as he navigated the tavern floor. But Georgio didn’t see any familiar faces. Without waiting, he headed up the stairs, floor after floor, to the top where they lived. The door was locked, so he knocked. No answer.

Over and over he knocked, then he convinced himself they all must be out looking for him. He then realized how starving and thirsty he was too. Hopefully the barkeep would let him wait for their return and feed him in the meantime, so he headed back down the stairs and crept behind the bar unnoticed. Then the smell of cooked food wafted into his nostrils from the kitchen behind the bar. Someone had some meat-and-vegetable stew brewing, along with bread in the oven. He forgot about everything that moment and ducked into the back.

A rugged woman in her sixties stood by the oven, and she saw Georgio right away. Her eyes looked over him and likely saw what a mess he was. Georgio remembered meeting her once before, but he didn’t know her name. She said nothing, but nodded toward him, then sat him down and fed him. She kept about her business and left the hungry boy to himself.

After stuffing himself full, Georgio left the kitchen, satisfied as if all his troubles had gone away. He rubbed his belly as he sauntered into the tavern. Once again, he made his way through the smoke-filled and crowded room until he reached the fireplace. The warmth on his face was welcoming and inviting, and he lost himself in the fire’s glow. He let his eyes fall shut as he relaxed and felt sleep pressing in on him. Moments passed and he opened his eyes, blinking a few times. He looked to his left and then his right—only to lock eyes with McKnight.

The Royal families in the City of Bone often battled in the shadows when in conflict. A clever infiltration of a castle would allow one to usurp another. Assassination, blackmail, marriage, and bribery were often the source of those insidious plights for power. Vows were broken, and families split as a result of desperate survival from oblivion or being miscast to the streets or even banished from Bone all together.

There were other ways, more forceful ways, to weaken another house from the outside rather than within. Every Royal castle had at their disposal specialized men and women that battled in the dark streets and alleys from time to time. They waited, then tracked and trapped the careless and overconfident smaller groups of exposed or weaker Royal families in the alleys, striking quick and leaving a bloody message in the streets. And they covered their tracks well.

These cadres consisted of skilled and seasoned soldiers, the most trusted guards of the Royals. They had been hardened from wars and skirmishes from all over Bish. Some had even fought at the Warfield, the most renowned battlefield in the world. Their peers respected their prowess. They lived as Royals, given creature comforts and status within the castles. They were the overseers of the training and security affairs of the family. They were called the Shadow Sentries, and they enforced fear throughout the City of Bone—but Leezir the Slerg wondered if the mighty Venir had even the smallest place in his heart for fear of these deadly fighters
.

From the rooftops, Leezir watched Venir and his two companions pass by along the dark street below.

Be ready, warrior,
Leezir thought.

Not long after Venir and his friends had passed by, a trio of Shadow Sentries—from Lord Almen, no doubt—slipped quietly along the street as well, their black armor blending them into the shadows almost invisibly. From above, though, Leezir had seen them. He cupped his hand behind his ear.

Bone! They’re wearing ghost armor.

The odds continued to stack against Leezir as the Almen House was apparently taking little risk. The armor was proof of that.
It was rare—black-dyed braided cloth, woven with tiny rings of steel and brass by magic. It was as effective a full suit of chain mail, but light and quiet like clothing. Leezir grimaced as he saw that the Shadow Sentries brandished swords, daggers, axes, crossbows, spears, and the like. He had seen their work before: they were cunning as assassins, ferocious as panthers, and as merciless as hobgoblins. Now they sought a lone man: their mission was to hunt down and kill Venir.

Thankfully Leezir wasn’t alone in his monitoring of Venir. The man-urchins also kept watch on the streets. The ambush was now set, with Venir and his companions as the bait. Leezir felt he had little choice other than to use Venir as a pawn again to draw out the Almens. The man had been doomed from the moment he returned, after all. At least Leezir was giving him a fighting chance. He knew that the Shadow Sentries had already been closing in on Venir, thanks to the man-urchins being forthcoming in their interrogation of some Sentries they’d captured. It was all part of Leezir’s plan, of course. Now his trap was ready to be sprung.

His man-urchins crouched deep in the nooks and windows, eager to strike. In the dimness below, Leezir could see his own men poised to lash out at the Shadow Sentries. He had the numbers, but the ragged man-urchins would be pressed to overtake the legendary soldiers below. He knew the darts of his man-urchins would be of little use against the ghost armor, so they would have to rely on their overwhelming numbers to take them.
Cut their throats and run
. It was all Leezir wanted, just to chip away at the Almen forces a piece at a time. Licking his lips as he rubbed his hands together, Leezir prepared the signal.

Venir, Melegal, and Lefty had traveled on foot, crisscrossing streets and alleys the best they could to try and shake down any information about Georgio—and also to draw out the assailants that Leezir had told Venir about. Lefty, though, had been urging Venir to return to the Drunken Octopus. Venir had never heard of sweating halfing’s feet, but the boy seemed convincing enough. Melegal then reminded Venir that the Motley Girls might have returned to the tavern and have something of use to share as well. It felt like the entire city was against Venir, and he was uncertain where to go. He was itching to kill something, but he had to find the boy.

Melegal and Lefty stayed busy behind Venir, keeping tabs on their pursuers. Venir could feel man-urchin eyes everywhere, from all around and even above on the one- and two-story rooftops. The man-urchins posed little threat to Venir or his friends. The Shadow Sentries, though, were a different matter, as Melegal had reported when he caught up to Venir.

Venir pulled Melegal and the halfling out of sight.

“
This is getting silly, you two!” Venir whispered through gritted teeth. “I am ready to get on with this. I need to get the drop on them. Did you get a count, Me?”

“
Over a dozen man-urchins are posted on the roofs for certain, and the ground-pounders of Castle Almen account for at least three or more. I don’t think they can take us,” Melegal whispered.

Venir glared at him.

Melegal looked away from his gaze and said, “I think they’re trying to cut us off.”

“
Georgio is near, I swear it!” Lefty cried.

Venir clamped a hand over Lefty’s mouth, then knelt down and gazed into Lefty’s watery blue eyes.

“
Listen,” Venir whispered. “If the Royal dogs make their move before we get back to the tavern, you guys take Georgio’s charge from there. Don’t let them catch you, and don’t worry about me. I don’t have the stomach for killing men normally, but I’ve had my fill of these Royals screwing around. It’s time me and Brool taught them a lesson. Besides, I don’t need anyone else being caught up in their clutches.”

They both nodded at him.

Venir’s voice was strained as he said, “You guys find Georgio. Otherwise this madness may never come to an end.”

There was silence. The air was thick. A sense of dread filled the alley.

Venir didn’t know what the limitations of his friends were in this kind of situation, but they were about to be tested. So the farther away from him they could get, the better. This fight had to be his alone. Doubt, though, filled his belly, as he had no idea how many pursuers were coming. Battles abroad on Bish were one thing, but the fights in the City of Bone were an entirely different animal. You might live to fight another day, but the Royals would make you pay. Victory only led to temporary salvation.

Venir stood up.

“
The plan is to check out the Drunken Octopus and then the stables if we get split up,” Venir said. “I will have to catch you at one or the other. Are we good?”

“
I’m good,” Melegal said.

“
I’m good too,” Lefty said.

“
Okay, Me,” Venir said, “take us through.”

Three Shadow Sentries crouched in the middle of the filth-ridden alley called Death Hall. It was just where Leezir wanted them. At the other end, he could see Venir and his two companions entering the alley.
The three Shadow Sentries headed for Venir and his friends. Leezir put his fingers in his lips and blew. A loud whistle burst forth, echoing down the corridor.

The three Sentries were swarmed by figures that appeared from behind building corners, out of windows, and up out of sewer grates. The man-urchins closed in fast. A dozen of them surrounded the three Sentries, who now stood in a defensive triangle. Two Sentries wielded a sword and a dagger, while the other held two wicked hand axes.

Leezir felt glee, but as he looked toward the other end of the alley, he noticed that five more Shadow Sentries had appeared. Venir was now cut off at his end as well. The Shadow Sentries had them all boxed in.

As the screams began, Leezir felt a chill: he’d underestimated the Royal force. His gut feeling now told him that the Sentries not only hunted Venir, but him as well.