by Lucas Thorn
“Eli,” Nysta cut through his talk with a hiss. “Are we doing this? I ain’t exactly got time to fuck around.”
“Of course, old friend. I am very sorry to keep you waiting. Will you do one last favour? As an old friend, please use that knife to kill everybody here? Eli would be very grateful.” He turned to his Bonebreakers and waved them forward. “Well? What are you waiting for, you miserable sons of indecent trolls? There she is. And, as you can see, she is only a little elf. Did Eli not tell you she was very small? This is the truth. She is a very little elf. With very little in the way of fighting ability. You should be able to cut her down. She killed all your friends, remember? Does this not make you very pissed off? I would be pissed if I were you. Very pissed, I am thinking…”
Analia looked to the elf, eyes desperate as she opened her mouth.
But before she could speak, Nysta’s fist slammed into her jaw and sent her spinning unconscious to the ground.
“Keep your head down, lady,” the elf said. Spat on the ground between herself and the approaching Bonebreakers. Jerked head to Klista to move to the right. “You shouldn’t have come looking for me, Eli. Should’ve stayed under your fucking rock.”
“How could I do that, my old friend? You have my knife!”
She spun the knife in her hand. Suddenly felt its weight more than ever. Trickle of sweat down her shoulders as she felt an emptiness she couldn’t describe.
The worms. That’s what she was missing.
Were they hiding? Sick? Destroyed by the alchemist’s brew?
Would that mean she couldn’t heal like she had before?
What else would she miss?
What else had she come to rely on?
Speed?
Power?
Pushed that thought aside and flattened her body. Legs tight like springs. Ready. Knife held low in front. Left hand already reaching for her next blade. A blade she’d soon send spinning into flesh.
The biggest Bonebreaker moved ahead of the others. Ugliest, too. Jaw too thin on head too wide. Red nose looked like he wiped it too often. Back of his hand if his sleeve was any sign.
But he had the balls to be first.
Glared down at her. A giant at an ant. Slave chains clinking at his hip.
“You killed some good friends, long-ear.” Wheeled the club in his meaty fingers. “I’m gonna enjoy pulling you apart. Won’t be anything left of you to ship out to the Caspies and their salt mines.”
“Reckon you fellers missed the hint in the air.”
Couldn’t help but glance at the shaft exhaling sewage fumes. “All we smell is shit.”
“Yeah. That’s what it is.” She dived. Steel blurring. “Stink of your last movements.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Eli didn’t move.
Not even as Nysta carved into his giant. The Ugly ripped a hole in the big Bonebreaker’s side. A big hole. Wide enough to see more than meat. Flash of white bone.
Her heel crunched knee, rewarding with the satisfying feel of the joint splintering to pieces. He hollered a scream loud enough to ring across the courtyard.
Shouts.
Quests in Amber Rain flew on the wings of a brutal throw. The slender blade pierced skin. Thin layer of flesh. Heavy bone. Then brain as it thunked into the head of a young Bonebreaker hovering nervous beside the grinning mercenary.
Eli hopped to one side to avoid a gush of blood, grin still wide on his face.
Waved his arms excitedly.
“Come on, Dingdong,” he called to the thick-necked Bonebreaker. “If you move really fast, she cannot hit you. Remember what Eli tells you? You are the fastest he has ever seen. Faster even than a fly. And they are very fast. You can do it. Do the move Eli showed you. She will never see it coming, this I swear.”
Dingdong gave a shuffled skip.
Confidence burned in his eyes as Eli’s words snapped at his heels.
He ducked and flew forward, arm outstretched. Knife aiming for her belly. Seemed to be winding himself up.
She didn’t have time to think, but beads of sweat peeled down her skin.
What was this move? It looked slow.
A feint?
Halfway through his lunge, he kicked sideways.
Leaving rear leg unbalanced.
She didn’t think. Stepped into the groove of his arm and her fist connected with face. Smeared his nose across his cheek. A smashed snail leaving a slime-soaked trail of crimson.
Still hooked in his arm she used her own weight to throw him down.
Dingdong dropped the knife, unable to resist her dropping him on unbalanced legs. She followed him down, gutting him with a flick of The Ugly, spilling his guts and adding to the stink.
More screams to the sky.
Her violet eyes flashed toward Eli.
Saw his grin widen. “Dingdong,” he cried. Ecstatic. Jabbing finger at the corpse. “Higel! Higel, she killed Dingdong! Quick! While she is down! Jump! Jump!”
Higel was already moving.
Running with demon-possessed rage. Roared, slapping two skinny men aside and barrelling down on her like a boar. Wide smooth face scooped a glance at the body.
Pupils widened in disbelief.
“You-”
She hadn’t stopped.
His club smashed into her shoulder. Stunned her left arm. But her right never slowed. A blur of steel buried itself in the squat man’s kidney.
Through his gut.
She didn’t bother ripping him open.
Wasn’t any time. More important were the two skinny men who took their opportunity and came in like twin predators. Hatches arcing overhead.
Twin swings of light and death.
“Higel?” Eli stifled a snicker. Eyes glinting as the elf spun, kicking the two men loose. “Higel, are you well, my friend? I am sure it is just a scratch. Get up, Higel. She killed Dingdong. You liked Dingdong. He was very close to your sister, I hear. But, you know, there are many who were close to your sister I am thinking. I hear even Mazel was close to your sister many times. Oh. Was this a secret? Was I not meant to say this? Forget what I said, my friends. Eli has a very loose tongue when he is fighting a big fight, as you know.”
This as one of the skinny men faltered in his attack and glanced to where Higel battled his agony to stare in open-jawed disbelief. “Maz?”
“Higel. Don’t believe him. It’s a lie!” Then blurted; “It was just one time…”
And died with Healthy Option This Way sliding under his jaw and through his neck. The tough little blade tore sideways as she ripped it free.
The elf scowled as Mazel’s partner shouted a wordless cry. Came rushing in again.
Managed a few steps toward her and then corkscrewed to the ground. Arrow protruding from the back of his head.
And the elf threw herself to the ground behind the wall of the shaft. “Shit.”
A few more arrows clicked across ground.
Higel took one to his back and continued his squeals. His blood spurted in wide arcs.
Soldiers rushed the turrets. Came pouring across the ramparts. Boots crashing in waves as they thundered across stone.
Someone pounded on a drum and magelights burst into life along the wall. Illuminated the platform for the archers to get a clearer shot.
A chance they took, shooting down the last Bonebreaker trying to cut through Klista’s flashing sword. The young Shiv dived down next to the elf. Shoulder to shoulder.
“How many are left?” Klista’s voice hissed. “I got four.”
“You are still very outnumbered,” Eli called. “There are five of us. And myself, of course. I think this is six. Is it six? Seven if Higel will pick himself up. Oh. No, he has just died. Oh, well. That was very inconvenient, Higel. You three, go to the left for the elf. You others, to the right. Why are you attacking one at a time? You waste your chances. They are just girls. I thought you liked girls. Did you not say this to Eli? Well, he has provided two very fine girls. Very fit. Why do you n
ot slap your chains around their feet? Why do you die so easy? Are you such cowards you will go home and tell your wives you let a little elf kill all your friends whle you stood around and pissed your pants?”
“Soldiers, Boss!”
“So? There is plenty of time to grab the woman and the soldiers will leave us alone. I know this. Why don’t you know this? You don’t know this because you are not the Boss of this gang. Who is the Boss of this gang?”
“You are.”
“So, why do you not listen? Go! Get the elf!”
“Grim’s fucking-”
“Go!”
“Shit.”
And they came round the corner as one. A couple of arrows spitting through the air in their wake. One found an ankle, and the kid who took it dropped, shrieking with every ounce of air in his lungs. Grabbing his leg.
“Help me, Farnum! Help me!”
But Farnum was busy.
Swiping at air where the elf had been. Sucking his gut where The Ugly came slashing at his belly. Skipping sideways.
Trying.
Trying every trick he’d ever learned on the street.
Concentration made his face wet with sweat. Pursed lips.
His partner saw an opening.
Pushed past and went for it.
“Foxhead?” Eli called, a sharp snap. “What are you doing? Basten is down! An arrow in the foot. He is lucky it is not his knee, I am thinking. Why don’t you let Farnum kill the elf and you help your friend? Did we not promise his mother we would look after him? He is dying! Bleeding all over the place.”
Foxhead’s eyes flicked away from her.
She exploded a kick into his crotch and brought her left arm up to smash aside the sword angling for her chest.
Foxhead choked out a frustrated curse and turned his wrist. Tried to swipe the blade across her belly.
She punched down, slapping the blade close to its hilt and sending it clanging to the ground. Spiralled her body like a spring uncoiling. Arm whipping as she turned into him.
An adder.
Striking.
The Ugly didn’t squeeze through his ribs. It ploughed through. The heavy blade relished flesh and bone alike to sink deep into lung. He managed a deflated breath.
Gasped.
Then dropped like a bag of wet rags.
She saw the hatchet.
Jerked her head. Far enough to be lucky, but not far enough to avoid pain. Flat of the blade smacked against her forehead and she staggered back, arms wheeling as she tried to keep balance. Legs like thick stumps. Wobbling fast.
Eyes blinking.
Bright lights flashing in the deepest part of her eyeballs.
The purple glare was all but gone.
The worms didn’t move.
Eli looked at her from the other side of the shaft, grin impossibly wide. “You have her now, Farnum! She is yours. Kill her. Kill her!”
Rage connected tired muscle and sent blistering messages down the elf’s frayed nerves.
Already drooling blood, The Ugly hummed for more as it glittered into his charging body. Through sternum. Got stuck halfway and she let out a savage scream of hate as she threw herself on the handle to send it spearing with wet crunch deep into a heart which jammed to a halt.
Farnum’s big brown eyes misted as he looked up at her.
Whispered; “Why?”
“Don’t ask me, Jack,” she growled, climbing awkward off his corpse. Wiping blood from her eyes. Her own blood, streaming from the cut to her head. “Reckon it ain’t an age of reason after all.”
Klista stalked Eli, dodging as an arrow cruised through the air. Called; “You want me to kill him?”
“What are you talking about?” Eli looked outraged. “Why would she kill Eli? We are old friends, Nysta and I. Am I right?”
“Friends?” Nysta nearly choked.
Frowned as Basten let out a curdled moan.
Made to throw a small dagger at him, but Eli rushed forward and threw himself in front of her.
“No! No, you do not throw that petty little knife at this boy. He is the last of them. The very last. I made sure of this. No. You kill him with my knife. My knife, you hear me?” Snarled as an arrow clipped his leather coat. Treated it like an insect. “When Sharpe left us for dead many years ago, we came to Dragonclaw. We had no friends. No coin. And everybody was looking for us. The Imperial Princess had spies everywhere. But Eli, he had family here. And so we came, like thieves in the night. We creep through the alleys. We run from Alley Rats and their filth. We finally get to my sister’s house, but she is not there. And the people talk. Eventually, they talk. They say she is taken by a Bonebreaker. She is sold to a slave ship. And where she goes? Who knows? No one knows. She is gone. And Bonebreakers take her inn. Fill it with their gang. I wanted to kill them all right there. But my brother could not stand. His wounds had not healed. He would have died if I did not find an alchemist. Spies found us. Chased us all the way to the docks. We found a raider ship to take us out of here. I never had my revenge. But I always swore I would come back. And I swore I would kill them with my knife. That knife you hold in your hand. This I promised my sister. And she will know it. Wherever she is, she would know every last fucking piece of Bonebreaker shit is dead by my knife alone. So, you use my knife, Nysta. Use it. Or I swear to you, I will chase you to the ends of the world to-”
The elf sighed as another arrow clipped his coat.
Soldiers in the courtyard roared as they mounted stairs to either side of them. Invading the ramparts with overpowering strength. Left the elf’s heart hammering between her teeth as she wondered if her one last gamble could pay off.
Too late to question her choice now.
No way off.
Not now.
Trapped, she was going to die.
Klista was going to die.
The young Shiv fidgeted nervous as her eyes swept the hordes.
And Eli was going to die.
She cut his voice off by throwing The Ugly.
The blade turned twice in the air and landed in his open hand, which gripped the hilt in surprise.
“Shut the fuck up, Eli. I told you I don’t have time for your shit. Slit his throat and be fucking quick about it.” She turned her back to him, feeling a ripple of doubt. What if he chose to kill her? Reached down and snatched Analia’s hair. Pulled it until she dangled from the elf’s fist, moaning as the elf dragged her to the edge of the platform. Voice rang, clear across the courtyard; “Hideg! You hear me? Your assholes get any closer, and I’ll slice this rich little cow to pieces while you watch.”
“Stop!” Hideg shrieked. “Every fucking one of you. Stand down!”
In the resulting silence, a few coughed. Someone else called; “What the fuck?”
No one answered him.
And Hideg rushed the stairs. Shoving soldiers aside with a scattering of curses and elbows. Dressed in full guard uniform. Heavy purple sash. Huge shoulder plates decorated with curling threads of gold. More gold on boots and gloves.
Chest decorated with medals.
Looking every inch the commander.
Narrowing eyes, the elf shuffled the young woman back until her thigh pressed against the wall.
Kept voice soft. “Klista?”
The Shiv cocked her head. “I hope you’ve got a way out.”
“Pass the lantern.”
“The what?”
Eli, oblivious to everything else, slit the throat of the boy. Blood washed out in a red fan, and the grizzled mercenary let out a long sigh. Kissed his fingertips and then dipped them in the blood.
Held his hand to the sky.
“You hear me, Fali? I kill them for you. All of them! With my knife!”
“I think we killed them for you, you ungrateful prick,” Klista growled, handing the lantern to the elf.
Eli shrugged. “A good fighter uses the best weapons he can get.”
Nysta set the lantern down on the ledge. Let the cheery glow engulf the platform wi
th the pretence of warmth. Then bunched her fist around Analia’s silks. Pulled her close. A shield against stray arrows.
And then Hideg rushed onto the platform, cheeks bright red ad eyes blazing. Hissed between teeth; “Just what the fuck are you doing? You weren’t supposed to do this. We had an agreement! Didn’t you understand your instructions?”
The elf stared at him. “I got your instructions, feller? Maybe more than you wanted to give. Figured it best I get the gold now rather than wait for your ork to drag me into a temple where you can cut my hand off at the wrist. Slit my throat. That’s what you were planning, right?”
Jaw dropped.
Eyes flicked from Analia to the elf. She could see his mind racing the option, but that cunning showed how close she’d hit the mark. “You don’t understand…”
