She nodded. “I tried to hide it, but Jared found out anyway. Mildred hid me here for a few days until I was able to slip out of the city unseen.”
“And now that he knows you’re back, what will happen?”
“He’ll try to force me to do daiva until I can’t live without it.” The fear in her voice was increasing with each word. “Then he’ll…he’ll make me one of his girls.”
Jonas grunted with a combination of anger and disgust. “Then Mildred is right. You should leave right away.”
“I can’t,” she replied. “Hank was a member of the Hareesh. No one can get out for now. Not until things calm down.”
Jonas didn’t bother to ask about the Hareesh. Obviously they were some sort of criminal organization. Gazing down at her frail form, he thought that Kat had told him enough for now.
He stood up and gave her a stern look. “I want you to stay with us until I tell you differently. Understand?”
She cocked her head. “Why? I thought you didn’t want me around?”
“I don’t,” he replied. “But there are some things I just can’t abide.” He returned to his cot. “Don’t think this means I’ve changed my mind about you. You’re still nothing but a thieving street urchin.”
“And you’re still a worthless, mean hearted servant,” she shot back, though without very much conviction in her voice.
Jonas fought back a smile as he lay down. But the moment quickly passed. It was taking a great effort to quell the rage he felt for this Jared fellow. To force a young girl into becoming a whore was…unforgivable. Such crimes would have been severely punished when Lord Dragonvein lived.
He squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Absolutely unforgivable.
Chapter Four
The morning brought the sounds of a bustling city into the small room. Jonas was already up and waiting patiently for the others to rouse.
Ethan rubbed his eyes and stretched. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. I hope Mildred remembers to bring us some food. ”
Jonas made no reply to this comment. Instead, he said quite abruptly: “I think we should keep Kat with us for a while longer.”
Ethan cocked his head. “I thought you said…”
“I know what I said. But we may need her help. She knows the city, and we don’t.”
“For how long?” Ethan asked.
“Until we reach the next town. She got us in. We might need her to get us out again.”
“Have you asked her if she even wants to come along?”
“No, he hasn’t,” Kat’s voice chipped in. She was still lying with her back to them. “And being that my debt is now paid, tell me why I should go anywhere with you?”
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want,” said Ethan.
She rolled over to look at them. “And if I don’t, you’ll both end up dead.” She sat up and scratched her head vigorously. “I figure that you lied about having papers, so you’ll be needing fakes. I can tell you where to get them. And I know which guards are honest and which ones can be bribed.”
“So you’ll stay?” Ethan asked.
“For now,” she answered through an exaggerated yawn.
A short time later Mildred came down with a tray bearing three bowls of porridge and cups of honeyed water.
“I’m going to the market later,” said Mildred. “But I’ll leave the back door open for you.”
“Don’t bother,” Kat said. “I won’t be coming back.”
Mildred nodded. “Good.” She turned to Jonas. “Will you get her out of the city?”
“If I can, I will,” he replied. “You have my word.”
Mildred gave Kat a final embrace. “You take care, young lady.”
“I will,” she promised.
Ethan and Jonas thanked Mildred for her help yet again before she left, then hungrily set about their breakfasts. Once done, Kat led them back up onto the street. By now it was already mid-morning and hundreds of people were swarming along the sidewalks and avenues.
“Miltino is more populated than I remember,” remarked Jonas. He was doing his best to follow Kat as she headed west.
“Lately people have been coming in from the country looking for work,” she told him over her shoulder. “Easy pickings for a good thief.”
Jonas frowned. “You will kindly refrain from stealing while you’re in our company. We don’t need the trouble.”
Kat flashed a mischievous grin. “I’ll do my best.” She held up a coin purse. The strings had been cut. “Starting now.”
Ethan couldn’t help but be impressed. He had not seen her do anything, yet she had been able to swipe a purse with both he and Jonas never more than a few feet behind her.
Jonas grumbled. “Don’t make me regret this.”
She tossed the purse to Ethan and winked. “I won’t.”
After a few blocks the houses gave way to small shops and taverns. Vendors of every description were noisily calling out their wares, while street musicians and beggars blocking the walkway made it impossible to move swiftly.
Kat halted in front of a small inn with a sign that read The Heart’s Haven. “The inn keeper here won’t ask too many questions as long as you keep to yourself,” she told them. “And the food’s not bad either.”
Jonas eased past her and opened the door. She stepped in behind him, closely followed by Ethan.
Only a few lanterns hanging from hooks on the wall illuminated the large room, and it took a moment for Ethan’s eyes to adjust to the dim light. To his left, three long dining tables had been placed side by side next to a smoke-stained fireplace. The walls were sparsely decorated with faded paintings and placards, and the clanking of pots and pans carried out from a door just beyond the front desk where a tall, thin man stood reading a tattered book.
He looked up and put down his book. “Three of you, is it?”
Jonas nodded.
“Three coppers per night for one room, five for two,” he continued. “Breakfast and dinner are included, but if you want midday meals it’s extra.”
“Sounds fair,” said Jonas.
“That’s in advance,” he added.
Jonas produced two silver coins. “I’m not sure how long we’ll be staying.”
The man jingled the coins in his hand and shrugged. “As long as you need.” He reached beneath the counter and retrieved a couple of keys. “Follow me.”
He led them to the far end of the dining hall and through a narrow door. Their rooms were only a few doors down on the right. The innkeeper handed Jonas the keys.
“You’ve missed breakfast,” he said. “And dinner won’t be ‘til sundown.”
Jonas nodded, then gave the man an extra copper who took it without courtesy.
The rooms were barren of décor, each furnished with only one large bed, a chair, and a single dresser. Kat raced inside the first one and jumped on the bed, bouncing playfully on her knees. “I think you two have some shopping to do,” she said. “I’ll be fine here.”
“Shopping for what?” asked Ethan.
“Clothes,” Jonas told him.
Ethan took stock of his ill-fitting attire. Yes. It was bad enough that his face looked like he had been in a prize fight. He did not need to give the appearance of having stolen someone else’s clothes as well.
After stowing their small packs in the next room, they left the inn together. It didn’t take long to find shops well suited to their needs. Ethan still had the coins Kat had swiped, and though he felt a bit guilty, used them to purchase a few comfortable shirts, pants, decent walking boots, and a new dagger.
It was well into the afternoon before they were finished, and the thought of supper had both of their stomachs growling as they made their way back to the inn. On drawing close, they saw a short, thin man with stringy black hair and dark complexion standing beside the front door. He was wearing a red shirt with white pants and well-shined boots, all clearly tailored to fit. In one hand he held a mug, while the other was fidg
eting with a small silver knife.
Ethan tensed. There was something about him - something sinister that warned him this was a man not to be taken lightly, in spite of his slight build. Jonas slowed his pace.
The man caught sight of the duo approaching and flashed a toothy smile. “Ah. You must be the companions of my dear friend Kat.” He looked them up and down. “You fit the description perfectly.”
Ethan now regretted not changing his clothes in the shop. Jonas had suggested that he do so, but the lack of a private changing room had allowed his modesty to get the better of him.
“Kat?” said Jonas. “I don’t know anyone by that name.”
The man chuckled and drained his mug. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jared. She might have mentioned me.”
Jonas’ eyes were burning. “Like I said, I don’t know anyone named Kat.”
Ignoring the obvious lie, Jared continued: “When you see her, tell her that she needs to come see me…soon.” He glanced at Jonas’ sword, his tone now turning dark and menacing. “That’s a very nice blade you have there. I wonder…can you use it?”
With the implied threat still hanging, he tossed the empty mug at Jonas and strode briskly away.
Ethan watched as Jared disappeared into the crowded walkway. Jonas threw the mug down, shattering it to pieces.
“Bloody lowlife scum,” he snarled.
They hurried inside and headed directly for Kat’s room. It was empty.
“She must have gotten out before he arrived,” Ethan said, the relief in his voice clear.
“No,” came a voice from behind him. It was Kat. Her smile was unable to hide the fear in her eyes. “When Jared came I hid under the bed.”
Ethan looked at her incredulously. “Didn’t he look there?”
She shrugged. “Nope. Must be my lucky day.”
“I need to have a word with the innkeeper,” Jonas growled. His face was tight as he stalked away.
Kat jumped on the bed. “It’s not the innkeeper’s fault. Jared doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“Well, at least he didn’t find you,” Ethan said. “What does he want anyway?”
She frowned. “I don’t care what he wants. I’m finished with him.”
Ethan could sense that she didn’t wish to speak further on the matter, so he let it drop. Jonas returned a few minutes later with a satisfied look on his face.
“We need to acquire travel papers as soon as possible,” he announced.
Kat directed him to a tavern and told him to inquire with a bartender named Loni.
“It’s best you stay here with Kat in case this Jared fellow returns,” Jonas said before leaving. “If I don’t make it back by morning…well…just get out of Miltino and stay hidden as best you can until I find you.”
Once he had gone, Ethan stepped out briefly to collect their meals. They ate together in Kat’s room, though conversation was guarded. It was clear that neither of them wished to divulge too much information.
Several hours passed. By now, Ethan was growing increasingly concerned that Jonas had not yet returned. Kat, on the other hand, had fallen asleep with a tiny smile on her face.
Ethan was just about to go back to the common room when the door opened. Jonas entered, his expression unreadable.
“Five days,” he muttered while sitting down on the edge of the bed. “He said it would take at least that long to get our papers. And I heard people talking about Hank’s murder. The city guards are questioning everyone.”
“Then we should stay inside,” suggested Ethan.
“Yes,” he agreed. “But not here. Jared knows where we are, and I would bet that sooner or later they’ll question him as well. He can lead them right to us.”
“So what should we do?”
“I checked out a few other places where we can stay,” he replied. “We’ll move from inn to inn until it’s time to leave.”
“Then what?”
Jonas reached in his shirt and pulled out a map. He placed a finger on the dot representing Miltino and moved it along a road leading out of the city. We’ll go north until we reach Branz. Then northwest across country to the mountains.”
“What’s in the mountains?”
“Dwarves.” He folded the map and tossed it onto the dresser. “At least, I hope there’s still dwarves there. But we can discuss that later. Right now, I need rest.”
Pulling off his boots, he settled into the room’s only chair and within minutes was snoring loudly. Ethan laid down on the bed beside Kat and closed his eyes, but sleep did not come so easily for him. It took more than an hour to finally drop off, and when he did, his dreams were filled with visions of fire and death. Dragons fell from the sky, consumed by dark flames.
In the morning his clothes were drenched in sweat and his muscles ached from a night of constant tension. On glancing around the room he saw that Jonas was already up and packed. Kat, meanwhile, was tying her hair in a ponytail, humming softly.
On their way out, Jonas had a quiet word with the innkeeper, then led them to their next destination. They spent the day in their rooms, only coming out to eat.
For the next four days they moved from inn to inn. Ethan was relieved that they saw no sign of Jared, and that the city guards they encountered took no interest in them. Kat suggested that Hank’s death was perhaps now being handled by the Hareesh directly, being that he was one of their own.
It was just after dinner when a message came that their travel papers were at last ready.
“We should leave tonight,” said Jonas. “I’ve had just about enough of Miltino.”
Both Ethan and Kat agreed and began packing their belongings while Jonas went off to collect the papers. By the time he returned they were eager to be going.
The way to the north gate took them through a much more affluent section of the city. The streets were immaculate and extremely well lit by highly polished brass lanterns that hung from posts every few yards. Ethan could not help but be impressed by the elegance of the surroundings. The elaborate wrought iron fences enclosing lovingly cared for gardens, and the houses – some as tall as three stories – were every bit as beautiful as the English manors he had seen during his time there.
When they were only a few blocks from the main avenue leading to the gate, three men who at first they thought to be city guards approached from the opposite direction.
“Imperials,” hissed Kat as they drew near. She slowed her pace and fell in behind Ethan.
Ethan’s heart immediately began to race. He reached back to take her hand, but discovered that she was gone. He quickly scanned the area but couldn’t see her anywhere. The soldiers were already upon them and blocking their path. They were clad in chain mail jerkins and polished black greaves. Atop their heads were black leather helms crowned with a crimson raven.
The soldier in the center glared at them. “Destination?”
“Nowhere in particular,” Jonas replied. “Just out for a walk.”
“Papers,” he demanded, thrusting out a gauntleted hand.
Jonas and Ethan produced their false documents at once. Beads of sweat were beginning to form on Ethan’s brow as the soldier examined them.
He handed the papers to the man on his left. “And now you can tell me why you are carrying these forgeries.” His hand shot to the hilt of his sword.
“They’re not…” Jonas began.
He was cut short. “They’re good enough to fool those idiots at the gate, but not me. Now tell me where you are going and who you really are…now.”
The other two soldiers also placed their hands threateningly on their weapons.
As Jonas struggled to find some authentic sounding story, a voice called out from across the street, cutting through the tension.
“Ah! There you are.”
All eyes turned to see a tall, broad shouldered man in black leather armor and with a long sword at his side trotting over to them. He had dark curly hair and a close cropped beard. What could b
e seen of his face was terribly scarred and weathered, giving him an imposing and somewhat sinister appearance.
“Get back, citizen,” shouted the guard.
The man halted in the middle of the street to regard Jonas and Ethan. “Did you try passing off those ridiculous papers to these men?” He shook his head and clicked his tongue. “You are a couple of fools, for certain.”
“You know these two?” asked the soldier.
“Of course,” he replied. “They are wanted by the Hareesh for questioning.”
The soldier spat on the ground. “I should have guessed that by the very look of you. Well, you can tell the Hareesh that they’re coming with us. And if they don’t like it, they can go to hell.”
The man chuckled. “I was afraid you might say that.”
The newcomer’s hand was a blur as he reached for his belt. Before any of the soldiers could react, a small dagger whipped through the air and sank into the middle soldier’s exposed throat. The other two stared at their dying comrade, momentarily stunned.
By the time they had recovered, the man was already across the street with sword drawn. Frantically, they reached for their own weapons, but two swift blows opened up massive wounds in their necks – the second one of these very nearly removing the head completely.
The man stepped back and watched the bodies fall. “You’ve got to love Imperial arrogance.”
Utterly astonished, Ethan and Jonas simply stood there, unable to move or speak.
“Snap out of it,” the man told them. His eyes swept around. “Where is the girl who was with you?”
The mention of Kat brought Ethan back to his senses. “What girl?”
The newcomer sniffed. “It doesn’t matter. Come with me unless you want to end up in an Imperial prison.”
Jonas planted his feet firmly. “We’re not going anywhere with you.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself. But you won’t get far with the Hareesh on your trail.”
“I…I thought –” stuttered Ethan.
“Not a good time to be thinking,” said the man. “Someone is bound to walk by here soon. And you don’t want to be anywhere near these bodies when they’re discovered.”
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