Assassin's Charge: An Echoes of Imara Novel

by Claire Frank

  The crowd thinned and Rhis turned down a side street, then let her shoulders relax. Asher fidgeted behind her.

  “Be still,” she said.

  “I’m hungry.”

  “You said so already,” she said.

  “I wouldn’t be if you would stop so we could eat,” he said.

  Rhis sighed. Despite how often she explained their plans, Asher tended to forget as soon as he decided he was hungry or tired. “I already said we need to get to the harbor. You aren’t going to drop dead of hunger in the next few hours.”

  “You there, on the horse,” a voice called from behind them.

  Pulling the reins, Rhis brought the horse to a stop and looked back. “Yes?”

  Two city guards walked toward them, their hands resting on the pommels of their swords. “Dismount,” one of them said. “Both of you.”

  Rhis considered her options. The streets leading out of the city were crowded, and making a quick escape on horseback would be nearly impossible. She and Asher might be able to lose the guards if they fled on foot, but she’d have to leave most of their supplies behind.

  “Off the horse,” the guard said.

  Asher wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “Just get down.”

  She helped Asher dismount and slid out of the saddle.

  “Are you Rhisia Sen?” the guard asked.

  “No,” Rhis said, drawing her eyebrows in as if confused. “My name is Lauris and my son is Will.”

  The guard glanced at his companion. Rhis could just hear as he leaned in and whispered. “Is she supposed to have a kid with her?”

  The other man shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t think so.”

  Relief washed over Rhis. Cormant clearly had a contact in Sunhold, to have the guards looking for her so quickly, but he didn’t know about Asher.

  “You need to come with us,” the guard said.

  Rhis raised her eyebrows and let her mouth drop open, drawing her arm around Asher to pull him close. “I don’t understand. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “Don’t matter,” he said. “This way.”

  Raising her hand to her mouth, she gasped. “Oh no,” she said, making sure her voice quavered. “I’m supposed to take a ship to Altia. Will’s father is in the Emperor’s army, and he sent for us. I’m afraid we will miss our ship.”

  Asher stayed blessedly silent as the second guard shook his head. “Look, we have orders.”

  She flicked her eyes between the two men and bit her lip, keeping a protective arm around Asher. “Very well. I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble.”

  The first guard took the reins and nodded them forward. Rhis grasped Asher’s hand and kept him close as they followed the other guard down the street, with the second guard leading her horse behind them.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  The guard in front cast a glare at her. “Just follow.”

  Rhis looked ahead as they turned down another road. They would be taking her to their garrison to see someone in charge—a captain, perhaps. Once they got to the garrison, it would be more difficult to get away. She might not have access to her horse and supplies. Although she was confident in her ability to maintain her false identity, even under questioning, a search would uncover her rather considerable cache of weapons. That would be difficult to explain.

  The noise of the main street faded as they went on, and they turned another corner onto a deserted, narrow road. Perfect.

  Asher glanced up at her, his eyes wide with fear.

  “It’s okay, Will,” Rhis said, squeezing Asher’s hand. “Mother will take care of this.”

  Rhis pushed Asher to the side and drew a sleek dagger with a narrow crossguard. Turning, she threw it at the guard who led her horse. The knife plunged into his throat and he made a gurgling sound as he clutched at his neck. The other guard looked back and Rhis threw another dagger, tagging him in the shoulder. She cursed under her breath at the miss and took quick steps toward him, drawing another blade. Grabbing him by the arm, she plunged the knife through his throat. His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open. Pulling the blade out, she pushed him away to avoid the spray of blood, and his legs crumpled beneath him.

  The horse snorted and tossed its head at the smell of blood. Asher stared at the two bodies. Rhis retrieved her knives, then gave the blades a quick wipe with a cloth before putting them away.

  “Let’s go,” she said.

  Asher’s mouth moved, but no sound came. He looked up at Rhis with wide eyes and his lower lip trembled.

  “We have to go, now,” she said, her voice terse.

  He shook his head, looking from Rhis to the dead guards. “You…. They’re….”

  “They were going to kill you when they found out who we are,” she said. “If you’d like to wait here to see what the rest of the guards will do to you, by all means keep standing there.”

  Asher didn’t move, so Rhis grabbed him by the arm and yanked him toward the horse. With a quick glance up and down the street, she hoisted him into the saddle and pulled herself up behind him. His body shook. Grabbing the reins, she nudged the horse forward and pulled her hood over her head.

  Although her heart raced, the feel of adrenaline coursing through her body made it seem as if time had slowed. A plan for escaping Sunhold stretched out before her, showing her each move she must make. Turning her horse, she veered down a side road and glanced up at the sun to orient herself. Someone would find the guards soon. They needed to be out of the city before word spread.

  Avoiding the busier streets was a challenge and she found herself caught in a dead end twice. Eventually she had to lead them back to the main road and join the throng of people. A quick glance up and down showed no guards that she could see, and no one had followed so far. Kicking her horse forward, she made her way into the crowd.

  “Don’t look anyone in the eye,” she said to Asher, pitching her voice low so only he could hear. His body shuddered as he took a breath, and she kept her arm wrapped tight around his waist.

  The guards at the gate scarcely looked up as they passed, obviously more concerned with who came into the city than who left. Rhis risked a few glances back as they made their way through the outer sprawl of ramshackle buildings and a makeshift market, but saw no sign of pursuit. The road led up a small hill and as soon as they were out of sight of the city walls, she turned off the road and kicked the horse to a trot. After passing through a carefully tended grove of trees, they descended down a grassy hill toward a dense forest. Rhis slowed their pace, letting the horse catch its breath, and led them into the woods.

  She took them as deep into the forest as she dared, following the trickling sound of water until they came to a narrow stream. The trees parted, offering a slim view of the sky, and she pulled the horse to a stop at the edge of the water.

  Asher slid down from the saddle and she followed, giving the area a careful look in all directions. Her heart began to race and she looked down at her hands. She needed to get them clean. A basin was always preferable, but she decided the stream would do. Asher watched as she dug into her pack and pulled her soft brush, then knelt at the stream’s edge and plunged her hands into the icy water.

  She drew the brush across her hand with smooth strokes, counting. With each pass, her shoulders relaxed and the sense of panic abated.

  “Why did you do that?” Asher said, breaking the silence.

  Rhis’s back tensed and a burst of adrenaline filled her. She whipped her head around to look at him. “Don’t interrupt me.”

  Asher’s eyes were wide, but Rhis turned back to the stream, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Holding her shaking hands above the water, she swallowed hard and took a deep breath. She dipped her hands again and counted out twenty-eight strokes, running the brush along the back of her left hand. As she finished with her right, her breathing evened and the surge of fear dissipated. She got to h
er feet and put the brush away.

  “What are you doing?” Asher asked.

  She glanced at him. “I had to wash my hands.”

  “Why?”

  “You ask too many questions,” Rhis said. The truth was, she didn’t have an answer. She washed her hands after every kill, always twenty-eight strokes across the front and back of each hand. If she didn’t, she knew something terrible would happen. Although she couldn’t be certain of what, the feeling was so pervasive she’d long since stopped questioning it.

  She pulled a map out of her pack and unfolded it. Sunhold was no longer an option, and she needed to find another route back to Altia.

  “Why did you do that?” Asher asked. “Why did you—”

  “Is that the first time you’ve seen someone die?” she said, looking up from the map.

  Asher nodded.

  “I told you, they would have killed both of us if they found out who we were. Would you rather be dead?”

  “No. But you didn’t have to do that. You told them you weren’t who they were looking for. I could have said I was named Will. They would have let us go.”

  “No, they wouldn’t,” she said. “You don’t seem to understand, Asher. Someone wants you dead, and now they want me dead, too. Until I can clear this up in Altia, we can’t take that risk.”

  Rhis traced her finger along the map, quickly deciding on a new route.

  “But I saw them die,” he said, his voice shaking. “I saw their life spill out like water.”

  Lowering the map, she looked at the boy. His arms were wrapped around himself and his face was pale.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said. His reaction was puzzling, but she reminded herself that he was a child who had been isolated from the worst the world had to offer. “Everyone dies. There’s no great mystery to it. Some die sooner than others. If I can help it, I always prefer to be the one who lives.”

  She tucked the map away and closed the pack. “We need to keep moving. I think we should make our way overland to Varale. It’s a stinking pit of a city, but we’ll be able to find passage.”

  Asher looked around, his face contorted in a grimace, but he nodded and let Rhis help him back into the saddle.

  “Are you still hungry?” she asked.

  He shook his head, looking rather ill. She hoped he wouldn’t be sick on her. She mounted in front of him and turned the horse back toward the road, heading in the direction of Varale.

  ELEVEN: PURSUIT

  Rhis couldn’t help but look over her shoulder frequently as they made their way down the road. They’d gotten out of Sunhold too easily. As much as she wanted to cut across country, her map only showed the main routes, and without being familiar with the area, she risked getting lost. She had to hope they could make it to the crossroads and turn east toward Varale without being stopped.

  “Is someone following us?” Asher asked, as Rhis darted another backward glance.

  “No.”

  “Then why do you keep looking?”

  She pulled the horse to a stop, not bothering to answer. “We’ll need to walk for a while. The horse can’t carry both of us all day.”

  Asher slid down from the saddle, and she followed. With the reins in hand, she led them down the road, beads of sweat trailing down her back. The heat was oppressive. Trees loomed in the distance, to the east of the road. The edge of the forest might provide good cover for the night, assuming they hadn’t been followed.

  “Rhis?”

  She glanced over at Asher. “What?”

  The boy nodded his head behind them. “I think someone is coming.”

  Rhis whipped around and looked back the way they’d come. Squinting in the bright afternoon sun, she could see the faint hint of a dust cloud coming from the direction of the road.

  “That could be anything,” she said.

  “It’s men on horses,” Asher said. “They’re riding fast.”

  Rhis narrowed her eyes, but couldn’t make out any details. “You can see that?”

  “My dad says I have good eyes,” Asher said.

  “Apparently,” Rhis said, glancing over at the boy. Was he telling the truth? She looked back and the cloud seemed thicker. He could very well be right. “Back on the horse.”

  Asher scrambled up onto the horse’s back and Rhis pulled herself up in front of him. “Hold on.”

  Pulling the reins to the side, she kicked the horse into motion and veered off the road. Dust billowed around them, but there was no help for it. If Asher was wrong and it was normal traffic, they would continue up the road and pass them by. The road wound through hilly fields and vineyards, offering nowhere to hide. If it was Sunhold guards in pursuit, their only hope would be to reach the forest.

  Rhis pushed the horse as hard as she dared, riding up and down the rolling hills. Casting a glance behind, she could see the cloud of dust, still in line with the road, but moving fast. Whoever it was, they were in a hurry. Asher clung to her waist with a tight grip, his head pressed against her back as the horse flew through the tall grass.

  The trees loomed closer and Rhis looked back. The cloud of dust had swung toward them, shifting away from the road, and she caught a glimpse of riders in the distance. At least five, and there was little doubt they were following.

  With a kick of her heels, she urged the horse on, abandoning caution. The riders were moving fast and there was no way to hide their trail. She estimated they were an hour behind, based on the distance, although they were riding lighter and would be able to travel faster. Her body tingled with a surge of adrenaline, and the world seemed to sharpen, the field and trees ahead sticking out in sharp relief. Hoof beats rang in her ears as the horse pounded its way across the grass, and she made a quick mental inventory of her weapons. She’d have to act fast.

  As the edge of the forest neared, Rhis slowed the horse to a brisk walk. Asher’s grip on her waist remained like iron, and his breath came in ragged gasps against her back. A glance behind showed the riders still in pursuit, so she pushed forward into the trees.

  The ground was thick with underbrush and littered with fallen limbs, brown and green pine needles, and patches of dead leaves. Bits of sunlight filtered through the branches, and the temperature dropped in the shade. Rhis pulled the reins to stop the horse.

  “We’ll need to walk in here,” she said, extricating herself from Asher’s grasp. His eyes were wide and his face pale. She helped him down and her feet crunched on the debris.

  “They’re going to catch us,” he said, his voice trembling.

  “No, they’re not,” she said. “Trust me.”

  Asher looked up at her, his face frozen with fear, and nodded. She took the reins and led them deeper into the trees, looking for a place to hide the boy. Picking her way through the foliage, she glanced up at the tall firs and pines. Most had tall trunks; the lowest branches were high above their heads. Others were smaller, with narrow limbs that angled upward, dangling pale yellow and green leaves. None were suitable for climbing.

  Rather than find a clear path, she pushed them deeper into the woods amid the thickening undergrowth. The horse struggled to pick its way through the plants, its hooves catching on vines and thin whip-like branches. Rhis drew the horse to a stop. She’d have to leave it and hope they were fortunate enough to recover it later. Chances weren’t good, but traveling on foot was always preferable to being dead.

  “Here, take this,” she said, pulling down one of their packs and handing it to Asher. “The horse won’t make it through here, but we need the cover.” Taking the larger pack, she slung it over her shoulder. The horse stood, blinking at them while she quickly hoisted the last of their supplies onto her back.

  “What are we going to do?” Asher asked, as they trudged through the brush, leaving the horse behind.

  “You are going to hide, while I take care of those guards,” she said.

  “Are you going to kill them?”

  “Obviously.”

 
“You can’t,” Asher said, the pitch of his voice rising. “You can’t just kill everyone.”

  Rhis stopped. “Yes, I can.”

  Asher’s eyes flinched, but he pressed his lips together and met her gaze.

  “I’m trying to keep you alive,” she said, softening her tone. With a shake of her head, she turned and kept moving, listening to be sure Asher followed. His footsteps rustled through the plants as she led them farther into the forest.

  Stopping near a thick tangle of underbrush, she looked around. A large fallen tree cut across the ground, the decaying root system protruding into the air. Behind them was an obvious trail, broken branches and torn leaves marking their passage.

  “They’re going to see where we are,” Asher said.

  “Of course,” Rhis said. “That’s the plan.”

  Asher opened his mouth as if to ask another question, but closed it again.

  Good, he’s learning.

  She pulled a knife from inside her tunic. “Do you know how to whittle?”

  “Sure,” he said.

  “Find some fallen branches, about this thick,” she said, holding up her fingers to show the width. “Make sure they’re sturdy. Whittle the ends into points, nice and sharp.” His mouth dropped but she didn’t give him a chance to protest. “Do it.”

  Asher took the knife and picked his way around the area, looking for suitable branches. Rhis backtracked along their trail, noting places she could set her traps, and picking up bits of wood as she went. Pausing, she glanced back to make sure Asher hadn’t gone too far, and took a few moments to sharpen some of the branches into stakes. She kept on, but stopped in several places to dig holes, making sure they were hidden beneath the low growth, and wedged her sharpened stakes into the depressions.

  There was more to do, but she wanted to get Asher out of the way well before the guards arrived. She made her way back and found Asher sitting beneath the tall roots. He had a fair pile of sharpened branches at his feet and was busily running the knife across another, little curls of wood falling at his feet.