The Pyramid Waltz

by Barbara Ann Wright

  The crossbowman cursed, rolled Starbride off him, and got to his knees. He grabbed her bound wrists while reaching back a fist. Starbride tried to push him away with her feet and fought the urge to scream. Agony spiked through her wrists and shoulders, and she would’ve sworn her hands were about to come off. The crossbowman slapped at her legs and drew back again to hit her, but a leather-clad arm tangled with his before he could launch the fist at her head. The crossbowman turned, and Katya’s masked man stuck a knife in his throat.

  Starbride stared as blood welled around the blade and dripped on the front of her dress. She swallowed and strained away. The masked man pulled the dead man off her and laid him to the side. Starbride opened her mouth to ask about Katya, but the masked man laid a finger across the lips of his mask and then untied her wrists with long, quick fingers.

  “They don’t know I’m loose,” she whispered.

  He nodded, stepped back, and pulled her to her feet to eye her up and down.

  “What?” For a moment, she thought he was going to remark on the hideousness of her dress. Instead, he bent and removed the dead man’s clothing quickly, as if he was used to undressing dead men. He gave her the pilfered clothes and then pointed at her dress.

  She glanced from her dress to the clothes and tried to forget they belonged to a corpse. “You’re right. They’re better than what I’m wearing.” This man was on Katya’s side—Starbride supposed she had to trust him. “I’ll need help with my laces.” He nodded, and she turned. She shuddered as he unlaced her, though the mask made her more comfortable than if his face had been bare. No matter what he was feeling, she couldn’t see it, and if he wouldn’t speak, she couldn’t hear it. Gooseflesh ran over her entire body, and she fought the urge to wrap her arms around herself.

  When the masked man finished with the laces, he turned his back, and she hauled the dress over her head, threw it to the floor, and shivered in her meager undergarments. She donned the dead man’s clothes as best she could, stuffing the long legs of the trousers into the large boots. The shirt hung to her knees. She tapped the masked man on the shoulder, and to her surprise, he picked up the dress and held it against his lean frame.

  Starbride choked off a laugh. “Do you think it suits you?”

  He draped the dress over one arm, laced his fingers together, and put the backs of his hands under his chin, tilting his head. Starbride chuckled but then paused. “They don’t know I’m loose,” she whispered again. An idea formed in her head.

  He tapped the side of the mask’s nose and pointed at her, and she knew they had the same idea. “Come on,” she said. “I’ll show you where they kept me. I had a bag over my head, but you’ll have to give me your boots and gloves.”

  Chapter Fifteen: Katya

  Katya once again had to clamp her teeth on her impatience as she waited for Darren to make his move. He had to have a trick in mind. No one who talked as much as he did operated without a card up his sleeve. She’d started to tune him out when he finally said, “Enough talk. I’ve got a surprise for you, Princess.”

  “Finally,” Katya whispered. “Ready flash bomb.”

  “Bring her!” Darren said. One of his men went up a stairway at the back, and Katya tightened her grip on her rapier. When they brought Starbride in, she planned to hit them hard. She cleared her throat, and Brutal cleared his, signaling that he understood.

  In a matter of moments, they led Starbride down the stairway. She had a bag over her head that also covered her shoulders, but there was no mistaking the dress. Blood spotted the front of it, and Katya’s temples began to pound with her pulse. Her leading foot moved, but then she paused, hearing Brutal pause beside her. Unless Katya was much mistaken, Starbride had gotten taller.

  “Who’s that?” Crowe said.

  Darren frowned before he hauled Starbride toward him. Her wrists were bound in front of her, and her feet were bare, but both hands and feet seemed larger and paler than they should have been. “A simple trade,” Darren said. “You for this girl.”

  Katya almost said, “And what girl would this be?” but she kept herself to, “And what will you do with me once you’ve got me?”

  Darren pulled a knife from his belt and waved it near the false-Starbride’s bagged head.

  Behind Katya, Crowe gasped. “That knife.”

  Katya didn’t have time to ask. “Ready flash bomb.”

  “Time’s up,” Darren said. He pulled the hood up over a Laughing Jack mask and stared as the binding fell from Pennynail’s wrists. With one quick motion, Pennynail stabbed Darren in the shoulder with a hidden knife.

  “Now,” Katya said.

  “Temperance!” Crowe yelled, and something flew over Katya’s head. She averted her eyes, hoping Pennynail heard the signal. Too many enemies closed their eyes when someone said, “Flash bomb!” The residue of the bright flash lit the inside of her closed eyelids, and one person cried out in pain.

  Katya and Brutal ran toward where Pennynail wrestled with Darren. One of the other men held his face and shook his head, but the other two, Cassius and one of the unnamed fellows, leapt forward, their faces clear of confusion and pain.

  In the corner, a crossbowman stood from behind a pile of rubble, his weapon raised. He fell backward with a yelp as a green-fletched arrow appeared in his chest as if by magic. Maia had reached the balcony. Katya heard another cry from the rubble pile behind her.

  Katya reached her opponent just as he drew his sword. She launched an attack, but he countered and dropped into a defensive stance. She lunged; he blocked again and shifted position amongst the rubble, trying to get higher. Katya stepped lightly onto a pile of bricks, and he pressed his attack while she was off balance. She blocked his sword and then kicked his knee, making him stagger. He recovered quickly and slashed, slicing her calf in a quick arc of pain. She climbed farther up the rubble, and he jumped after her.

  He hacked, using the strength in his taller body, but she didn’t play his game. She left off blocking and stayed ahead of his swings, turning his lunges into stumbles. Nearby, Katya heard Brutal roar, and one of his opponents went flying behind hers, the man’s chest a ruin. Her opponent tripped, and Katya ducked under his halfhearted slash. She stuck one leg out behind her as she stabbed forward and sank her rapier into his heart. His eyes rolled as he slumped, and she slid her sword from his chest.

  Pennynail had Darren on his knees with both arms behind his back. Katya gestured at the gown over his usual leather. “Tell me you found more than just the dress.”

  He nodded and jerked Darren’s arms higher. Darren twisted, his face creased with pain and anger. “Let go of me, peasant!”

  “That’s always a dead giveaway,” Brutal said. Not even breathing hard, he held Cassius in a chokehold. Cassius’s face went from red to purple, and he tugged on Brutal’s arms to no avail.

  “Are you planning to kill him, Brutal?” Katya asked.

  “Just waiting for a bit of the fight to go out of him. You want him alive, yeah?”

  “Please.” She turned back to Pennynail. “Where—?”

  Crowe grabbed Darren’s dropped knife and waved it. “Where did you get this?”

  “Crowe?” Katya asked.

  He ignored her and pressed the knife close to Darren’s smug mouth. “Where did you get this?”

  “From his body, old man, before we gave it to the dogs.”

  Crowe punched Darren across the face. Darren’s head twisted to the side, and he half slumped before Pennynail hauled him upright again.

  Katya grabbed Crowe’s arm. “What are you doing?”

  He shook the knife at her. “Do you know who this belonged to?”

  A small emerald glittered in the knife’s guard. Memory stirred, but Katya couldn’t place it. “Save it. We’ve got to clear the rest of this place.”

  Crowe tucked the knife into his satchel, and Katya turned to the others. Cassius had stopped kicking, and Brutal let him slide to the ground. “Tie these two up. One of you sta
ys with them while the other goes with Crowe. Where’s Starbride?”

  Pennynail pointed at the staircase. “Safe?” Katya asked. He nodded. “Maia?” she called.

  Maia stood from behind the balcony railing. “Here.”

  “Crowe and either Brutal or Pennynail is coming to join you.”

  “Gotcha.”

  Katya started up the stairs. Minimal traps, a pushover of a villain, it was all too easy. There had to be something else to all this. A single room waited at the top of the staircase; the only other exit was blocked by rubble. “Star?”

  Starbride peeked through a gap in the wall, and Katya realized she’d been hiding outside the building. It was brilliant and perfect. She stepped inside wearing too-large clothing, and she was the cutest thing Katya had ever seen, in spite of the danger, in spite of everything. Katya sheathed her blade, crossed the room in a few strides, and threw her arms around Starbride, her anger forgotten as she buried her face in Starbride’s hair.

  “I’m all right,” Starbride mumbled into her shoulder.

  “And you’re better dressed.”

  Starbride tilted her head, her eyes tired. “It’s been a long week.”

  “Want a ride home?”

  “You left me in the palace while you went investigating.”

  “Yes.” She knew this conversation had to happen but hoped to postpone it.

  “And I saw you kiss that courtier.”

  Katya nearly stepped back. “It seems I’ve met the most observant woman alive.” After a long sigh, she stroked Starbride’s cheek. “It’s a part I have to play, and I hate it.” Tears threatened the corners of her eyes. “You see everything. You saw me, the thing inside me, and you didn’t run away. You saw everything, and you still came running after me. Star, I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

  “I was going to yell at you like you’d never been yelled at before.”

  “Let’s skip that and go right to I’m sorry, and I love you.”

  Starbride’s eyes widened before she wrapped her arms around Katya’s neck and pressed their lips together. Katya didn’t waste the moment. She clasped Starbride’s waist and drew their bodies closer.

  From the doorway, someone cleared her throat. Katya almost expected to see Averie, but Maia stood there, grinning from ear to ear. “I came to get Pennynail’s boots and gloves. And Brutal’s calling for us downstairs.”

  Katya glared at her. “We’re coming.”

  “The boots and gloves are in the corner,” Starbride said.

  Maia retrieved them, winked, and hurried away. Katya helped Starbride clonk down the stairs in her too-large boots. “I can carry you part of the way, if you’d like,” Katya said.

  Starbride snorted. “Part of the way, no doubt. And after that, you’d stagger and fall, and we’d break our necks.” She gave Katya a serious look. “I still plan to yell at you, love or not.”

  Once outside, Starbride and Lord Hugo clasped hands, each exclaiming relief at seeing the other alive. Crowe sat on the ground near the horses and held a bloody cloth over his left knee. He glared at the injury with an affronted expression.

  Brutal and Pennynail loaded Cassius and Darren, both bound and gagged, on top of the horses. After helping to tie them in the saddles, Averie knelt by Crowe and replaced his bloody cloth with a clean one. Katya crouched beside them. “What happened, Crowe?”

  He nodded at the house. “I found and canceled every active pyramid and then stumbled over a broken brick.”

  “How bad are you?”

  “I’m fine.”

  Katya nodded at his knee. “Do you want me to poke that to show you how hurt you are?”

  He gave her a sullen look but didn’t argue. Katya took one of the bandages and tied it around her calf. The damage was minimal, but it seeped a bit, and she didn’t want to leak all the way home.

  When she stood, she stared at the manor house. These criminals were cunning and adept. Lord Hugo mentioned that they’d meant to take one of Katya’s friends. When presented with Starbride instead, they’d adapted. They were too smart to be hiding out with minimal protection and a few thugs. The only wounds they’d managed to inflict had been a slice to Katya’s calf, an accidental gouge to Crowe’s knee, Lord Hugo’s injuries, and some minor scrapes.

  “What now?” Brutal asked from beside her.

  “Were you hurt, Brutal?”

  He shrugged. “A few bruises.”

  “This is too easy. The only one we didn’t catch was the thirty-something bearded man. The rest went down like warm milk.”

  “We’ve already searched the place. Nothing interesting. Let’s take our new friends back to the palace and have a chat.”

  “What if that’s what they wanted all along?”

  “To be taken inside the palace? Well, we could pyramid them out here.”

  “No!” Crowe said from their feet. He struggled to stand. “We wait until the palace to interrogate them!” he said in a strangled whisper.

  Katya stared. “What is going on with you?”

  He swallowed and turned his gaze to the ground. “I’m sorry, Highness. Please, I’d like to wait until the palace.”

  Everyone stared at them. Even Darren and Cassius watched, and Darren still had some of his smug look, even with a reddened, bruising cheek and his bandaged shoulder. “Crowe, come and speak with me,” Katya said. He limped forward, and she led him a short distance from the others. “Tell me.”

  “I can’t.”

  “The knife?”

  “It’s caught up with me.”

  Katya blinked. “What has?”

  “Time!” He spat the word. “The thing no man can outrun: time!”

  “Crowe…” She’d never considered his hold on sanity fragile, but he sounded too much the madman.

  “Please, Katya.” He looked deep in her eyes, and she was shocked to see unshed tears in his. “I’ll use the pyramid on them in the palace, but not out here, not in front of others. Please. This was all too easy. You must have felt it.”

  “Yes.”

  “Not…not if their aim was to split us up.” He caressed his satchel and stared at nothing. “I pray they haven’t succeeded.” Quick as a snake, he focused on her again. “Please, let’s go back.”

  “Well, we can’t do it in front of Lord Hugo, anyway. Here, let me carry the satchel.”

  The unshed tears nearly fell, and she could see that her words wounded him. For everything he said about suspecting everyone, distrust cut him to the core.

  “Because it seems to pain you and because your obsession with it amuses one of our guests.” She nodded at Darren, and Crowe gave her the satchel, but his hurt expression didn’t change.

  “Mount up,” Katya said. Pennynail offered Starbride the dress again, but she refused after a little laugh. Katya stepped close to her. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were enjoying yourself just a little.”

  “This is my second adventure in a very short time, and it’s turning out much better than the first, despite the fact that I was scared out of my mind for most of it.”

  Katya kissed Starbride’s temple, but she couldn’t relax and enjoy the moment. The situation didn’t smell right no matter how she moved it around in her mind. The entire house should have been trapped. There should have been twice as many guards. They never should have left Starbride alone. What had been the point of it all? Was there a trap they didn’t spring? Maybe it was a trick to get her out of the palace.

  “Let’s move.” She guided her horse to Lord Hugo’s. “I don’t wish this adventure bandied about court, Lord Hugo.”

  “But, Princess, you saved your lady from a band of ruffians. All should praise you!”

  “Honor lives in one’s own heart, don’t you think? It doesn’t need court gossip to puff it up. That leads to ego and too much pride.”

  He nodded slowly, and she knew she had him. “Admirable thought, truly admirable.”

  “Thank you. And as for your nose…”

  “
I’ll tell everyone I was involved in a fight, but due to a matter of honor, I cannot elaborate. Your man Brutal was kind enough to recover my rapier from these rogues, so I needn’t admit I was robbed.”

  “Excellent. And if this adventure does get around court…” She leaned forward, a sinister smile in place. “I’ll know who started the rumor.”

  Lord Hugo’s answering look carried a twinge of worry. “Indeed, Highness. You’ve nothing to fear from me.”

  “Good man.” She clapped him lightly on the shoulder. As she rode back to Starbride, she rolled her eyes to the heavens.

  Chapter Sixteen: Starbride

  Starbride rode next to Lord Hugo for most of the trip, with Katya coming to her side now and again before circulating among their companions. At the head of the group, the two men Maia had named Brutal and Pennynail rode on either side of the captives.

  In her head, Starbride tried to make a list of everything she would say to Katya once they were alone. If these men were the ones Katya had been seeking, or if she’d been on the trail of someone else, why hadn’t she involved the king’s Guard? How did Crowe and Pennynail become part of the expedition when Starbride hadn’t seen them leave Marienne with Katya? There were secrets here, and she couldn’t leave them alone when they involved her. Well, she couldn’t leave secrets alone at the best of times, she admitted that, but this wasn’t the best of times. Secrets now could get her killed.

  And she’d have to discuss with someone the fact that she’d been called a pyradisté. She thought Crowe would be badgering her for information already, but he seemed distracted, staring ahead with a morose look on his face and talking to no one. Starbride decided to tell Katya when they were alone, after she’d been given some answers.

  She glanced at Lord Hugo and wondered what all he’d been told. He smiled when he caught her looking, his mouth slightly open so he could breathe; the middle of his face was one large bruise, and he hunched slightly because of the knife wound in his back. Through most of the trip, he’d been sneaking glances at Maia. “She’s very pretty.”