David Dalglish: A Dance of Shadows

“Follow me,” he told Martin, cutting hard to his right. They ducked into an alley, then dove through a window upon reaching a dead end. Thren landed hard atop a table, then rolled to avoid Martin’s fall. Banging one of his knees on the way to the floor, Thren clenched his teeth and muttered a litany of curses at whoever had placed the table there. A woman stood screaming, and he slashed out her throat, not giving a thought to her corpse as they ran up the stairs. On the rooftops they were truly at home, and they leaped across with practiced ease. Once the guards were far behind, Thren stopped.

“Damn it,” he muttered as Martin slowed up ahead, realizing his guildmaster was not keeping pace. A cramp stung Thren’s side, and he tried to push it into a corner of his mind so it wouldn’t bother him. It would have been easier if he weren’t so desperate for air. Old , he thought. Was this what it meant to get old? Despite his training, despite his legendary skill, he’d still just be a weary man gasping for air while the young ran on?

“You feeling fine, Thren?” Martin asked.

“Don’t ask stupid questions,” Thren snapped. “What just happened there?”

Martin shrugged. “Looks like mercenaries going out hunting for thieves. We’ve seen it before.”

Thren shook his head. “Yes, but not since the Watcher’s agreement. Have they learned nothing? We nearly burned this city down before. Do they think we cannot do it again?”

Martin walked over to the edge of the roof, knelt on one knee, and peered down.

“Thren,” he said. “You might want to look at this.”

Thren joined him at the side, and if his insides were already hard, they now turned to iron. Hundreds of soldiers wearing the sun-and-wings insignia patrolled the streets. His mind flashed back to the bloody conflict four years prior, but it didn’t match up. Back then Alyssa had unleashed a horde of mercenaries upon the city, smashing in homes, cutting down anyone suspected of guilt, and filling the city with fear. This, though…

“They’re orderly,” he said, with a hint of wonder. “Calm.”

“Not just that,” Martin said, pointing. “They’re only talking to most. What do you think they’re doing?”

Thren could spot a thief without even trying, and he saw at least seven weaving through the heavy crowd of the main street. None dared act. When one neared the soldiers, Thren thought they might spot the cloak and attack, but they did not.

“They’re arresting thieves, but not at random,” Thren said. “Who ordered this? Whose soldiers are these?”

Martin paced the roof until he was beside an alley jutting off from the main route. Waving Thren over, he pointed to a trio of soldiers marching below them.

“Think they’ll know?” he asked, grinning.

Thren drew his short swords.

“Answers,” he said. “One way or another.”

When the soldiers were directly beneath, the two leaped to the ground, like hawks descending upon their prey. The soldiers’ chain mail was finely woven, but Thren managed to jam a blade between his victim’s coif and collar, piercing flesh. The thrust wasn’t deep as planned, for the man immediately spun to one side and fell to a knee. Thren twisted the blade free, then made to cut across the throat with his other sword, but was not fast enough. A second soldier blocked the attack, standing protectively before his fallen comrade.

Thren gave him no reprieve, weaving a quick series of strikes to test his foe’s skill. Much to his surprise, and annoyance, the soldier blocked them all. Curses filled Thren’s mind. From the corner of his eye, he saw Martin battling the third soldier. Unlike Thren, he’d not managed a solid blow during his fall, his dagger failing to penetrate the chain mail. The two fought close, Martin trying to negate the soldier’s advantage of longer reach.

“Who pays you?” Thren asked, feinting with one hand and then thrusting with the other. He expected no answer, only hoped to distract his foe. It didn’t work. The thrust was parried harmlessly away, and then the soldier stepped in, expertly weaving his weapon in a beautiful counter. Thren flung himself to the side, bit his tongue as he felt steel slash across his arm. Blood stained his gray shirt and cloak. His fury growing, the rush of battle flooding through him, he lunged at his opponent with both blades. When the soldier blocked, Thren pressed on, hacking and slashing with such ferocity his opponent fell back in retreat. The wounded soldier no longer protected, Thren stopped for just a moment to stab him in the neck, then kick his corpse aside.

“What fool brought you to your deaths?” Thren asked as he swallowed, his mouth feeling dry. He was losing blood fast, he knew. Had to get it attended to. The soldier started to respond, but Thren spun, his attention no longer on him. Martin had fought the other soldier to a standstill, the two so focused that neither sensed his sudden appearance. Thren’s short sword pierced the small of the soldier’s back. A twist, a yank, and the man dropped. Martin nodded in thanks, and then the two turned on the last. Thren thought he’d run, but he did not, only stood his ground.

“Left,” Thren said softly. When they both attacked, Martin did as told, veering to the left and cutting in with his dagger. The soldier shifted to the side, easily parrying it away, but the motion kept him from falling into a retreat. That was all Thren needed. A trio of slashes batted the sword out of position, and then his own blades sliced in, jamming through the soldier’s throat. The man gurgled, his eyes widened, and then he dropped. Thren pulled his sword free, shook blood off it.

“Fuck!” Thren yelled, kicking the corpse. His arm stung, and when his battle lust faded, he knew it would hurt even more. Worse, they’d failed in their goal.

“Hard to interrogate a man who has no throat,” Martin said, jamming his dagger into his belt.

Thren sheathed his swords, then checked the wound on his arm. Not too deep. It would leave a scar, just one more among hundreds. Glancing out the alley, he saw people passing, and several spotted the carnage. They wisely kept their mouths shut, but it would be only moments before someone wasn’t so smart.

“Back home,” Thren said. “We know too little. It isn’t safe.”

They took to the roofs once more and ran, Thren gritting his teeth against the pain. The chaos of the main streets vanished behind them until they reached the Thirsty Mule. Martin went first to ensure none of the mysterious soldiers were about. The way clear, he beckoned Thren in, and together they entered the cellar of their headquarters, disguised as a simple inn.

The place was abuzz with rumors and questions. Amid the pain, Thren estimated at least twenty of his guild milling about, swapping stories and making guesses. They’d fled home when the soldiers flooded the streets, but how many had not made it? At Thren’s entrance the conversation quieted, and several tilted their heads with respect. No doubt they wished to ask him questions, but seeing his wound, they wisely let him be.

“Where’s Murphy?” Thren asked as he took a seat at the bar, banging his fist on the wood in demand of a drink. One of the smaller thieves, Peb, rushed over, grabbing glasses.

“I’ll get him,” Martin said.

“What’ll it be?” asked Peb. He was quick, and had big ears. They’d called him Mouse for a while, then switched to Pebble after Thren put a stop to it. No thief of his was a mouse. They were Spiders, lurkers, killers-even their smallest carrying dangerous venom.

“Hardest we have,” Thren said. By the time Peb gave him his glass, Murphy had arrived, a small box in hand.

“How bad is it?” Murphy asked.

“Bad enough.”