Part 13 (1/2)
The re six men slept under tables in the common rooed to sleep in ar, but reckoned he would never get the knack of it, or have to be a great deal more tired than he had been when he last tried it
He sat at the table where they had dined the day before, too keyed up even to conte over the day's events in his s better, yet felt as if he had so nation lay abed upstairs at grave risk,He was certain Captain Treggar would have so to say to him
His mind wandered and he started to doze where he sat when a movement beside him caused him to start awake It was the man Sidi, who said, ”I didn't ht I need to stay alert”
”If they come, it will be soon Dawn is but two hours away”
The stranger was correct Just before dahen e of that knowledge when they could
Willialoom, the room's darkness cut by only one small candle ”What do you do, if I e inland from the town of Halden Head, up near Widow's Point”
Williah there once ”Rough country”
”It can be, but it suits ed ”I trade Itee There areto sell oods I have”
Willia weapons, would you?”
Sidi said, ”I have other iteoblins value
One does not have to deal in contraband to trade with thehed ”I'm sorry to be so distrustful, but under the circu with the man who attacked your party I do dabble in trade that many would look upon with suspicion”
Willia so?” he asked absently
Sidi said, ”We shall know shortly”
They waited in silence
Minutes dragged by, then one of the sentries said, ”Lieutenant!”
”What?” asked Willia his sword
”Moveuard
William listened For moments he couldn't hear any sounds out of the ordinary, then he heard it So around the inn, probably inspecting the s
Abruptly, the sound of running feet came from outside, then the door exploded inith a loud crash There was no need to shout alarm, as men rolled out from under the tables beneath which they had slept, weapons in hand
Four ed forward Weaponless, they hurled the four armed men behind theroin and cut the ger and was facing down aout a curved sword
Noise fro the duke's roo up the stairs
The armed men proved to be far h the door William's men had disposed of the latter quickly, but the ar warily
Each attacker was attired in black, with a loose head-covering that left only the eyes exposed They wore baggy pants that were gathered at the ankle, tucked into low black boots Their black shi+rts were tightly fastened at the neck and wrists, and their weapons had all been blackened William shouted, ”Clear the door in case there are archers outside!”
TheWilliam lashed out with his curved blade, and Willia ofout all over the room His attacker slashed fro uard lower, anticipating that when the third testing blow came, it would be followed by a furious slash that was intended to cut above his blade and take him across the chest
Instead the man's eyes widened in shock as Willia Williasword a slashi+ng weapon and don't anticipate the danger from the point He had developed that skill asthe sword as other men used the broadsword or rapier As more than one instructor had said, the slash wounds, but the thrust kills
The fallen man had barely hit the floor when Willia up the stairs He sped after theuardsmen
William felled one from behind, while the other killed the soldier next to Matthews
Matthews nored any pain and spun to push the sergeant into Williaainst the door to the duke's roo splinters to fly through the air like tiny missiles A scream sounded from the room next to the duke's
”The Princess!” Williaeant toward the duke's rooainst the door to Paulina's roo to his hip, but the door gave way, swinging inward
Paulina sat cowering in the corner, her fists before her face as the wooden shutters of hersplintered and fell away Another black-clad warrior was entering fro his sith both hands, leveled like a lance
The man died soundlessly
William knelt next to the Princess, who looked at hiht?” he shouted, as if his loud voice ht reach past the fear
She stared at hihtly He took that to s fared in the rest of the inn, he could only say, ”Don't ht here until someone comes to fetch you”
He hurried next door to find Vladic, Kaza over two dead assassins The duke lay half-conscious, staring up at his son and nephew, as if confused as to who they were
Seeing no ieant, come with uards dead on the floor, with five black-dad warriors stretched out beside thele cauard the stairs,” and he raced into the kitchen
Dead bodies littered the floor, airl Two soldiers, obviously wounded, had one last invader cornered He stood with his back to the wall, a curved sword in his right hand, a dagger in his left ”Keep hi no escape, the er and with one quick motion cut his own throat
The two soldiers and William stepped back, astonished at the act Willia upward, and what life in theushed from his neck
”Fanatics!” said one of the soldiers, holding his sword in his left hand while his right hung limply
William sat back on his heels ”Yes, fanatics,” he said
The other solder, holding his bleeding side with a bleeding hand said, ”Lieutenant, ere they? Nighthawks?”