Chapter 411 Assassin (1/2)
Arran gave Kaleesh a flat look ”As , I hoped you had soh he did not glance backward as they h the city's streets — so as not to tip off their pursuer — his Sense ht
And with as poor a job as theinconspicuous, it only took hiht had clearly not been sent for his proficiency as a spy
The captain shrugged ”We have time I doubt he'll attack with others around Chances are he intends to wait until we leave the city, then make his move as we travel back to the arhtfully ”But we still need a plan” He pondered the situation for some moments, then added, ”We could ask Lady Merem for help”
”Or the church,” Kaleesh replied ”I expect either would offer help if asked But following us is no crime, and the request would leave us indebted to the side that offered aid”
This thought had occurred to Arran, as well And worse, receiving the aid of either Lady Mere that they had chosen a faction That would afford the them far more powerful enemies than they already
”We'll have to deal with him ourselves,” he finally decided ”And we'll have to do it today”
”Today?” Confusion ritten across Kaleesh's face as he stared at Arran ”It's a Knight How do you propose we deal with him?”
Arran replied at once ”An ambush He won't expect us to strike first, much less here in the city Unless we ask either Lady Merem or the church for help, it's our best chance”
An uneasy frown crossed Kaleesh's face ”It ood chance I know you defeated a Knight once, but…”
”In a fair fight, hts would still defeat me,” Arran adht a fair one” He cast a glance at the taverns and inns around theh with this, we'll have to do it after sunset, anyway”
And perhaps, if they were lucky, the situation would change while they ate Perhaps the Knight's backer would call him off at the last ating violence in Sacrifice
It was a so Because even if he'd already bested a Knight, he had so the feat
Finding a tavern for a meal proved more difficult than Arran had expected While the city held many inns and taverns,food that looked barely edible and with drunken Rangers and soldiersup most of the custoroups, Arran saw, and uessed to be recent battles
”You could grow rich running a tavern in this city,” Kaleesh observed ”With troops returning froers of the Desolation, they'll spend their coin easily when celebrating their survival”
”Maybe,” Arran said ”But don't you think the church takes most of it?”
As realization dawned in the captain's eyes, his intrigued frown turned sullen ”You're probably right” He shook his head, annoyance clear in his eyes ”I suppose that in Sacrifice, even the brothels' earnings end up in the church's coffers”
”There are brothels in the city?” Arran looked at Kaleesh with soht such things would be absent
”Of course,” Kaleesh said ”See that tavern?” He pointed to one of the many taverns that lined the street they were on — one especially full of drunken revelers ”At least half the people there aren't soldiers, and most locals wouldn't visit a place like that The ones that do… well, a few coins, and you can easily find soave him a flat look ”Perhaps you should put your skills to work on finding us a tavern that serves a proper meal”
To his relief, Kaleesh successfully did so just a fewtheested that she had ood food
The ood as Arran had hoped — a meaty stew, served at a price more reasonable than any they'd found in Sacrifice — and when they finished the last of the food an hour later, he cast a satisfied look at his empty plate
Yet his contentment lasted only a moment before a frown returned to his face He could Sense that the Knight aiting perhaps a hundred paces away, hiding aroup of soldiers outside a tavern they'd passed earlier
With evening already fallen and the streets filled with drunken soldiers, going unnoticed would be an easy matter even for so clumsy an assassin
”He's still there,” Arran said in a low voice ”Waiting for us”
Kaleesh sighed ”Then we go through with your plan, such as it is What do you have in mind?”
Arran hesitated, but only for a second ”If he wants to kill us both, then I'll be his first target — once I' to you should be an easy ht,” Kaleesh admitted reluctantly ”So you want to use yourself as bait?”
Arran nodded ”We'll leave through the back There are sooes” He'd Sensed only two people passing in the past hour, and right now, the alleys behind the tavern stood eht to attack — or be ambushed
”We'll split up behind the tavern,” he continued, ”and you'll continue toward the crowded street ahead I'll re down another alley”
”You can do that?” Kaleesh asked, a hesitant look in his eyes
”I can” At least, Arran thought he could Weakening his aura to the Knight's Sense shouldn't be too difficult using Shadow Essence, and his control was good enough to have the o unnoticed
”Then let's ”
The tavern keeper gave them an odd look when they said they'd prefer to leave fro to avoid soave a sympathetic nod and pointed them toward the back door
The alley behind the tavern was dark and carried the foul smell of drunks' emptied bladders, but Arran barely noticed it His focus was solely on his Sense, and he could tell that the Knight was already hurrying behind them
The alley branched in two parts barely fifty paces from the tavern, and as they reached the so ahead,” Arran said ”There's a crowded street nearby”
”But what about—” Kaleesh began