Freeing Nivaka Read online

  The door banged open, and Alija stifled a shout. He pressed back against the wall and clutched the small dagger in his hand. He stayed there, frozen until the soldiers’ footsteps faded into the night.

  ~*~

  A single oil lamp sat on the table, blinding Alija with its light. Dalan crossed the chamber in a few smooth strides and extinguished the wick, throwing the room into darkness.

  Voices rose in the corridor, and Alija froze. He resisted the urge to hold his breath, though every sound echoed in the small guards’ chamber. The voices grew, accompanied by the clomping of heavy boots on wood floors, and faded again into silence.

  Alija placed a hand on Kai’s shoulder and gestured to the door. Kai nodded and followed Wayra and Dalan out of the room, Alija trailing behind. The door swung closed with a click, loud in the silent hall.

  Rustling fabric and the whisper of slippers filled the hall when the men split into pairs and headed in opposite directions. Alija pressed an ear to each door they passed, listening past the blood pounding in his ears for movement or voices from within before entering and checking for sleeping guards. They hadn’t figured out where Tavan slept, but Dalan had guessed he kept rooms at the back of the house.

  Each room on that hall sat empty and dark. At the end of the corridor, they emerged into a broad open chamber filled with decaying furniture. Feathers and straw spewed from rends in the fabric of every chair and couch. Alija stepped carefully through the chaos to avoid slipping on feathers. They worked their way to the back of the room, where another hall led deeper into the house.

  They followed the same routine with this corridor, listening at doors and checking inside until they stepped into the guards’ barracks. Beds lined the perimeter of the room, each filled with a sleeping soldier. Soft snores and sleepy mumbles rose in a disorganized symphony, and Alija glanced at Kai, who nodded.

  Starting with the closest men, the two friends circled the room in opposite directions, and fueled by the slaughter of all the men that came before them, all the unjust executions and merciless torture of those who had stood up to these guards, they moved silently through the room and systematically checked every man. Half had no pulse—victims of the poison Breda had slipped into their desserts. When Alija or Kai found a man who was still breathing, they slit his throat. When they finished, Alija retched once, struggling to quell the urge to empty his stomach. Their work wasn’t done, and he feared waking soldiers in other rooms.

  The next two chambers were barracks set up exactly like the first. Alija and Kai worked the rooms the same way each time until blood slicked the handle of Alija’s dagger and dripped from his sleeve. Guilt washed over him when he thought of killing the men in their sleep, but he reminded himself of what they had done to Kai and so many others—what they would do to him if they woke—and kept working.

  At the end of the hall, a broad staircase ascended to the next floor. Alija led the way, testing each step before he put weight on it. They’d come too far to have a creaking step give them away.

  When they reached the top of the stairs, Alija set off down the hall, opening doors as they had done below. Sumptuous fabrics and overstuffed furniture filled these rooms, a stark contrast to the mess they’d seen in the downstairs den. Alija’s heart pounded in his ears, blotting out all other sounds. These had to be the governor’s rooms.

  They stepped into an open sitting room, and Kai nodded. A door in the far wall would lead to a bedchamber—hopefully the one they had been searching for. Kai crossed the room first and turned the knob. The door opened soundlessly, and Alija followed him into the darkness beyond. Kai stepped up to the bed when Alija tripped on some discarded bit of clothing and fell. His dagger clattered across the floor, vanishing into the darkness.

  “Hmm? What’s that?” Tavan’s voice ripped through the silence, thick with sleep but instantly recognizable. Blankets rustled as the governor shoved them aside and stood, lighting the lamp with a quick move.

  Blinding light filled the room and Alija blinked against it. He scrambled across the floor, feeling for the dagger.

  “What’s going on here,” Tavan sneered. “You didn’t really think you could sneak up on me, did you? You haven’t learned your lesson yet?” He unsheathed his sword and faced Kai across the rumpled bed.

  Alija grabbed the dagger and stood, positioning himself between the governor and the door.

  “Corlim!” Tavan shouted. “Corlim, get in here!”

  “He’s not coming.” Alija stepped closer to Tavan. “We killed all your guards already. It’s just us now.”

  “Corlim! Guards!” Tavan kicked the washstand over and it fell with a crash. The pitcher rolled toward Alija’s feet, and he glanced down. The instant he averted his eyes, Tavan leaped into action, bounding onto the bed toward Kai.

  The move caught Kai off guard, and he raised his sword as Tavan descended toward him.

  Tavan’s foot tangled in the discarded blankets, and he tripped. He stumbled but righted himself, his foot teetering on the edge of the bed.

  Kai stepped aside as Tavan’s sword wobbled, but the blade caught Kai across his left shoulder. Dark blood bloomed from the wound, staining Kai’s shirt and dripping from his hand.

  “See, like I’ve said before, you tree-grown idiots can’t beat me.” Tavan hopped off the bed, taking a defensive posture in front of Kai. He struck out, but Kai dodged and lunged forward with his own blade.

  Careful not to make a sound, Alija moved to his left, circling closer to Tavan and Kai. His foot bumped against the pitcher. Without taking his eyes off the battling men, he grabbed the pitcher and inched closer.

  Tavan stepped to the side, and Alija saw his opening. When Tavan picked up his foot to lunge, Alija swung the pitcher, slamming it into the side of the governor’s head and knocking the man off balance. Tavan stumbled and spun, but Kai took advantage of the distraction and thrust his sword into Tavan’s throat.

  Tavan opened his mouth to shout, but the sound came out as a wet gurgle. Kai stepped away and wiped his sword on the tangled bedding. He extinguished the lamp, face grim.

  “Let’s hope there’s no one else sleeping on this level,” he said.

  Footsteps pounded in the hall and Alija braced himself for the coming onslaught. He stepped away from the fallen pitcher and kicked aside the pile of clothes he’d tripped on.

  The outer door creaked open, and footsteps echoed across the floor. Alija’s knees almost buckled when Dalan and Wayra stepped into the room.

  Dalan eyed the dead governor. “Well done. We cleared all the rooms on this hall, so I think we’re done here.”

  “What about Tavan’s advisor?” Alija asked. “He’s probably not in the barracks rooms.”

  “He put up a bit of a fight, but we took care of him.” Wayra said grimly. “He likes his fairy wine too much to fight well late at night.”

  “Good, and the rest?” Alija asked.

  “Half were already dead or dying from the poison before we got there. We finished them off easy enough.” Dalan said.

  “We found the same thing in the barracks downstairs.” Kai gestured to the door. “We’re not done yet, though.”

  Dalan strode to the door and yanked it open. “You’re right. We need to get to those other guards before they come back and find their commanders dead.”

  “There’s still the other barracks house, too,” Wayra added.

  Kai nodded and led the way to the side door on the next house, where the majority of the soldiers slept. They split into pairs again and worked their way through that house the way they had the first one. There was little for them to do there, for most of the soldiers had already succumbed to the poison. When the house no longer held any living soldiers, they met at the side entrance once more.

  They moved to the last house, where the youngest soldiers lived, but raucous laughter filtered through the lighted windows.

  Dalan shook his head. “We’ll have to surprise them when they come out to take the watch.
”

  “Well, let’s go find the patrols, then,” Wayra whispered.

  ~*~

  The friends had figured out the guards’ regular route for the daytime, but Alija had no idea whether they stuck to the same at night. After a brief debate, the friends all agreed they couldn’t afford to hesitate, so they rushed to the nearest juncture where two boardwalks intersected. If the guards did stick to their daytime patrol, the four groups would be farthest apart when one passed that spot.

  When they reached the place they’d chosen, Kai looked around. “Where do we hide? There’s not many options. Maybe we should stay closer to the houses.”

  Alija shook his head. “No, we don’t want anyone hearing the noise and coming to investigate. We’re better off keeping to the open areas. There’s plenty of places to hide.”

  “I’ll take this bench.” Dalan crouched down and squeezed into the small space. “I can see both directions from here, so I’ll keep watch.”

  “Perfect.” Kai crouched beside the bench opposite Dalan’s. “I think this’ll do for me.”

  “What about you?” Wayra turned to Alija. “You wanna climb?”

  “Sure.” With a shrug, Alija started up the tree. He shimmied out onto the branch overhanging the intersection and watched Wayra climb into place on a parallel limb.

  The budding leaves trembled in the breeze, and Alija shivered. His sweat-damp shirt clung to his chest beneath the cloak, chilling him to the core when the cold wind blew over him. Voices echoed off a nearby water cistern. His muscles locked down, and his heart hammered in his ears.

  Wayra pointed at the spot directly beneath him and signaled Alija to wait until the guards were past their position. Alija struggled to control his breathing. Anxiety and adrenaline pulsed through him with each beat of his heart. Sweat beaded on his forehead. With as little movement as possible, Alija slid the dagger free of its sheath, weighing it in his hand. He’d never fought for his life before, but this was kill or be killed. His father’s worried face flashed through his mind, but he blinked it away.

  “I’m lookin’ forward to spendin’ some time in town,” one guard said. Loud retching echoed off the trees. “I just hope I feel better before tomorrow night.”

  “Me, too,” another said. More retching filled the night. “It been too long, and these village women aren’t feisty ‘nough for my liking. There’s some pretty young things in that inn across the river, though. They’ll put up a proper fight. I jes need the strength to wrastle with ‘em.”

  The second guard made a rude gesture, and Alija’s vision swam. These men wouldn’t have the chance to hurt another woman. Not if he could help it. Alija caught Wayra’s gaze. His friend shook his head and mouthed the word, “wait.”

  Alija nodded. As angry as he was, he wouldn’t ruin their chance at this. The two guards strolled into view from the walk to Alija’s right, and he waited for the others. Nothing.

  Where are the other two?

  Alija glanced over at the bench where Dalan hid. Steel flashed in the dim light, and before Alija could react, Kai had one of the guards on the ground. The other guard spun, but Wayra jumped down on him, slitting his throat before the guard could draw his blade.

  Laughing voices drifted on the breeze, and Alija froze. Below, Wayra and Kai scrambled for a place to hide.

  “How’d they get so far ahead of us?” One guard asked, his words slurring together.

  His companion laughed. “Well, with the way the world’s spinnin’, I’m having a hard time keepin’ up with ‘em. If they can see where they’re goin’ they’ll get there faster than me.”

  Bracing his arms against the branch’s rough bark, Alija held his breath and waited.

  The guards rounded the corner side by side and paused when they saw their comrades on the ground. The taller of the two rushed over to the man Wayra had killed and knelt beside the body. The grate of steel against a leather sheath sent shivers up Alija’s spine, but he didn’t take his eyes off the kneeling man.

  “Who did this? Check the area!” The second guard backed into view beneath Alija’s perch.

  Dalan sprung from his hiding spot and landed beside the kneeling guard.

  The second soldier spun toward Dalan, but Alija leapt from his branch and landed hard on the man’s back, knocking him to the wooden walkway and landing sprawled atop him. Before the stunned guard could react, Alija plunged his dagger into the man’s armpit. It ground between the bones of the man’s ribs and lodged deep in his chest. The soldier struggled a moment longer, drew a gurgling breath, and then fell still.

  Staggering to his feet, Alija looked around for his friends. Dalan stood over the body of the shorter guard, staring blankly at his knife. Without warning, a powerful wave of nausea rolled over Alija, and he ran to the rail, heaving his stomach contents over the side and into the darkened forest below. When he’d finished, he returned to his friends at the center of the intersection.

  “What now?” Wayra asked, staring at the four dead men. “Do we get rid of them somehow?”

  Kai shook his head. “We don’t have time. The next patrol will be here any minute.”

  As if on cue, the scuff of boots on wood echoed behind them.

  “What’s going on here?” A deep voice demanded.

  Alija jumped and spun like a guilty child caught misbehaving, and his stomach sunk. The next patrol—all eight of them—stood at the other end of the intersection, swords gleaming. A guard at the rear placed his lamp on the bench beside him and unsheathed his sword.

  The soldiers’ eyes shifted from the friends to the dead men, and back.

  The man in front—the only one in an officer’s uniform—stepped forward, sword leveled at Wayra. “What have you done? I’ll have your head for this!” His voice shook with some emotion Alija couldn’t identify.

  “It’s not what it looks like,” Dalan said, stepping up beside Wayra.

  “You’d better hope not, because it looks like you’re a dead man.” The guard’s words slurred just enough for Alija to pick up, and he sighed. These men had gotten some of the poison, too. Hopefully, that would make them easier to fight.

  A flash of steel and movement behind the guards caught Alija’s attention, and he squinted into the darkness.

  It’s Kai, he realized with a start.

  While Dalan and Wayra argued with the front two guards, Alija inched towards the back of the group, where Kai moved among the shadows beyond the lamp’s reach.

  He had reached the rear soldiers when a commotion drew his attention back to the leaders. Steel on steel rang through the night, and Alija jumped forward, throwing himself into the closest guard. The man hit the boardwalk with a grunt, but Alija didn’t let up. He grappled with the man, searching for an opening, his dagger gripped tight in his hand. The guard freed a hand and pounded it against the side of Alija’s head. Stars filled his vision, but Alija kept his grip, doubling his effort to plant his weapon. He shifted his weight, forcing a knee into the man’s gut.

  The soldier grunted and drew his legs up, and Alija repeated the move. This time, the guard dropped his arms, reaching for the offending knee, and Alija saw his chance. He plunged the dagger into the base of the soldier’s neck and yanked it free. The other man’s eyes went wide; he burbled once then went limp.

  Gasping for breath, Alija pushed himself to his feet, searching for his friends. Two guards had Kai cornered against a bench. One stepped in and swung his sword at Kai’s head. Kai lifted his own sword and parried. The other guard moved in, drawing his weapon. He had no chance against two trained soldiers. Alija ran and drove his dagger between the leather armor panels of the guard at the rear. The soldier spun, raised his sword arm as if to strike, but then crumpled to the ground. The other guard paused at the sight of his fallen partner. Kai took advantage of the distraction and rammed his sword through the man’s abdomen.

  Something hit Alija hard from behind. He was forced forward and landed atop the man he’d killed. Alija quickly rolled
off and lurched to his feet, facing his new foe. His eyes went wide when he recognized the soldier.

  “You’ll never get away with this,” Bakko ground out between gritted teeth. “Tavan’ll have your heads for this.”

  He leapt forward, jabbing his sword toward Alija’s throat.

  With a quick step to the side, Alija dodged the blow, a sick grin twisting his face. His laugh sounded off, even to his own ears. “Tavan’s dead, along with everyone in that house, and the one next to it. He won’t be hurting anyone else, ever.”

  Bakko’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “Clever, but no, you won’t distract me like that. You sorry lot aren’t smart ‘nough to kill the gov’nor. You’re not even smart ‘nough to learn to use that sword without getting caught, now are ya?”

  Alija stepped over another body, circling just out of Bakko’s reach.

  “Believe what you like, he’s dead. So are his advisors, and all the soldiers that sleep in that house.”

  “Liar!” Bakko roared and threw himself forward. Rage and doubt contorted his features, his face a grotesque mask of emotion in the dim starlight.

  Alija stepped into his assault, bringing his sword up at the last second. It slid through Bakko’s leather armor, caught on a rib, and ground into the guard’s chest. He coughed, blood bubbling on his lips, and fell atop his friend.

  Alija braced his hands on his knees and fought another wave of nausea, his ears ringing in the unnatural silence.

  The rest of the night passed in a flurry of ambushes, brief battles, and a lot of blood. By the time the sun rose over the sleeping village, all Tavan’s soldiers lay dead on the boardwalks or in their beds.

  Exhausted, elated at the victory, and sick from all the death and killing, Alija trudged toward home beside Kai, following Dalan and Wayra to the Square.

  When they reached Dalan’s house, they escaped into his comfortable den to regroup and prepare to face the villagers. Alija and the others stopped inside the door. There, in Valasa’s den, their families had gathered.

  At the sight of his parents and their relief at seeing him safe, emotion rolled over Alija like a wave. Worn down as he was, he didn’t have the strength to fight the tears. The room blurred, and he found himself sitting on the sofa between them, his mother clutching him close and crying into his hair as if he were a toddler.