The Darkslayer: Book 02 - Blades in the Night (26 page)

He discovered that more man-urchins lurked in greater numbers nearby. Castle Almen seemed to bustle with more armored men than usual. They were gearing up for something but he doubted that so many men were coming after him.

And still, no sign of Georgio.

Venir tore off the helmet and dropped it when he noticed someone standing there.

“
Miss us?” Melegal asked.

“
I knew you were there. I heard you moments ago,” Venir said, looking at his friend and Lefty.

“
Funny, but we’ve been here for hours.”

“
Now’s not the time to split hairs, Melegal.” He walked over and hoisted up Lefty. “ I am glad you are back with us.”

The boys smile was sheepish.

“
Me, too. I’m sorry, Venir, but I didn’t find Georgio—but Chongo and Quickster are okay.”

He almost dropped him. “Really! How did that come to be?”

“
Well, I went to the stable and Mood was there …”

The boy recounted the whole tale of how he encountered Mood, rescued Chongo, and saved Melegal from a certain death. It was a quick recount, but accurate nonetheless, and Venir was without words. The thief confirmed it all with grudgeless nods of confirmation. The thief’s time with the halfling boy had apparently been well spent.

“
So did your fancy helmet find anything?” Melegal asked.

“
No. But with this news, I say it’s time to have at them all,” Venir said as he grabbed Brool. “Let’s find those fiends and let loose on them. We’ll carve Georgio’s location from their black hearts if we have to. We’ve got the jump on them now. Let’s go!”

Melegal stepped into his path. “No, let’s wait. We’ll do what you say, but let’s be more subtle, Vee. They are bound to go secure Georgio if he’s not with the dog. We still have plenty of time to track them. McKnight and Tonio stick out like sore thumbs around here—although somehow they’ve managed to not alert anyone at Castle Almen, because you know Lord Almen would have taken action by now if he knew they were around. So, hey, it might take some coin, but we can get them quietly. But from here on out, we stick together. Agreed?”

Venir looked at his friend. “Fine, but we gotta be moving. I have to feel like I am doing something. And Brool stays out.”

With that, he put the shield and helm back inside the sack, and stuffed it into the backpack and then shouldered it on. He covered Brool’s blades and spike in a heavy cloth and slid it between the backpack and his shoulder blades. Plenty of people were armed in the City of Bone, but Brool was a menacing attention-getter and there was no need for that right now. The thief rolled his eyes and then the three of them treaded back down the stairs in hopes of catching a break and locating the boy.

Octopus puffed up as Haze and Sis approached; Frigdah stood guard at the outer entryway. Sis stayed back while Haze tossed the cat a treat. The big cat sniffed it, reluctant to drop the boy’s finger from his mouth, then growled. Sis wanted no part of a cat scratch and nudged her sister. Haze started purring, something Sis had heard her do many times before. The cat sauntered over, rubbing along Haze’s skinny legs. Sis stepped to the steel door. It had a handle, but no lock. She pulled. It creaked but did not budge.

“
Haze,” Sis said in a quiet voice. “Get Frigdah down her.”

Haze whistled, and in a moment, Frigdah’s hulking silhouette lumbered through the entryway.

“
Frig,” Sis said, “I can’t open it. Fetch me somethin’ to pry it open—or knock it through with something. Be quick, though.”

Frigdah pressed her broad shoulders against the door, causing the metal to groan—but not budge at all. Sis punched Frigdah in the arm and received a funny look in return.
What is she thinking now?
Sis thought. Yes, Frigdah was a big woman: over six feet tall and every bit of two hundred twenty pounds. Sis had seen Frigdah’s thick forearms slam down a bigger man’s in contests before. She was the muscle of the Motley Girls among other things, but she wasn’t someone who could knock down doors.

Sis punched her again. “What are you doing? You’re not going to bust through it! So get going and find a pry bar of some kind. Time’s a wasting!”

“
But—”

“
Go!” Sis said.

Frigdah turned, head hanging, and walked back out. Sis ran her fingers over the edges of the door and the walls that encased it. She banged on it a couple times. They were at a dead end. She hoped her sister found something useful, and soon. She wanted to find the boy and go. She had no desire to trifle with the Royals. She would rather die.

Then Sis heard a rush of heavy footsteps coming their way. Octopus sprang away, and Haze scrambled flat against the wall. Sis turned just in time to see a large figure rushing toward them. She dove out of the way just as she heard a familiar voice yell, “Gangway!”

Sis watched as Frigdah crashed into the door, shattering the hinges and knocking it flat with a loud
whump!
And Frigdah kept on going into a torch-lit corridor, but then she finally stumbled and fell. As Sis rose, she saw Frigdah begin to roll downward into a spiral stone staircase. As she rushed forward, Sis heard a few
ooff’s
and
oww’s
before it sounded like Frigdah came to a full stop below.

Octopus ran past Sis, a fuzzy black streak, and disappeared down the staircase. Sis waited with Haze at the top of the stairs, then heard a groan as Frigdah crawled back up to them.

“
Geez, Frig,” Haze said, “wha’cha been eating these days?”

Stumbling to her feet, Frigdah pulled a large flask out with a meaty hand and sucked it down.

“
Whatever I can get my hands on, I guess?” Frigdah said. “Did I do good, Sis?”

Sis put her hands on Frigdah’s big shoulders and looked her dead in the eye.

“
Yeah, Frig. But next time you better warn me before you almost trample me.”

“
Sorry,” she said, smiling.

Sis slapped her on the rump.

In the dark and dank cell, Georgio lay curled up, sobbing. His tummy kept rumbling, and he was cold, miserable, and scared. Everything was black, thanks to the last of the torches finally dying. He could not see his own hand, but he could hear and feel plenty. Roaches crawled under and over him. The rats still nipped at his flesh and he wailed in pain. He’d never killed so many living things before, but he knew that numerous rats and bugs lay crushed on the floor all around him. He felt exhausted and he could fight no more. Still the vermin came. He was in agony.

“
Vee … where are you?” he mumbled.

A few minutes later, Georgio heard what sounded like someone pounding on a door somewhere nearby. His heart thumped with fear. McKnight and Tonio were coming back. What else would they do to him? What would they cut off?

But … what if it was Vee or Melegal, coming to save him?

He listened and heard nothing. Hope faded as he cried again. Then came a loud crash. He sat up.

“
Vee?” he croaked.

Georgio tried to stand but could not. He heard odd sounds and someone grunting and groaning, followed by some unfamiliar voices. Then he saw torchlight flickering through the small window in the door. It might as well have been the sun, but it brought no warmth. The rats scurried away and a sense of relief assailed him.

But something was wrong. He didn’t hear Venir. He drew himself into the corner and shivered.

Then came a loud
clatch!
—and the sound of metal hitting stone. The door swung open as he shielded his eyes. A blur came his way and he soon heard a squeak followed by a crunch. He blinked several times to let his eyes adjust, and then he saw that Octopus had a large rat crushed in his mouth. A few steps behind the cat, three strange, ugly women hissed at him to come with them fast, but he didn’t move. One finally came toward him and then shook him with her warm hands, but he balled up even tighter. He just kept shaking.

“
Haze, give him a shirt or something,” said the woman who had shaken him.

The woman called Haze took off a heavy cotton sweater and tossed it to the other woman.

“
Okay, boy, my name’s Sis,” the woman said as she leaned closer. “This is Haze, and that’s Frigdah; we’re sisters. You’re safe now. We’re going to take you home—back to your friend Venir. He’s been looking for you.”

Georgio relaxed a bit, then sat up and tried to stand.

“
Vee?” he croaked through dry lips.

“
Yes,” Sis said, rubbing his cold arms.

Haze stepped forward and put a canteen to his lips. The water tasted good—and cold.

The big cat crawled up onto his lap.

“
Octopus,” Georgio mumbled.

He felt himself gaining strength as the water refreshed him and the big cat licked the blood off his hands. Haze and Sis stood him up and put the long sweater on him.

“
Please … please get me out of here,” Georgio cried. “Take me to Vee. Please.”

Tears began to well up in all the women’s eyes. Georgio didn’t know who they were, but he figured they must be on his side.

“
Okay, Georgio. We’re going. Do you want us to carry you?” Sis asked.

He raised an eyebrow.

“
No, I’m … a big boy,” Georgio said. “Let’s hurry before they come back.”

Frigdah took the lead, follow by Sis, Georgio, and Haze. Frigdah and Haze each held torches as they all headed up the damp moldy stairway. They had almost reached the top of the staircase when Frigdah stopped. It was quiet for a moment, but then raspy breathing could be heard from above, along with some shuffling of feet. Georgio squeezed Sis’s hand and began trembling again. The raspy breathing was familiar to him. Terror struck his heart, and he felt tears streaming down his face.

“
I don’t want my fingers cut off again!” he cried.

The shuffling feet and breathing became louder as someone now approached, barring the way to freedom. Then, in the dimness atop the stairs, a man stood before them, slowly removing a tattered cloak. The women all gasped at the shirtless figure standing before them, then they stepped backward, shielding Georgio behind them. But Georgio could still see.

There Tonio was—ghastly, tall, and powerful in the flickering torchlight. One of the sisters whispered a curse. Georgio could see Tonio sneer, his split face even more terrifying in the torchlight. Georgio’s would-be rescuers drew their blades, hands shaking but still standing their ground. Georgio saw the hilt of his own sword strapped to the Tonio’s back, but the giant man didn’t draw it. He just looked at them all and smiled.

“
Don’t let him get me!” Georgio said.

He turned and tried to run back down the stairs, but Sis held him tight. Tonio just waited, arms across his chest—and then he came toward them.

“
Sisters!” Sis said. “Gimme those torches now. Haze, guard the boy and be ready to run.”

Sis slipped off her shabby cloak, then took the torches and rolled them up in her cloak. In the near darkness, Georgio could see that Tonio had stopped on the steps above them. Georgio held onto Haze, watching and listening.

“
Wrap his legs,” Sis whispered, to Frigdah it seemed.

Then he heard Sis yell, “Let’s go!”

All three sisters battle-cried, and Georgio felt himself being jerked forward up the stairs.

Ahead of him, Georgio made out Sis lunging forward in the darkness, blade first, and taking a stab at where she no doubt hoped Tonio’s throat would be. But she missed the mark—and paid for it. Tonio’s fist crashed into her jaw, staggering her into the wall. Frigdah then grabbed onto the man’s legs and squeezed them with all her might. Tonio hammered blows downward but she didn’t budge. Haze pulled Georgio tight as they watched the horror of it all. Sis recovered, tackling Tonio while he was still off balance. The three thrashed about for several seconds as Tonio struggled to free himself from their desperate clutches. Cries of pain and anguish rang in Georgio’s ears. He could barely see what was going on.

Sis cried out, “Haze, get him out of here!”

Haze jerked on his arm, but Georgio was too scared to budge. Then he felt his hefty body being lifted up as the thin sister hoisted him over her shoulder and began running up the stairs. Georgio heard Tonio pummeling Sis and Frigdah with jarring fury. Then Georgio saw the man’s hands grab at Haze’s nimble legs. He caught her ankle and jerked, and Georgio tumbled hard onto the stairs.