have to wait for Aron, don’t we? For his diversion?” I’m terrified for my guy, even though I know he’s immortal, that I’m the one in danger. But that crazy fool plans on walking right through the army to announce himself. “Shouldn’t we wait—”
A horn blasts in the distance, three times.
Someone shouts.
Fuck.
“That’s Aron,” Markos says, grabbing my arm and hauling me forward. “Come. Let us waste no time.”
I nod and let Markos pull me along, and then we’re all running, trying to keep to the shadows in the darkness. There are a few trees nearby, and then a fence surrounding the cemetery that’s seen better days. Two guards stand in front of the gates of the cemetery itself, and I get a sense of déjà vu, back when Aron and I crept through Katharn.
We huddle at the edge of the fence, someone’s hand on my hip. Kerren’s big, sweaty body is blocking me from seeing anything, but I can hear voices. There’s confusion, and the jingle of armor.
Then, I see a torch bobbing as it heads toward the gates of the cemetery.
“What’s going on?” an unfamiliar, strangely accented voice says.
“It’s another god. He’s come to attack the Lord of Storms.”
“No!” another man laughs. “A showdown? Our lord will hand him his ass, wait and see.”
“I’m going to go watch,” one calls, breathless.
Yes, everyone go watch, I silently chant. Go and see the spectacle.
“Bad idea,” says another. “If you leave your post, that’s desertion.”
The man groans, and then the guards shuffle their feet. In the distance, the horn blasts three more times, and my heart clenches for Aron, who’s all alone in the middle of the battlefield…
And probably loving it, actually.
“They’re not leaving,” Kerren hisses. “What do we do?”
“We need more of a distraction,” Solat says, and then surges forward. Markos tries to grab him, but Solat sneaks to a bush nearby, close to where the two soldiers stand at the gate. Just inside, I can see two more patrolling. They said there were six total. All of the guards look to be paying attention to the sea of torches in the distance, across the river, where Aron’s saying hello to the enemy army. I’d give anything to see that sight myself, but first I need to save my own bacon.
Then, Solat throws a damn rock.
Markos shoots him an angry glare, and no one moves. One of the guards turns his head, frowning in our direction.
Solat throws another, a short distance away from his bush.
I can feel the tension vibrating off of Kerren. Off of Markos. I hold my breath, just in case I breathe too loud and someone hears it.
The guard say something in low voices, then one leaves the front gate and approaches Solat’s hiding spot. One step. Two. I feel like I’m going to explode as he takes out his sword, heading toward the bush, ready to attack.
To my utter surprise, Markos leaps from his hiding place and latches onto the guard the moment he gets close enough. His knife flashes, and then there’s a horrible gurgling noise. The guard falls to the ground, clutching at his throat and rolling in pain.
Oh shit. That’s not like the movies at all. It’s not a fast death. It’s not swift and painless. The man keeps making sounds and writhing, and I freeze, petrified. I knew we were going to make a break for the crypt, but I didn’t think about the fact that people were going to die.
I’m such a naïve idiot.
The other guard shouts, and then men are racing toward us, drawing their weapons.
Kerren grabs me by the arm and hauls me forward. “Come on. No time to waste.”
Solat and Markos confront the soldiers, while Kerren shields me with his body and keeps me against the rails of the fence. His sword is out, but because it’s dark, no one’s noticed us yet.
“In the gates,” he whispers to me.
I run forward, my staff clutched in my hands…right into a pair of guards.
They look startled to see me. “A woman?” one blurts out. “Here?”
“Surprise!” I yell, adrenaline rushing through me, and swing my staff like I’m trying to hit a home run. I don’t stop to think about what I’m doing, or if they’re going to kill me. I just swing.
I was pretty good at softball back in high school, and I definitely remember what the crack of the bat felt like against the heft of the ball. My staff slams into the side of the guard’s face and…it doesn’t