Page 56 of Peregrine's Call
Tav led the way, pointing to the direction where the curtain wall was damaged very badly years ago. Though men had been working to repair the massive breach, a large gap still remained. Even better, heavy scaffolding concealed the hole itself, and a few stacks of rocks and building materials provided even more cover.
They had less than a quarter hour before another guard was expected to pass by. Tav moved as quickly as he could from shadow to shadow. Pierce followed along, his own footsteps surprisingly silent for a man who was used to making himself known.
When they reached the first large rock pile, Pierce paused, looking furtively behind him. “Where’s Robin?”
“Don’t worry about her. She knows what to do.”
“I thought you weren’t leaving without her.”
Tav signaled silence, having just seen a man’s shape across the courtyard. Pierce nodded and took a step back…and bumped right into an armed guard.
“Sorry, Brower, I forgot my flask…” The young guard stared at Pierce. “You’re not Brower…my lord! Halt.”
At least he didn’t shout, Tav thought as he continued to moved forward.
“I said halt!” the guard repeated, putting a hand on his sword hilt.
“Stand down,” Pierce said, his voice calm and full of his usual authority. “What’s your name?”
“Kevan, my lord,” The guard saw Lord Pierce’s grim face in the nighttime and abruptly took his hand away from the weapon. Respect for nobility was so ingrained that the guard would find it difficult to harm Pierce directly.
But even if the guard respected Pierce’s nobility, he didn’t look like he was about to let them leave.
“You can’t be here, my lord. We’ve got orders! I can’t let you leave. Either of you.” He gripped his short sword tightly, but the glance he shot at Octavian betrayed how nervous the young man was. Octavian was better armed and better trained. Kevan took a breath and blustered, “Come along quietly, all right?”
“Shut up,” Pierce growled. He turned to Octavian, saying, “He’ll report everything. Kill him.”
“Climb through the gap, my lord,” Tav ordered. “I’ll deal with the guard.”
Tav moved, his frame effectively shielding Pierce while he scrambled over the rocks.
“I tell you, kill him!” said Pierce.
“Wait on the other side,” Tav returned, not taking his eyes from the guard.
Kevan watched in consternation as Pierce began to vanish into the darkness, and then he suddenly rushed toward Tav.
Tav countered the attack easily and reached to grab the hilt of Kevan’s sword.
Kevan gave a short cry of dismay as the weapon was unexpectedly wrenched from his hands. Then he stared at Octavian, who now held both swords.
“How’d you do that?”
“You overextended on your thrust,” Tav explained. “Now, on your knees. Can’t have you running away.”
“I won’t get a chance to learn not to do that, will I?” Kevan asked, swallowing nervously as he slowly sank to his knees. “You’re going to kill me.”
“I’d prefer not to,” Tav said with absolute honesty.
Hope flickered in the young guard’s eyes. “I won’t say anything!”
“I’d like to believe that, but I can’t take the risk.”
“So you’re going to kill me after all?”
Tav said, “I suggest that you close your eyes and pray for mercy.”
Kevan bowed his head, muttering quickly and fervently to a whole pantheon of saints.
