Page 69 of The Eyes of Tamburah
“What do you plan to do now?” he asked with amusement.
“Order you to remove the cuff around my ankle,” Shyla said.
“Hmmm. And what if I say no?” he asked.
“I’ll kill this woman.”
“Then you’ll have nothing to bargain with.”
“True, but I’ll have the satisfaction of taking one of you out.”
“So you’re a cold-blooded killer?”
“Yes.”
He chuckled. “I don’t think so.”
The bastard had called her bluff. Seven hells. The Ways of the Yarin focused on defensive moves, and this one usually worked well, limiting the number of opponents one needed to engage. But this tactic had now failed her twice…well, if it wasn’t for Jayden’s hard head then taking Mojag hostage would have worked.
“Besides, it takes time to strangle someone. Enough time for me to reach you before my companion even gets dizzy from lack of air.”
The son of a sand demon knew what he was doing. But did he know she held a knife? Her vision adjusted enough for her to discern a blackish blob crossing slowly to her left exposed side. Shyla thrust the woman at him. They collided with an oomph. She tackled them both and they all landed in a heap with Shyla on top. She pressed the knife to what she hoped was the man’s neck.
“This’ll get the job done faster,” Shyla said, digging the edge into his skin to make her point.
“Well done,” he said. “So you’ll kill us both. Then what?”
Not the reaction she expected. “I search you for the key.”
“And when you find none?”
“Then I do this again with the people who come searching for you.”
“Hmmm. That leaves quite the body count. Not to mention the stink.”
“Ximen, will you stop fooling around,” the woman said in a hoarse croak.
“You’re no fun.” Ximen moved, wrenching the knife from Shyla’s hand.
They wrestled. She’d like to say they fought for a while, but in fact Ximen pinned Shyla within a few breaths. He sat on her hips and his knees pressed on her shoulders. Not quite painful, but the position left his hands free and her arms trapped. She braced for a blow. Or perhaps for the slice of cold steel into her neck. Fear coiled around her heart.
After a torturous wait, he rocked back onto his heels and stood. Would it be bad if a tiny bit of disappointment touched her core? The thought of remaining alone in the dark… No. She’d find another way to escape.
The clinking of metal drew her attention. Shyla sat up. Using her hand to block the light, Shyla squinted. The man helped his partner to unwrap the chain from around her neck. The woman rubbed her throat and glared at Shyla.
“Go lower the druk, Bazia,” Ximen said.
Bazia turned her glower onto him, but he failed to react. Muttering, she strode over to the lantern on the floor and dimmed its glow.
“Better?” Ximen asked.
Shyla jerked when she realized his question was directed at her. She lowered her hand. The light still burned, but her vision cleared a bit. “Yes.”
“I must admit you surprised us,” he said.
“Not that it mattered.” Shyla wiped the blood seeping from around the cuff on her ankle. The metal had torn into her skin. Again.
“Oh it matters very much. Most of our guests take ages to figure out what’s going on and some don’t at all.”
