Empire of Chains (World in Chains Book 1)

by Ryan W. Mueller

  Despite the darkness, she hastened her pace—a big mistake, for she collided with another shelf. Dozens of pots and vases hit the floor with the loudest series of crashes she'd ever heard.

  "You can't run forever."

  She froze, unable to see anything in the darkness. More echoing steps. Her pursuer's heavy breathing. Through the veil of darkness, she caught his movement. Her chest seized, and she backed away, praying that God would save her. She had no chance of hitting her pursuer with an arrow in the dark.

  If she could just make a sound somewhere and get his attention, she could return the way she had come. Breathing heavily, she picked up a small pot and threw it hard against the nearest wall. It shattered with a sharp crack, and his footsteps quickened.

  She ducked around the other side of the shelf, then ran with her hand along the wall, straining her eyes so she wouldn't run into anything.

  But she tripped over something large and let out an involuntary yelp. When she slammed against the ground, she skinned her elbows and knees. After a moment of feeling dazed, she clambered to her feet.

  "Tried to trick me," he said. "Not going to work." His quick, pounding footsteps sounded behind her. She felt cornered. Sweat poured down her face.

  She stumbled through the darkness, feeling the cool stone walls with her hands. Her eyes had begun to adjust, but not quickly enough. With every passing moment, the man edged closer, his steps a lethal rhythm.

  At last, the wall ended, and she turned to the right, praying she'd made the right choice. More shelves blocked her way, and she sent additional small objects clunking to the ground.

  "I'm growing tired of this," he said, gaining on her.

  As she ran farther, moonlight filtered into the cellar.

  Thank God, she thought, hastening her pace, but the Imperial Guard was closer than ever, gaining on her despite his heavy armor. How was that possible? With all her swordplay practice, she should have been able to outrun him. Then again, she'd never done much running.

  A flaw in her preparations. She'd need to address that, if she survived.

  The man's heavy breathing sounded behind her, mingling with her own. Her heart thudded in her ears, and she felt as though her head might explode from the power of it. Her throat felt raw with fear, with exertion, but she had to keep going. It didn't matter whether the man intended to kill or arrest her. There was no difference, save for the torture she'd endure.

  At last, she saw a door at the top of some stairs. She increased her speed and tripped up the stairs. The impact with the ground knocked the wind out of her.

  For a moment, she lay there, unable to move. Then her breath came back, and she pushed herself to her feet, arms and legs shaking. Her pursuer had made up much of the distance between them. She scrambled up the rest of the stairs, trying to ignore his echoing steps.

  When she emerged in the dim predawn light, she continued running. Her feet took her east, across a bridge spanning a deep canyon and toward the forest. Too late, she realized this was a mistake. In the forest, there was nowhere to hide, not even among the large trees and thick vines.

  The vegetation thickened around her, and she felt a strange chill. Cold sweat beaded all over her body.

  The guardsman's booted footsteps snapped twigs behind her. With a surge of adrenaline, she began to sprint, heedless of the tangled roots and low-hanging branches. More than once, she stumbled, but now she moved faster than the Imperial Guard. His armor had to be wearing him down.

  She wished she'd brought her sword. Yes, she had her bow, but she had practiced little with moving targets.

  Another flaw in her preparations.

  The forest's undergrowth and the uneven terrain slowed her down, but also slowed her attacker. Perhaps he'd give up soon. After all, she was but one member of the Order, and not an important one.

  However, his heavy booted steps continued. Twigs and dead leaves crunched beneath her leather shoes. Thorny bushes tore small holes in her pants, but she didn't care if she looked like a wild woman. Not right now.

  Minutes passed, but felt like hours. She ran farther into the forest than her father had ever taken her on hunting expeditions. A few people lived in the forest, but she hadn't seen anyone yet. If they showed up, maybe the man would decide he had better things to do.

  She stumbled through the forest beneath the rising sun's red light, tripped over a large tree root, and hit the ground with a heavy thud. When she tried to push herself to her feet, her arms and legs collapsed. Turning over slowly, she summoned the energy to watch her assailant approach.

  He was panting. "About time. You're going to pay for this. If you hadn't run, we might have spared your life. But not now."

  She opened her mouth, but no words came out. He approached, sweat dripping down his bearded face, his hand clenched firmly around the hilt of his sword.

  "You're going to die for this, young lady," he said with a nasty smile, showing his yellow teeth. When she tried to move, her body refused. All she could do was scream. He kicked her head, and stars swam in her vision.

  At least she'd see her mother again.

  Chapter 16

  Markus had walked a long way from his uncle's cabin. He sat now at the edge of a small lake nestled in a valley, tossing stones into the water. His sword and other supplies rested a few feet away. .

  He'd considered making the journey to Mountainside, but the Black Swamp and Red Plateau were impossible to cross—or at least very difficult. The only other route to Mountainside passed through the Varner City gate, a narrow path guarded by dozens of Imperial Guards.

  It was hopeless, he decided, tossing another stone into the lake. Maybe he could walk up to the Imperial Guards, tell them he refused to serve Warrick, and prepare for his execution.

  Maybe they'd even make it quick.

  A scream startled him out of thought. He jumped to his feet, dazed for a moment, then rushed in the direction of the sound, pushing through an area of thick vegetation. When he reached the clearing on the other side, he saw an Imperial Guard standing over a young woman about his age. She sat on the ground, unmoving

  Markus should have ignored the situation, but he was going to die anyways. He marched toward them. "Leave her alone!"

  The Imperial Guard turned, panting. "This is none of your business."

  "No, I think it is my business. I'm not going to let you kill her."

  "And how're you gonna stop me?"

  With a jolt of fear, Markus realized he'd left his sword in the other clearing. If he went to retrieve it, the woman would be dead before he returned. Heart pounding, he glanced from side to side, then ripped a low-hanging branch from a tree.

  "You're gonna fight me with that?" said the Imperial Guard, with a mocking smile.

  Markus's mouth went dry. He stepped toward the Imperial Guard, feeling foolish. Only a complete idiot would challenge an Imperial Guard with nothing but a tree branch. It sounded like something Rik would have done.

  Markus stifled a grin. "Yes, I am."

  "Are you insane?"

  "Maybe." Markus stepped closer, brandishing the branch like a sword.

  "Well, if that's what you want." The Imperial Guard kicked the young woman hard in the head, then marched toward Markus. "I'm waiting."

  This man would pay for his mockery. Somehow.

  Markus lunged toward the Imperial Guard, trying to poke him in the eye with the branch. The Imperial Guard swung his sword, connecting with the branch and severing it. Markus's stomach fluttered, and he backed away as his opponent moved back toward the young woman, closing in for the kill.

  Markus couldn't let that happen. How he'd do that, he had no idea. At a loss, he jumped over the young woman, who looked as though she were unconscious or in so much pain she couldn't move. Then he stood between her and the Imperial Guard.

  "I'm giving you one last chance," the man said. "Walk away and I'll pretend this never happened. But you are trying my patience. This doesn't concern you."

&nb
sp; Markus examined his opponent, who was actually much smaller than him. With a quick lunge, he tackled the Imperial Guard. The man didn't get his sword around quickly enough. They both fell to the ground, the sword hitting the soft dirt beside them. Markus tried to grab it, but his opponent wrapped an arm around his neck, jerking him backward so hard he thought his neck might snap.

  The man's hand clamped around his neck, choking the life out of him. He gasped for air as the pressure built in his head. His lungs screamed, and he couldn't pull free, couldn't move.

  No. He refused to die like this, without saving the young woman.

  He pushed with all the energy he had left, twisting his body enough to face his attacker, and went for the man's eyes. The Imperial Guard released Markus, and Markus scrambled for the sword.

  But the man bolted to his feet, grabbing the sword first. He slammed his booted foot down hard on Markus's hand, and Markus grunted, trying to pull his hand free. With his other hand, he yanked at his opponent's leg. He moved the leg enough to free his hand, then shot to his feet.

  The Imperial Guard's sword caught the front of Markus's tunic but missed his body. Markus's stomach lurched, and he flinched away, narrowly dodging another swipe of the sword. Heart pounding, he took off running, and the Imperial Guard gave chase.

  Good. If the young woman recovered in time, she might break free.

  Even if Markus had to die in the process.

  He ran through the underbrush, branches snapping around him. When he reached his supplies beside the lake, he grabbed his sword.

  The man stopped for a moment, then darted back through the trees. Markus raced after him, crashing through the dense vegetation, and returned to the clearing where the young woman lay so still. The Imperial Guard was closing in on her. Too close.

  "Stop!" Markus said, lending his voice authority he didn't know he possessed. "Yeah, you can kill her, but that'll give me just enough time to kill you. You want to take that risk? Your battle's with me now. Leave her alone."

  The man turned, his face a mask of anger. Before Markus could think better of it, he charged, forgetting in the heat of the moment everything his uncle had ever taught him about sword fighting.

  He attacked with a wild swing, so wild the Imperial Guard struggled to block it. The man stumbled backward, away from the young woman, and Markus pushed him farther that way, advancing with a series of quick strokes.

  Markus moved with the instincts his uncle had trained into him, the sword an extension of his body as he and his partner performed an intricate dance. He'd taken this woman's life into his hands, and he would not fail her.

  However, Markus could only target his opponent's head and neck, which the man guarded with special effort.

  "You can't beat me," he said. "Just give up now."

  Markus delivered a thrust that struck the Imperial Guard's chainmail. "Not a chance. I've had enough of you bastards doing whatever you want."

  "Well, if that's the best you can do, I'm not too worried."

  Markus jumped away, dodging his opponent's strike by inches. He couldn't find any opening in the man's defenses. Heart pounding, Markus turned and ran again. Not too far, though. He stopped at the other side of the clearing, near a narrow path he'd never taken before.

  The Imperial Guard followed, eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "You're really beginning to annoy me."

  "It's not my fault you're so intent on killing her. Believe me, I'd go away if you decided to leave her alone. What's so hard about that?"

  "You don't know anything. This woman is a rebel. She deserves to die." He advanced again, his fiery gaze set on Markus.

  Markus barked a laugh. "All the more reason for me to save her."

  His only hope lay with the Order. Maybe they could shelter him. He had to go to Mountainside, even if it meant dying in the swamp.

  He backed against a tree, knowing he couldn't fight much longer. In the center of the clearing, the woman stirred feebly. Maybe she could come to his aid.

  Stalling for time, he delivered a few blows with his sword, all of which the Imperial Guard countered with ease. Markus turned to defensive tactics, keeping his opponent away and tiring him.

  Whenever Markus could, he sneaked glances at the young woman, who'd pushed herself to her feet. With a start, he saw the bow slung across her back, and felt a flicker of hope.

  All the woman needed was a clean shot.

  Markus's right arm was beginning to hurt. He caught the woman's eye, then darted down the narrow path he'd seen earlier, following a straight course at first. But then tree roots began crowding the path, and low-hanging branches scratched at his face.

  His foot caught against an enormous tree root. The ground came hurtling toward him, and he hit with a jarring thud that knocked the wind out of him. His sword slid a few feet away. He reached for it, but then the Imperial Guard fell atop him.

  When Markus tried to move, the Imperial Guard wouldn't budge. Was the man dead?

  Light but hurried footsteps came from behind. "Are you all right?"

  The young woman, he guessed. "Yeah, I'm fine. But I could use a little help here. This guy's armor ain't exactly light."

  "All right, I'll try to push him."

  Markus twisted his body and pushed against the Imperial Guard, freeing himself with the young woman's help. He glanced at the arrow sticking out of the dead man's head. "What about you? Are you okay?"

  She was pale, and sweat drenched her curly brown hair. "I-I don't think so."

  "Is it your head? He kicked you pretty hard."

  "No." She shook her head and winced. "It's not that. Well, yes, my head hurts, but that's not what's bothering me." She bit her lower lip. "Thank you for rescuing me."

  "Um, no problem." Markus scratched at his head. What the hell was he supposed to say in a situation like this? He scooted away from the dead man, feeling hollow and sick to his stomach.

  "I can't believe I killed him," she said so quietly he could barely hear her. "All these years I've thought about killing people like him, but when you actually do it—I don't know—it feels different."

  "Well, you had to kill him to save me, to save yourself. You had no choice."

  She stared at the dead man for a long moment, then turned away, rising to her feet. Markus thought she was going to leave, but then she stopped a few trees away.

  "I know I had no choice," she said, leaning against a tree. "And I know he deserved it. But you don't understand how something like this feels until you actually do it. I never thought it would feel like this."

  Markus had no answer for that. He'd never killed anyone and hoped he'd never have to. He rose and stepped a few feet closer to her. "You mean you were planning on killing people to begin with?"

  "That's none of your business."

  "Yeah, I guess that was kind of personal. Sorry." His face burned. He was such an idiot. "Um, do I know you from somewhere? You look familiar."

  She looked away. "No, I don't think so."

  "I know I've seen you in Crayden, but not dressed like this. And obviously not so sweaty and, um, wild looking."

  She let out a sharp laugh. "Don't you have a way with words? Wild looking?"

  "Well, you are covered in scratches, twigs, and leaves. Doesn't that fit the description?" Stupid again. Why had he just said that? He'd never felt this awkward around anyone.

  "That doesn't matter," she said, failing to hide a smile. "Even if you think a girl looks like crap, you're supposed to say she's beautiful."

  "Well, Rik's always said I don't have the touch with women."

  She looked away again, maybe to hide another smile. When she turned back, she said, "I don't think I ever asked you your name. I suppose I should know whom to thank so that my father can reward you."

  "Markus. And yours? After all, you saved my life too. It's only fair."

  Her face turned red. "You don't need to know my name. It's not important."

  "I just saved your life. I think that earns me the
right to know your name."

  She turned silent again, striking him as too secretive and standoffish.

  After a tense silence, she said, "Thank you again for saving me, but you don't need to know my name. I've just been through a very bad morning. Someone betrayed the Order, so I can't be too careful right now. I'm sorry."

  "Honestly, you're worried that I might betray you to the Imperial Guards? The last time I checked, I just helped you kill an Imperial Guard. I'm the last person who'd betray you."

  He could almost recall where he'd seen her. Maybe if he talked to her a while longer, he'd learn her name—even if she didn't reveal it herself.

  She looked away again. "That's probably true."

  "Wait, I know who you are! You're Lady Nadia, the high lord's daughter. That's why I recognized you. I saw you with your father on the stage in the center of town a few months ago when Emperor Warrick came to speak. You didn't look happy."

  Who would look happy standing so close to the emperor?

  Her face reddened further. "How did you know?"

  "Well, I knew you were a lady of high standing. You talked about your father rewarding me, and you used whom instead of who. Then it all came together in my head."

  "That's some pretty good logical deduction. You seem quite smart for a young woodsman."

  "Oh, I'm not that smart. Just ask my friend Rik. He's the smart one around here. Well, sometimes at least." Markus still felt angry about Woodsville.

  They both fell silent, staring at one another in an awkward silence broken only by the chirping of birds and buzzing of insects. Markus couldn't shake the feeling that this was all a dream.

  "So what were you doing here in the forest?" he asked, thinking she'd refuse to share her secrets again.

  She wrung her hands together. "I went to a meeting of the Order. Somehow, Imperial Guards found out about it. Most of us got away, but one Imperial Guard chased me all the way here."