Cade lunged.
Ky deflected the blade to the right with a twist of his arm, and followed it up with a downward cut at Cade’s shins. Not fast enough. Cade easily evaded the stroke. Ky barely had time to recover before Cade slashed at his exposed right shoulder. He stumbled back, blocking a dizzying combination of cuts and thrusts.
How did Cade move so fast?
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of movement as Dizzier pushed through the runners. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and Dizzier’s mouth stretched into a derisive grin. He winked and shoved the little girl next to him to the ground.
Ky broke away from Cade. The little girl looked up, tears showing in her eyes beneath her tangled brown hair. “Meli!” He darted toward her.
Something hard hit him in the back of the knees, and he pitched forward onto his face. His right elbow smashed against the ground, and the sword fell from his numb fingers, sliding to rest a few feet away. Clutching his arm to his chest, he rolled up onto his knees, but was kept from rising by the tip of Cade’s sword against his throat.
“Pay attention,” Cade said with exaggerated patience. “If this was a real fight, you’d be dead by now.”
“Huh.” Dizzier tugged Meli to her feet and dusted her off. “If this was a real fight, Shorty wouldn’t have lasted ten seconds. Stop going easy on him, Cade.”
Ky glowered at his older brother as he massaged the feeling back into his right arm. He wouldn’t mind facing Dizzier for five minutes, even five seconds. Just long enough for one solid punch to wipe away that sneer. His hands clenched into fists.
Cade whacked him with the flat of his sword. “Wake up. You still have three minutes left. Retrieve your weapon.”
Dizzier’s chuckle filled Ky’s ears as he stalked over to his sword and snatched it up from the ground. His neck and cheeks burned with contained wrath. What kind of no-good pushed a little girl for no other reason than to distract him?
Across the Ring, Paddy’s sympathetic grin drew his eye. Then Paddy’s face contorted, eyes winking, cheeks wrinkling, mouth stretching abnormally wide. He looked to be mouthing something, but Ky couldn’t figure out what. Look out . . .
Was Cade sneaking up on him?
He cast a glance over his shoulder, but Cade was a good five paces away.
Paddy rolled his eyes, repeating the message in a harsh whisper. “Look out for yourself, laddy-boyo.”
Paddy’s meaning settled as a lump in Ky’s throat. This wasn’t just a punishment, it was a test. To see if he could follow the rules when it mattered most. Cade planned it this way, for Dizzier to distract him, for Meli to fall.
“Any day now.” Cade’s blade swooshed past his head, carving a figure eight in the air.
Anger rushed through Ky’s veins and into his sword arm. Gritting his teeth, he stood with legs slightly bent, sword at an upward angle, awaiting Cade’s attack. It came without warning. One moment, Cade stood before him, sword poised motionless in his hand. The next, he transformed into a wild eyed beast, hurtling toward him like a stone from a sling.
Ky jumped to the side, batting away the hungry blade. It returned a moment later, licking at his throat. He fought the urge to fixate on the gleaming steel, and focused instead on the man behind the sword. His target. Swing from the left, block lower left, upward cut. He mentally recited the moves, limbs obeying the silent commands. Parry and forward thrust.
Cade swept Ky’s blade aside just before it reached his vest. They stood, swords locked, metal grating against metal. Drops of sweat glided across Cade’s forehead, and a brief grin flickered across his face.
“Let’s make it more challenging, shall we?”
More challenging?
Ky pulled back as Dizzier and several older boys spilled into the Ring carrying rope, crates, and barrels. Within seconds, an intricate maze of obstacles littered the ground.
Cade toed a trip line. “This should keep us from getting bored.”
Sure! Ky huffed a long breath. Wouldn’t want it to be too easy.
He waited for Cade to raise his sword and then charged. The two swords met with a clash. Ky felt a momentary tremor of fear as he ducked and parried and slashed in return. Cade may have been holding back before, but he was going all out now, fighting at a blinding speed. Now the rhythmic clanging of their swords was punctuated by the thud of feet, leaping, jumping, and climbing in a deadly dance to avoid the obstacles.
Cade’s sword grazed Ky’s shin, and blood trickled down his leg. Twang. A trip line snagged his ankle, and he tumbled head over heels to the ground, knocking over a bucket. Cade charged, and Ky grabbed the bucket and sent it skidding at the older boy, giving him just enough time to regain his feet.
Then he saw his chance. As Cade lunged, he hurtled into a roll, allowing his momentum to carry him back up onto his feet inside Cade’s guard. Leg crossed behind Cade’s knee, he threw all his weight onto the older boy’s shoulder, toppling him to the ground. He scrambled to his knees atop Cade’s chest and pressed his sword to his windpipe. “Do you yield?”
Sweat dripped from his hair into his eyes. He could feel the heat of the fire radiating across his back and suddenly became aware of the stunned silence filling the cavern.
Then Cade erupted.
His left hand dashed Ky’s sword from his throat at the same time as his right fist crashed into Ky’s jaw. Lights blared across Ky’s vision. He toppled back into the coals at the edge of the fire ring. His hands landed on the glowing embers, and searing cramps shot up his arms. Half blinded, he scrambled away, slapping at the orange tongues of flame licking his hair and sizzling against his dripping skin.
Hands grasped his arms and pulled him to his feet. Through bleary eyes, he made out Paddy’s concerned face peering at him. “Whew, laddy-boyo! You’re insane, did you know that?”
Ky shook free of Paddy and blinked to restore his vision. Across the Ring, Cade sheathed his sword and stood with his arms crossed in blatant disregard of the blood dripping from the cut on his neck.
“Insane,” Cade said. “But creative. Reckless and creative.” He turned to Dizzier. “Do you think he is ready?”
Dizzier shrugged. “Dunno. Mebbe you should ask him.”
Cade’s gaze swept back to Ky, and he forced himself to stand tall under the scrutiny.
“Yes,” Cade said after a long pause. “I do believe he is.”
Paddy whooped next to Ky’s ear, and Dizzier threw an arm across his shoulder. He flinched from the touch. “Cade, what’s this all about?”
“A new mission.” Cade’s eyes glinted, cold and hard like steel. “A dangerous one. Are you in?” He stuck the tip of his toe beneath Ky’s short sword and kicked the blade up into the air.
Ky caught it by the hilt, sending shivers of pain through his blistered palms. “I’m in.”
“Come with me.” Cade strode away, followed by Dizzier and Paddy. Ky hefted the short sword in his hand and hurried after them, stepping just a little bit taller than normal.
9
Mud seeped through Ky’s jacket and slithered up the holes in the knees of his trousers as he belly-crawled up the slope after Cade. The cool mud soothed his burned hands, though he probably should have bandaged them before setting out. He jerked his head back as Dizzier’s heels almost slammed into his nose for the third time.
Behind him, Paddy grunted and spat. “Bleh. Stuff tastes awful.”
“Quiet,” Cade growled. “You want an entire company of soldiers after you?”
Ky lifted his gaze and could just make out the dark edge of the slope against the bluer night sky beyond. There was an odd black lump in the middle . . . Dizzier’s head. A second lump arose next to the first and yanked it down.
He stifled a chuckle.
Digging his toes and elbows in, Ky made his way to the crest of the slope and lay flat with his ch
in resting on the wet grass and the pommel of his new short sword pressing into his side.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It had been a long time since he had been outside the city gates, away from the noise of the market and the stench of the streets and the bustle of the Underground.
The deep whisper of the River Adayn below filled his ears, recalling his attention to their purpose. His gaze swept down the slope, drawn to the cluster of red torches and bonfires at the base, and the dark hulk of the bridge spanning the water a little ways to his left.
Black figures, their movements exaggerated and jerky in the firelight, moved to and fro along the bank and across the bridge. Boats fitted with tiny flickering lights drifted across the surface of the river. Voices drifted up the slope, words and their meaning distorted by the wind, but one name burned in Ky’s ears: the Takhran.
Looked like this was what kept the dark soldiers busy beside the river, though Ky still didn’t know what this was, or what it had to do with the Underground. “This is what you wanted to show me?”
“No, Shorty.” Dizzier’s voice dripped condescension. “We thought a midnight roll in the mud would improve your looks.”
“What’re the soldiers doin’ down there?” Paddy asked.
“That’s what we’d like to find out,” Cade said. “Whatever it is, it must be important. They’ve been working here for months. Searching for something. And for months before that, they were working farther up the River.”
“So, what’s that got to do with us?” The words were out before Ky could stop them. “I mean, why’re we here?” He felt Cade’s steely gaze on him, though he couldn’t see it in the darkness.
“This is our new mission. We’re going to watch them, day and night, until they find it—whatever it is. Then we’ll strike and steal their prize.”
“I like it,” Dizzier said.
“Shure,” Paddy said. “Seems simple enough.”
Didn’t anybody have any sense? Bobbing apples and nicking coin purses in the marketplace was one thing, but stealing from the Khelari was something entirely different and a thousand times more dangerous. Ky searched for the argument that would have the most impact. “Didn’t you say they’ve been searching for months? They could be looking for months more!”
“No,” Cade said. “They’re close.”
“How do you know that?”
“The number of soldiers has increased. They’re stepping up their efforts. They know they’re almost there—that or they’re getting desperate. Either way, we have to be ready. If we want to win this war, we’ll have to strike first.”
Ky bit his tongue to keep from speaking. Anything more was sure to earn him the title “idjit.”
“What? No other objections from our newest recruit?” Dizzier chuckled. “I’ll take first watch then.”
“Good. Paddy, replace him in four hours. Ky, you’re after Paddy. I’ll get the rest of the runners on rotation after you.”
Ky followed Cade and Paddy down the slope and back toward the city, pondering Cade’s last words. How many others knew of Cade’s war plans, and how long had he been kept in the dark? Only yesterday, he had thought they were just ordinary kids banded together against hard times, but now, Cade seemed to think they were some sort of an army. What could they hope to accomplish against trained soldiers?
“Somethin’ wrong, laddy-boyo?”
Ky blinked away his thoughts and realized that he was standing at the base of the city wall. Cade was already scaling it above him, and Paddy waited at his side. “Nah, sorry,” he muttered, and started climbing. The rough stone scraped his burned hands, and he wished again that he had taken time to bandage them before starting this midnight expedition.
Sneaking in and out of the city wasn’t especially difficult at night. The dark soldiers enforced curfew and patrolled the gates, but there were at least a dozen low places in the walls where a decent climber could pass over. Still, caution was necessary lest a sentry find strangers on the wall-top. Once in the streets, they could fade into the night and disappear beneath the cobblestones without a trace.
Ky paused just below the wall top until he was sure there was no one in sight, then dropped to the walkway, and scurried down the steps. A hand gripped his collar, yanked him into the shadows beneath the stairway, and threw him up against the wall. The air burst from his lungs in an audible puff. He looked up into Cade’s narrowed eyes.
“You passed the test today, Ky, but I have to know I can trust you.” Cade gripped the front of Ky’s shirt with one hand, pressing his forearm against Ky’s neck, pinning him in place.
“You can,” Ky choked out.
“Is everythin’ good here, lads?” Paddy’s anxious face appeared over Cade’s shoulder. “All gettin’ along, are we, like good mothers’ sons?”
“It’s fine. Stay out of it.” Cade glared at Paddy and then turned back to Ky. “The Underground has rules for a reason. It’s the only way we’ve survived this long. If you’re going to ignore the rules or endanger our mission in any way, then I need to know now.”
“I won’t endanger your mission. But Cade, have you thought about what’ll happen when you pit your army against the soldiers? We’ll all be killed—”
“And if you keep questioning me,” Cade’s voice lowered to a growl, “then you’ll have to face the consequences. I need you all behind me. This is our chance to get revenge on the dark soldiers for everything they’ve done. To avenge the lives they’ve stolen. To reclaim what’s rightfully ours.”
“I’m with you, I already told you.” The words tasted like a lie, but what else could he say? He was with Cade, by necessity, if not by heart.
“You’d better be.” Cade released him and stood back. “The time is coming, Ky. I can feel it. Soon, very soon, we’ll be rid of the soldiers. And this mission is at the heart of it all.” Ky could almost hear Cade’s smile in his words. “This will be our best run yet.”
With a rustle of his cloak, the older boy vanished into the darkness. Ky pushed away from the wall and bent over, hands on his knees, breathing hard.
Paddy chuckled softly. “You’re such a fool, y’ know that, Ky?”
He snorted. “Thanks, friend.”
“Just tellin’ the truth. Are you tryin’ to aggravate Cade, or somethin’?”
“Of course, I’m not.”
“Well, I hate t’ tell you this, but you couldn’t do a better job if you set your mind to it, laddy-boyo.” Paddy sat down with his back against the wall.
Ky followed suit, wincing as he stretched his legs out in front. Thanks to his tussle with Cade in the Ring, his body ached all over. “I just can’t understand him. Why does he want to fight the dark soldiers so much?”
“I s’pose not havin’ been here from the beginning, you wouldn’t understand. It’s not much talked of now. Cade discourages it. You know Cade’s father, Lucas Peregrine, was a swordsmith?”
Ky nodded.
“Well, when the soldiers first came to Kerby, they sought ’im out. Wanted ’im to do somethin’ fer them—I don’t know what. When he refused, they slew ’im and ’is wife, locked Cade and Aliyah inside the smithy, and set the place afire. But Cade’s father had told ’im about these caves that the outlaws used in the old days, and showed ’im the trap door. Cade managed to get inside with Aliyah, but not before a burnin’ timber fell on her leg and broke it.”
“That’s why she limps?”
“Aye. Not long after, Cade’s uncle and aunt were taken, and his cousin, Dizzier, turned up in the tunnels. There were a lot of folks bein’ killed and taken in those days—more so than now—and no one dared ask any questions of the dark soldiers. People just disappeared and more often ’n not the orphans were left behind. That’s when Cade started the Underground. He figured if all the orphans banded together, we’d be able to survive, maybe even become family.”<
br />
“Family?” Ky shook his head, thinking of Dizzier. Cade’s system of assigning older brothers and sisters to new arrivals wasn’t the best. “The soldiers killed my parents too, Paddy.”
“And mine.”
Ky ran his fingers over the pommel of the short sword. “They’re evil and someone should stop them. But we can’t.”
Heavy silence draped over them. Ky studied the raw wounds on his hands. Like the others, he had been offered a new home in the Underground, hope after despair. And now, “Everything Cade’s worked to accomplish . . . everyone he’s tried to help . . . he’s going to risk it, just to get back at the soldiers.” Just to prove himself a hero, like the outlaws he idolized. Like his father. Like Hawkness.
Ky traced a flaring V in the grime coating the cobblestones and embellished it, adding thicker wings, a tail, the hint of a beak. Hawkness would never have endangered the innocent to fight a pointless war for vengeance.
“Think of the young ones in the Underground, Paddy. Aliyah. Meli. Cade’s going to get them all killed.”
Paddy slapped his hands against his knees. “You take it too serious, Ky! Cade’s been full of talk of war and revenge ever since the beginning. That’s all it is. Talk!” He broke off and lowered his voice. “We’ll do this mission, steal whatever it is, and it’ll settle back down again. You’ll see.”
Ky stared his friend in the eyes. “If you think this is just talk, then you’re the fool, Paddy.”
PART THREE
10
Something hard drove into Birdie’s side. She startled awake, curling in on herself to protect from the blows. Her breath came in short gasps. Over the crook of her arm she saw him—Carhartan, Master Dalton’s murderer.
A lump swelled in her throat.
“On your feet,” Carhartan said.
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