Dagger of Jade

Chapter 3

Carter and I weaved between the stream of people as we bolted away from the guards. They were hot on our tails. We needed to speed up.

I took a sharp turn into another alley. Dead end.

I cursed profusely.

Turning to Carter, I saw his face had fallen as he scanned the wall blocking us. "You said you attacked a guard right?"

He turned, face lighting ever so slightly. "Yeah?"

"What do you say about doing it again?"

He gave me a tight lipped, but determined, nod and we both spun to the entrance of the alley just as about a dozen guards filed in.

I did a quick once over of the guards and met the eyes of one I had not seen before. In them, I only saw humor, wicked, vile humor of our imminent defeat.

Ice cold rage flooded my senses and I took what I could only think was a fighting stance. Carter, beside me, gave it a funny look but I paid no attention.

"Come quietly and we will make your deaths quick," The guard I locked eyes with smiled, cruelly. His companions laughed.

"No thanks," Carter huffed.

The laughs died down, and they drew their swords. By the gods, we were screwed.

I took a step forward, realizing as my wrists drew taut that the cuffs still linked my arms.

Great. Another obstacle.

Again, I scanned the men, intent on remembering their faces in case both parties made it out. Revenge would be on my shopping list.

Or in case the gods asked who murdered me when I made it to the middle realm.

"You have five seconds to get down on your knees with your hands in front of you. We will not offer again," The guard I had locked eyes with commanded more than proposed.

Carter caught my attention with a questioning look that seemed to say, are we really going to do this?

"One," the guards took a single step forward.

I shrugged, they're going to kill us anyway.

"Two." Another step.

He turned back to the guards shaking his head, "No thank you."

They charged.

It was a blur of action and just as it started, it ended. A sword was at my neck as I was forced to my knees, threatening to end my short life, and Carter was gasping in pain beside me, though I don't know what had happened to him. I tried to turn in look but I sucked in a sharp breath and hissed as the swords bit into my neck and a drop of blood, hot and fresh, trickled down my neck.

I am not sure what I thought was going to happen.

The guard holding his sword to my neck gave a slight chuckle and a cruel smile sprouted on his lips. "Not so tough now little girl."

I didn't dare say a word.

He pulled back the sword, but it was clear that if I made a move, he would not stop the sharp edge from slicing me open.

"Take them to the gallows," he instructed.

Carter let out a cry of pain and this time when I looked I could see he had taken the point of a sword into his shoulder. Crimson bloomed on his shirt.

Yanking us to our feet, they dragged us towards the bustling town center and the impending noose.

"Carter?" I spoke softly trying to not catch the guards attention.