In Shadows We Rise

Chaper 3

Reia

"What do we have here? The thief's accomplice or his whore?" The bald man's comment gains him a few laughs as I cringe inwardly. My brother and I do not look alike so they wouldn't assume we're related but still. Ugh.

"You must've made a mistake. We're no thieves," I insist innocently. Acting sweet for men like these makes my skin crawl but you do what you need to do to survive.

"I saw him with my own eyes. Are you calling me a liar?" another man asks. He's so fat I wonder how he managed to catch up with us. He must be a merchant, they're the only ones that don't look like the dead around here.

"Oh, of course not, sir. I'm merely saying that all the children in this village look the same. It must have been a trick of the light." The fat man snarls at me but one of his companions speaks up next.

"She's a pretty thing. I say we keep her in exchange for the boy's life." He's a lanky guy and I can see the massive gap between his crooked teeth as he smiles nastily. My throat feels dry and chills rush down my spine as memories try to resurface. Rough hands pulling me back by my hair. Sour breath next to my ear. My throat raw from screaming.

Never! My mind is screaming but I keep my emotions off my face. I could tell them I'm still a year short of eighteen but that would make no difference to them.

The group takes a collective step closer and I hear my brother whimper behind me. I straighten my spine.

He won't see me scared. I'll protect him and we'll get out of this.

"Just let us go, please. We are leaving this village and you will never see us again."

"Can you pay?" a woman from the back asks eagerly.

"I'm sorry." Another step in my direction. I glance to the alley the guards were in moments ago. Would they come to help if I screamed? Would they watch as the citizens kill an unmarked person? The second option's more likely.

I'm on my own but I have survived for too long to die today.

I pull the dagger I've stolen a long while ago from the back of my pants and lift it up for them to see. They laugh at me and I feel a wave of anger hit me. Too many times have I been underestimated and seen as weak prey. No more.

I lunge forward as the strangers are still laughing and aim straight for the fat man's throat. His eyes bulge and his hands reach for the deep cut below his chin but it's too late. He falls to his knees and takes his last broken breaths as I quickly back away from the group. They're not laughing anymore.

They stand frozen in place as they watch their friend die. Then, in a flash, one of them runs toward me. I take another step back to get us further away from the group and he follows blindly. If I can get them all alone I might be fine.

He has no weapon apart from his bare hands but his arms are longer than mine. He swings at me so swiftly I barely have time to duck. When I straighten again a woman is running towards me as well. She has a knife.

I keep backing away, looking for an opening to cut the man as he swings at me. Finally, I cut him along his side. It's not deep but he crouches down to hold his wound, giving me the chance to bury my dagger in his neck. He falls limp to the ground.

I can't catch my breath as sharp pain flares up in my left arm. The woman just cut me.

"No! Leave her alone!" A new wave of horror crashes over me as I see my brother getting to his feet and attempting to get to me. He's sickly pale and winces every time he puts pressure on his right foot. He doesn't get far as the bald man grabs him by the shoulder and pushes him to his knees. Energy surges through me and my pain is forgotten as all I can think about is getting to my brother. I slash wildly at the woman, cutting so deep into her stomach my dagger is hidden to the hilt.