Murder of Crows - A Kingdom of Crows Book the First

Chapter 5 - Reluctant Teamwork

Seth helped Knox climb up to the roof of a house while using his misdirection ability. Once up, Knox positioned himself, stomach pressed on the terra-cotta tiles, and aimed for the middle-aged Procurator. Seth watched in awe as the older teen concentrated and remembered what he said before they proceeded with their plan.

Listen, he had told him. When I shoot, use your skill on the people around him. We need to get Arthur without anyone noticing us.

For a moment, Knox was unmoving, and Seth couldn't even make out his breathing. He didn't even see his finger pulling the trigger, and it took him a second to react and divert his misdirection skill toward the people at the square.

Without a word, Knox jumped down to the ground to run toward Arthur and untie him. But the dying Procurator only chuckled. "I knew someone would end up killing me."

Both lads gasped as he reached for the pocket of his robe. Knox turned to look up at Seth, who was just as shocked to see that he was unaffected by his ability. The other people around them paid them no attention. Pirix brought the whistle to his bloody lips and blew.

Arthur, Knox, and Seth double over, clapping their hands over their ears as infrasound waves interfere with their brain signals. The townspeople all come back to their senses.

"Coordinators!" one screamed. "They're after the Procurator!"

Knox grits his teeth and continues to untie the last of the chains on Arthur's ankle. "Make a run for it." He swallows as they both stand up. The guards and the angry mob of people surround them.

"What the fuck are you saying?" Arthur hissed, readying his dagger.

"I have backup. Go." Knox's voice was calm. Arthur realized what just happened, and a flash of memory ran through his mind.

"Run."

His mother holds him in a tight embrace. He isn't that young anymore. He is already thirteen. He should be brave. But his knees are shaking. He holds his sheathed knife close to his chest.

His mother and his father are both Coordinators, victims of the Hunt that occurred five years ago. His mother has also been calm, almost sure that they would make it alive.

Her last words to him are, "Run and don't ever look back, my dear boy."

He did. When he returned, his parents were but burnt corpses inside their house, and his brother was nowhere to be found.

Arthur gritted his teeth, unwelcomed tears stinging his eyes. What did this fucker think about himself? Some hero? Hell if he'd run. He'd never run. Never again.

"I'll back you up." He raised his dagger. "Got any plans?"

"No," Knox admitted in a low voice. "But let's run. We'll try to lure them somewhere else."

"Right." Arthur clucked as they both broke into a sprint.

Seth joined them, fighting off the guards. Rocks were being thrown at them. One hit Seth on the forehead, and Knox had to pull him by the wrist to avoid leaving him behind.

With the Rotheset River in sight, Knox went ahead first and jumped.

"What the—" Arthur gasped but dove into the icy waters of the river anyway.

The townsfolk wouldn't dare follow them there. Known for being cold as ice, the Rotheset is also home to giant crocodiles.

Arthur was the first to spot one swimming near them. When Know saw it too, he hurled Seth forward, diving before the two to shoot the animal in the snout. Its blood should attract more of its kind, but not toward them now. Sure enough, more crocodiles came in swarms, but they feasted on the one Knox had shot, which gave them a chance to swim toward the riverbank on the other side.