|[ THE FAERI'S KEEPER ]|

Chapter 22: Burning

"What do you mean escaped?" Cedric snapped, "How?" his head throbbed with a stabbing pain and he growled under his breath. Though he bore no physical injury, he suddenly ached, and he wanted nothing more than to sleep.

"We don't know, sir, but when we last checked inside her cell, she was nowhere to be seen. Her two guards were dead. Stabbed in the back of the neck." Cedric growled – he hated to take his frustration out on his men. Find the girl, and the assassin... he told himself. Take your anger out on them...

"The Assassin... well she can't have gotten far," Cedric said loudly, forcing himself to calm down – being rash would only serve in making mistakes. "Quick! Shut down the city and don't let anyone past the walls." He turned back into his room and searched for a shirt as the guards began filing out of the room to run to their various posts. He found a white shirt and threw it over his head before reaching for his armour and sword. He had barely pulled the hauberk over his head before the alarm bells were ringing, berating their assault on every pair of ears in the city. He knew that many would ignore the bells if they were still out at night – with riots occurring so often the alarm system was used on a regular basis. He just hoped no innocents would be put in harm's way when his men managed to catch up with the assassin. He tightened his sword-belt at his hip and left the room. He had to find Tanara. He couldn't let her get away with what she had done.

***

In the first few minutes outside in the streets they had been empty and dark, with most inside and asleep. But as the alarm bells rang and the city gates were closed, people began crowding outside their homes to glimpse what was happening. Lanterns and torches were lit, and light spilled out through the cracks of open doors and shutters. Cedric cantered past on his horse – a sight that still caused a ripple of excitement to flow through the crowd –  followed by several guards on foot, all moving in synchronisation. It was a twisted sort of excitement, though, one which mingled anticipation with fear into a poisonous cocktail. Towards reaching the outer-walls there was a number of cries and shouts of excitement, reminding Cedric of birds screeching to one another once they had found their prey. Following the noise, he turned his horse down the nearest side street and rode along until he almost collided with a patrol of men, all pointing and staring at the city wall before them. He followed their gaze.

Two figures stood at the foot of the wall, covered in pale cloaks. Cedric instantly knew one of them was the assassin, and assumed that the other was Tanara. Climbing off his horse he began pushing through the guards until he came to the front of the crowd and stepped forwards into the open. Torches wavered from building walls, and the closest houses had their doors wide open, throwing more light over the street. All eyes turned to him in expectation.

"Surrender!" he called to them, "You cannot hope to fight us all or escape." The two figures leaned together, as if discussing their next course of action. He felt a prickle of fear – this assassin... she had magic, and magic meant an advantage over everyone present, including him. But even a magician cannot hope to fight free from a troop of Knights and their king! Though doubt still lingered, the thought triggered some confidence. Magic was powerful, but her body would still be vulnerable to cold steel. Just as he was beginning to smile, the taller of the figures swept aside their cloak and from within its folds pulled out a gleaming, elegant sword. The make was unlike any Cedric had ever seen. It sent a flicker of fear through him, as if his body recognised the weapon that he did not.

"I will not surrender to you," she said smoothly, "I bow down to no one, not even a king."

"Yet you do as Soldin wills; his obedient lap-dog." Cedric retorted, "Is he not a king? Do you not bow to him?"

"I do what I want," the woman said, a sharp edge to her words, "Soldin's ideas merely played to my benefit. I will however, finish this particular job." Quick as a flash she had a small gleaming object in her hand and her sword had been returned to its sheath. Cedric ducked a fraction of a second too late as the small blade flew towards him and it caught on his forearm, slicing deep into the muscle. Cedric cried out as blood began flowing freely down his arm, causing the handle of his own sword to become slippery. His guards immediately stepped forwards, rushing to his aid as the woman leapt away from him and landed a few metres up the wall, clinging to the small footholds in the stone.  Tanara stared up at the woman.