Read Online The Stolen Child by Peter Brunton - Free Book Online Page B

grip on a handhold and the pavement was the last thing she would see.
    Still they ran, staying low now, keeping to the streets, cutting across walls and fences where they could.  She was approaching a T-junction when Justin tackled her out of nowhere , strong hands gripping her arms as he slammed her into a wall.
    “ The hell ?” s he gasped, barely able to squeeze the words out, she was so short of breath.
    “Hold still,” h e said in a voice like a whip-crack.  There was a metallic clicking sound as the knife appeared in his hand , the blade gleaming in the dim light.
    She froze, pressing herself back into the wall as he held the knife up.  Breathing shallow and fast, she looked at his face, watching his eyes for some sign of his intention.  Everything about hi m was focused and sharp.  The knife hovered at the very lowest edge of her field of vision.  She saw him press the point of the blade to his own thumb, blood well ing up around the tip as it sank into the skin.  She couldn't help but shrink back as he moved his bleeding thumb towards her face, and with a snarl of frustration he grabbed her by the chin.
    “Hold still,” h e repeated, his voice a low hiss .
    She felt his thumb press against her forehead, moving slowly and deliberately across the skin, tracing some kind of pattern.  Moving his hands away at last, he closed the blade and tucked it back into his pocket.  She let out the breath she had been holding.  
    She could feel the anger flaring inside of her as the shock subsided.  She was about to push him away when she heard the sound of footsteps from the street up ahead.   Justin shifted forward, forcing her back into the shadows.   They were pressed up close to the wall of a building, in the darkness between two street-lamps.  His body was tight against hers, their faces touching as she watched the far end of the street out of the corner of her eye.
    The scarred man stepped out into the intersection, his 'hound' sniffing the air in front of them .   The tall brothers in the long coats were with him, and she saw the rest of his men spread out behind, searching the street.   The n the thing on the leash paused, one hand raking at his tangled hair as he looked about frantically.  He seemed lost.  She heard grumbled curses, and then a loud thump as a boot caught the wild haired man in his side, rolling him over with the force of the kick.  He yelped in pain, more like a dog than a man, and sprang to his feet again in th e same hunched crouch.
    She wasn't sure if it was her heart or Justin's that she felt pounding at her chest , as the wild haired creature took another look around, sniffing the air.   Then he fell to the ground, curled up into a ball and began to whimper.
    “Lost it,” t he gravel voiced commander said.
    “C ommander Korban,” o ne of the tall men began.  The younger and leaner of the two, she suspected, by the tenor of his voice.  “This had better not be all that our money is worth.”
    “He's lost the trail.  Don't know how, but it happens.  We'll try again tomorrow, Mi'lord .  That's all we can do.  He'll be useless like this.”
    “ A hunting dog that can't hunt should be put down, ” the older brother growled, his voice deep and fierce.  
    “Good hollow men are a tricky catch.  This one's done well so far.  It's just a hiccup.”
    “Korban, my brother and I do not expect 'hiccups' from a man of your reputation,” t he younger man said, smoothly .  Rachael desperately wished they would just move on.  All it would take was for one of the group to look a little too closely into the darkness where she and Justin were hidden.
    “ Mi'Lord Bhandari , I have my reputation because I know exactly how things work out here in the field.  If you can find a man who'll promise you a job will never go awry, then I'll show you a man who's never been near a real job in his life.  Get used to it.   Sir. ”
    “Yes, I see it certainly wasn't for your courtly