Read Online Viper's Creed (The Cat's Eye Chronicles) by T. L. Shreffler - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: T. L. Shreffler
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back? She had been a burden before, but now things were different. She could hold her own. Or at least, she thought she could.
It was on one such night, perhaps after a week of travel, that Sora fell asleep next to the fire... then awoke some hours later, inexplicably alert. Had it been a dream, or had she really heard something...?
She wasn't usually a paranoid sleeper. It was the wilderness, after all, and animals made noises... but after opening her eyes, she noticed a strange silence. No hooting owls, no scampering mice. No crickets.
She lay silent for a long moment, her staff in hand, her eyes traveling across the tall grass. What is it—a wolf? A wildcat? She hoped so; animals were easy to deal with. A wind brushed through the grass, passing over them like a wave, and then the fields grew still again. Their fire had burned down to a mere handful of embers, and her eyes were well-adjusted to the shadows. She had to suppress the urge to call out. Her heart was pounding, her ears straining so hard she thought they might twitch against her head.
Then she saw them. Vague outlines hunkered down in the grass. They were creeping slowly around the fringes of their camp, toward Laina's sleeping form.
It happened within seconds. A twig snapped. Then a body partially emerged from the grass, leaning toward Laina, and Sora saw the glint of a knife. She didn't hesitate. Leaping out of her bedroll, she swung her staff in an upward arc and smashed it squarely into the stranger's face, or where she assumed his face was, hidden by shrubbery. He fell back with a muffled cry.
Someone else leapt out of the grass—two someones—but Sora was prepared. Whirling her staff, she turned and rammed it into a shadowy ribcage, sending her attacker staggering back into the bushes. There was a yelp—a woman's voice.
The second man swung at her with a knife, but she leapt back a short distance, dodging the blow. She brought her staff down over his head, putting her full force behind it. Crack! She dropped him into the ashes of the fire. He let out a mumbled groan, then lay still. She was sure the coals were still burning, but the man made no move to stand up, or even to roll to one side. She frowned. I must be stronger than I think.
Twirling her weapon with ease, she turned full circle, her eyes scanning the grass. There was a thrashing sound and the scrabble of feet. She saw the dim shape of a woman running off into the fields, awkwardly bent because of her damaged ribs. She considered giving chase, but hesitated, her eyes returning to Laina. She didn't want to leave the girl alone. Is it just me, or were they targeting her?
It seemed that way, thinking back on it. The attackers had circled around her side of the camp, going straight for the sleeping girl.
When she looked back up, the shadowy woman was gone. Sora wondered who she was. Hopefully just a thief looking for easy coin. She waited for a long moment, staff in hand, prepared for another attack. A hushed wind blew across the fields, ruffling the tall, dry husks. Nothing.
She finally went to check the bodies. The first man was sprawled backwards in the bushes. She gasped softly when she saw his face. The staff had connected perfectly with his nose, leaving a bloody, pulpy mess behind. She gagged. He certainly wouldn't be getting up again. She could tell that he wasn't breathing.
Then she turned back to the body in the fire. His clothes were beginning to catch flame, and she quickly rolled him over, patting the embers on his shirt. The last thing they needed was a bushfire.
Her eyes widened when she finally got a look at his face. Instant recognition. Dear Goddess, he looks like a skeleton! It was the buzzard man from the jail cells, the one she had left behind. He must have gotten hold of that key, she thought, quickly searching the body for weapons. She found two knives, a compass and a water flask. Beyond that, there was nothing, no food and no money. Her eyes fell to the brand
It was on one such night, perhaps after a week of travel, that Sora fell asleep next to the fire... then awoke some hours later, inexplicably alert. Had it been a dream, or had she really heard something...?
She wasn't usually a paranoid sleeper. It was the wilderness, after all, and animals made noises... but after opening her eyes, she noticed a strange silence. No hooting owls, no scampering mice. No crickets.
She lay silent for a long moment, her staff in hand, her eyes traveling across the tall grass. What is it—a wolf? A wildcat? She hoped so; animals were easy to deal with. A wind brushed through the grass, passing over them like a wave, and then the fields grew still again. Their fire had burned down to a mere handful of embers, and her eyes were well-adjusted to the shadows. She had to suppress the urge to call out. Her heart was pounding, her ears straining so hard she thought they might twitch against her head.
Then she saw them. Vague outlines hunkered down in the grass. They were creeping slowly around the fringes of their camp, toward Laina's sleeping form.
It happened within seconds. A twig snapped. Then a body partially emerged from the grass, leaning toward Laina, and Sora saw the glint of a knife. She didn't hesitate. Leaping out of her bedroll, she swung her staff in an upward arc and smashed it squarely into the stranger's face, or where she assumed his face was, hidden by shrubbery. He fell back with a muffled cry.
Someone else leapt out of the grass—two someones—but Sora was prepared. Whirling her staff, she turned and rammed it into a shadowy ribcage, sending her attacker staggering back into the bushes. There was a yelp—a woman's voice.
The second man swung at her with a knife, but she leapt back a short distance, dodging the blow. She brought her staff down over his head, putting her full force behind it. Crack! She dropped him into the ashes of the fire. He let out a mumbled groan, then lay still. She was sure the coals were still burning, but the man made no move to stand up, or even to roll to one side. She frowned. I must be stronger than I think.
Twirling her weapon with ease, she turned full circle, her eyes scanning the grass. There was a thrashing sound and the scrabble of feet. She saw the dim shape of a woman running off into the fields, awkwardly bent because of her damaged ribs. She considered giving chase, but hesitated, her eyes returning to Laina. She didn't want to leave the girl alone. Is it just me, or were they targeting her?
It seemed that way, thinking back on it. The attackers had circled around her side of the camp, going straight for the sleeping girl.
When she looked back up, the shadowy woman was gone. Sora wondered who she was. Hopefully just a thief looking for easy coin. She waited for a long moment, staff in hand, prepared for another attack. A hushed wind blew across the fields, ruffling the tall, dry husks. Nothing.
She finally went to check the bodies. The first man was sprawled backwards in the bushes. She gasped softly when she saw his face. The staff had connected perfectly with his nose, leaving a bloody, pulpy mess behind. She gagged. He certainly wouldn't be getting up again. She could tell that he wasn't breathing.
Then she turned back to the body in the fire. His clothes were beginning to catch flame, and she quickly rolled him over, patting the embers on his shirt. The last thing they needed was a bushfire.
Her eyes widened when she finally got a look at his face. Instant recognition. Dear Goddess, he looks like a skeleton! It was the buzzard man from the jail cells, the one she had left behind. He must have gotten hold of that key, she thought, quickly searching the body for weapons. She found two knives, a compass and a water flask. Beyond that, there was nothing, no food and no money. Her eyes fell to the brand
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