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The chase was on.
I darted to the left, through the winding alleys, my heart pounding in my chest. The streets of Sungard were a maze of narrow passages and hidden corners, but I knew them well and he didn’t look like he was from around here. I would lose him before he caught up to me. I had to.
I couldn’t afford to be captured, not now, not ever. At worst, I’d be killed and at best, I’d be sold off as a slave. I shuddered, thinking about the lashes on my back once again.
I twisted around a corner, narrowly avoiding a merchant carrying a heavy load of vegetables. The market square loomed ahead, filled with people and bustling activity, but that didn’t slow me down. I simply ran harder. If I could make it through to another market, maybe I could disappear into the crowd and lose him that way.
The sun overhead bathed the city in a warm, almost surreal glow, but it did nothing to calm my nerves. The slums gave way to more affluent areas as I ran, each step taking me closer to the massive golden palace perched atop the mountain. The castle stood as a beacon of magnificent wealth and unbelievable power. Wealth I would never in my life experience. Wealth only the Sun King was used to.
I’d never know what that was like, but I’d made my peace with that long ago.
I glanced back and saw the man still chasing me, his dark cloak billowing out behind him as he ran after me. Panic surged through me, and I pushed myself harder, weaving through the crowd in another market, bumping into people, and apologizing hurriedly as I went. I risked another glance over my shoulder and saw him closing the distance. I needed to find a place to hide and fast.
An abandoned building on the edge of the market caught my eye. It looked like it had once been a shop, now boarded up and forgotten. I slipped inside, the door creaking as I closed it behind me. The interior was dark and dusty, filled with cobwebs and broken furniture. I crouched behind a large, overturned table, trying to steady my breathing as much as I could.
The seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. Maybe he hadn’t seen me come in here. Maybe I was safe. But then, the door creaked open again, and I heard soft, measured footsteps.
Fuck. He’d found me.
“Little thief,” he called, his voice echoing in the empty space. “You can’t hide from me.”
I held my breath, hoping he would move on, but his footsteps grew closer. I clutched at the dagger I had stolen from him, my fingers trembling. The shadows seemed to close in around me, the darkness pressing in on all sides.
I waited until his footsteps passed by my hiding spot, then bolted from my cover, darting out the back door of the building. The sudden burst of light blinded me for a moment, but I kept running, my feet pounding away against the cobblestones.
The chase led me deeper into the city, through another market where vendors shouted in surprise as I dashed past. I didn’t look back this time, but I knew the man was right behind me, his presence like a dark shadow that I couldn’t shake. The streets became narrower and more twisted, the grandeur of Sungard fading as I entered an older, abandoned sector of the city.
Here, the buildings were crumbling and overgrown with vines, the streets deserted and eerily silent. I wasn’t as familiar with this section of the city and when I reached a dead end, I skidded to a stop, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
Dammit! There was nowhere left to run.
He emerged from the shadows, his violet eyes locked onto mine. He moved with a grace that belied his power, eachstep deliberate and measured, and I backed up into the wall, nervously watching as his intense gaze held mine.
“You can’t escape me, little thief,” he said, his voice low and intense. “Your fate is tied to mine.”
I backed up against the wall, the jeweled dagger still clutched in my hand.
“What do you want from me?” I demanded, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.
“You stole from me, and I aim to take back what’s mine,” he growled. His tone was calm, almost conversational, but the threat was unmistakable. “No one steals from me and survives to tell the tale.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine. My heart pounded in my chest, and I tightened my grip on the dagger, my only means of defense aside from the small knife still secured in my boot. I was scared, but I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I had survived too much to give up now.
“You can try to take it back,” I said, my voice trembling but defiant. “But I won’t make it easy for you.”
His smile was a cold, calculating thing, and he took another step closer.
“Brave words, little thief. Let’s see if you can back them up,” he dared, and I snarled in his direction.
I lunged at him, slashing with the dagger. He moved with a fluid grace, easily sidestepping my first swipe. I swung again, putting all my strength into the attack, but he avoided it with a slight shift of his body. Each time I struck, he evaded effortlessly, hismovements almost lazy, like this was far too easy for him and that infuriated me.
Frustration and fear fueled my attacks. I tried to feint left and strike right, but he anticipated my every move. His eyes never left mine, calm and unyielding, as if he were merely toying with me.
This wasn’t looking good.
I aimed a final desperate thrust at his chest, but he caught my wrist in a viselike grip. Pain shot through my arm as he twisted it, forcing me to drop the dagger. It clattered to the ground, the sound echoing through the deserted streets, and I got my first good look at it.
It was beautiful.
