The blade was almost white, the hilt sturdy with a few ornate flourishes. Her hands itched to touch it. She glanced around. She hated stealing, but this was life or death.
Muttering a quiet apology to the seller, she snatched the sword up, then grabbed a scabbard from the display beside her. She nabbed a knife from a nearby table, as well. She spun away and walked quickly. She expected to hear shouts, see someone chasing her down.
Nothing.
In a shadowed corner, she lifted the sword and assessed the weight. Nice. She pulled the scabbard on, and it fit nicely over her back. She fastened it and slid the sword into it.
Right. Now to get out of the city and go east.
Suddenly, the air charged around her, making her skin tingle. She stilled and turned.
Uh-oh.
She spotted Rhain in the distance, striding down the terrace.
People stared at him and stumbled out of his way. Mal felt the rush of energy, like an impending thunderstorm, brewing.
His gaze locked on her.
Mal decided to implement her very clever escape plan.
She turned and ran.
Chapter Six
Rhain saw his escaped prisoner and broke into a sprint.
“Rhain!” Thadd bellowed behind him.
He watched Mal turn into an alley and gave chase. She was fast.
He pulled energy to him and picked up speed.
The alley opened into a small plaza. There were several restaurants, with people seated outside. Nearby, a man was pushing a mobile food cart.
“Get your fresh-baked olver,” the man called.
Mal dodged around the cart on those long legs of hers.
Rhain raised a hand. A row of potted plants outside a café lifted into the air. He jerked his hand to the side.
They flew toward Mal.
She dodged the first two, then pulled a sword and slashed at the third.
The pots broke into shards on the ground.
She looked back at him, a jaunty, red flower tucked behind her ear. She smiled, then took off again.
Rhain ran. He used a pulse of energy, and sailed into the air and over the food cart. He heard exclamations from the people nearby.
“You can’t escape, Mal,” he yelled.
“Watch me!” she yelled back.
She took a hard left and disappeared down another alley. Rhain sprinted down the alley and ran out the other side into a large crowd of people. He swiveled, searching for her dark hair.
There. She disappeared down another narrow street.
This one was filled with colorful fabrics hanging out to dry. It looked like they’d been recently dyed.
He couldn’t hear any movement. He pushed past one, then another. All he heard was the fluttering of fabric in the breeze.
She was close, he could feel her.
He paused.
He let the energy pool around him. Where are you?
He dodged to the left, brushed a body, and heard a feminine curse. There she was, hiding behind some electric-blue fabric.
She punched him, and he deflected the blow. She twisted and they both turned and ended up wrapped up in a roll of rich, red fabric.
Her face was not far from his and she glared up at him.
“You shouldn’t have escaped,” he said.
“I’m leaving. I’m not trying to spy or assassinate you.”
“Come back and answer my questions.”
She cocked her head. “Let me think? No.”
Rhain felt a prick at his abdomen.
She had a knife pressed against his gut.
He shook his head. He knew deep down that she wouldn’t cut him.
“Are you going to stab me?” he asked.
“Don’t push your luck, your Overlordness.”
Gorr, that snotty, irreverent tone got to him. “You forget who you’re talking to.”
“No, I haven’t. My arrogant captor who is trying to lock me up.” She jabbed the knife a little deeper.
Their faces were close and he saw her gaze drop to his mouth.
“Remembering the kiss in our dream?” he asked.
She sucked in a breath. “No. That was just a dream.”
He smiled. “You liked my kilwar blade a lot. And my chest.”
Her mouth dropped opened. “That’s not…possible.”
“Put the knife down. We’ll talk.” Rhain yanked her closer and absorbed the sting of the blade.
“You idiot,” she snapped. “I’ve cut you.”
“It’s fine.”
She shook her head. “Sorry, no can do.”
She shifted the knife to the side and sliced down the side of the fabric. She slipped free. Cursing, Rhain followed.
To find another sheet thrown at him, covering his head.
Gorr. He let loose a pulse of energy and threw the sheet off him. It fluttered up into the air.
He saw Mal disappear at the end of the alley.
Cursing ripely, he ran after her. He spotted her heading back toward the central terrace.
When he reached the terrace, she’d disappeared into the crowd again. He took a few steps and spotted a crumpled red flower on the ground.
Where are you? He stood still and calmed his mind. He felt the pull of the energy field around him.
“Rhain?” Thadd’s heavy footsteps sounded behind him.
Rhain felt the solid, strong, life force of his captain.
“She’s here.” He sensed her, like a bright spark.
The fact she’d escaped and ran, would prove to most that she was the enemy. The nobles would scream for her to be locked up. He had to find her.
“I spoke to some children,” Thadd said. “She talked with them.”
Rhain heard the reluctance to share in Thadd’s voice.
He opened his eyes. His captain’s features were an impassive mask.
“What?” Rhain asked.
“She asked where the Badus Mountains were.” Thadd looked like he’d tasted something tart and unpleasant. “They said she didn’t appear to know what the Barrens or the Radiance were.”
Rhain frowned. “You think she’s telling the truth? That she’s not sent by my father?” Rhain was starting to suspect as much, but he wasn’t sure he could trust his judgment where this woman was concerned.
Thadd spread his callused hands. “I don’t know, but I’m not willing to take the risk.”
Rhain felt a ping in the field.
Got you.
He spun and strode down the terrace. He moved close to one of the waterfalls arcing out into the lake below, elegant and beautiful.
He spotted her.
She stood on one of the railings, running along it with an inborn grace that was breathtaking. His gut clenched. If she fell…
He sprinted after her. “Mal!”
She teetered and looked back.
Then she sat on the railing and disappeared over the side.
Behind him, he heard Thadd curse.
Rhain reached the railing and looked over. Mal was climbing down toward the lower terrace.
“Mal, you can’t get away.”
She looked up. “I’m not your enemy, Rhain. I won’t abandon my friend. I have to find her.”
He ground his teeth together. She was loyal, but stubborn. Gorr, he admired her for it. “Stop. I’ll help you find her.”
Mal shot him a suspicious look. “We both know that if I come back up there, you’ll lock me up again. I can’t do it.”
Rhain threw a leg over the railing. Thadd grabbed his arm.
“What in the gorr are you doing?”
“Going after her.”
“No. If you fall—”
“It’ll take us too long to get to the lower terrace. She’ll be long gone.”
A flyer flew over and the wash of air sprayed water from the waterfall on them.
Rhain gripped the railing. “I’m going after her.”
“Rhain,” Thadd growled.
“I’m not letting her get away.”