Ignoring the erratic hammering of her heart, Lory bolted into the dark alley, right into Gargoyle territory—potential death was still better than possible death because, the way the man was grabbing for his weapons, she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to slit her throat to get back that bag.
Run, Lory, run.Her own words rolled through her mind in the rhythm of her pounding blood, and her legs ate up the ground as she propelled herself forward, deeper into Gargoyle territory. If she made it a few streets in, she could take a right turn and cut her trip through the street gang’s hunting grounds short. Anything to get out of there alive.
Behind her, Observant Eye’s boots hit the ground as if he wanted to announce he was gaining on her, the image of his blade inducing more terror in her than she’d felt since the night she’d lost Evven.
“There’s nowhere you can hide,” the man shouted, but Lory knew better.
The building ahead was low enough for her to swing herself up onto the roof if she could get a hold of the beam supporting the curved parapet above the windows. Running,she secured the bag around her shoulder, tying a knot on the leather strap and tightening her hold.
Three powerful steps later, she leaped, hands reaching for the rounded wood that looked like her palms could slip as easily as they could rip on the frayed surface.
Gritting her teeth, Lory jumped, fingers sliding along the wood as she hauled herself up so her toes reached the edge of the main roof. Below her, the man was a quick-moving shadow already halfway to following her.
If she could only?—
The beam groaned as she levered herself higher until she could slide her knee onto the stone roof tiles, then twisted up and let go with one hand, grasping the ridges of the stone while mumbling a prayer to the Guardian of Life. If any one god could help her, it was her. She’d even visit the temple and sacrifice a coin in the morning if the Sister Guardian helped her get away.
One more push, and she was up, her stomach gliding over the tiles as she scrambled away from the edge. Observant Eyes was still there, already leaping for the roof. He’d catch her. He’d catch her, and she’d be dead. Or at least lose a hand.
Mercifully, he’d sheathed his sword so he could hold on to the beam, copying Lory’s path, and she shamelessly used the opportunity to kick him in the face the moment he pulled himself over the edge of the roof.
With a grunt, he dropped to the ground, his groan following her as she got to her feet, ambled across the roof, and climbed down the stair-like terrace on the other side. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when her foot slipped ona loose rock and she plunged the final few feet, landing flat on her back so hard her breath was knocked out of her.
This can’t be happening,she thought as she blinked away the bright stars dancing before her eyes. Even when she’d hit the man’s nose, he wouldn’t remain down for long, and the last thing she could afford was to waste time on her own clumsiness.
Collecting her limbs, Lory rolled to the side, biting back the groan of pain as she straightened her back and took a step. Her back, it seemed, wasn’t what had taken the brunt of the impact. It was her hip and her right knee aching like they’d just collided with solid rock.
Bracing her arm on the wall for support, Lory took a sharp right turn, following the alley parallel to where she’d left the man, and hobbled toward more familiar streets, away from Gargoyle territory, no longer worried about the bag dangling from her shoulder. If she got out of this alive, that would be enough.
Her knee was throbbingby the time she made it back to Lu’Shen’s, ready to postpone hiking all the way to the outskirts of Dunai in the morning if she could only find a place to rest for the night. A roof would suffice. Anywhere but Gargoyle territory would be fine, and the area around Lu’Shen’s she knew better than anywhere else in the city. She’d even sleep curled up in an empty barrel if that would mean Observant Eyes and Top Knot wouldn’t find her.
But footsteps echoed along the side street, and if it was one of the two, Lory would have no way of hiding. Not even in the doorway of the brothel where she’d scouted her prey.
Every step was agony, but Lory took one steadying breath after the other, forcing herself to keep walking.
She was halfway past Lu’Shen’s when the front door opened a foot wide, and a pair of hands grabbed her by the arm, hauling her into the building, and there was nothing she could do to stop it from happening. Her balance was shit with the injury, and whoever ambushed her at least had pink-painted fingernails, which meant it couldn’t be Observant Eyes.
“Come in, hurry,” a smoky voice commanded, and Lory found herself spun around and leaning against the wall as Lu’Shen herself quietly shut the door behind her. “Can you stand?”
The madame assessed her with sharp green eyes, gaze snagging on a stain of blood that had been spreading on the knee of Lory’s pants.
Lory shook her head, not because she couldn’t keep upright but to tell the woman to let her go.
“I need to—” She struggled out of Lu’Shen’s grasp, reaching for the doorknob.
“Don’t be silly, girl. You couldn’t walk a mile like this, let alone run or climb, which I assume are both things you’ll need to be capable of if you intend to outrun the guard.”
Guard?“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Playing dumb sometimes helped with getting off the hook, but the look on Lu’Shen’s makeup-painted face told her that the madame wouldn’t believe her ruse.
“Don’t think I’m stupid. I’ve seen you here before, watching my customers from a safe corner while you determine which of them is taking home enough gold to make an ambush worth the risk. Oh, don’t look so surprised,” Lu’Shen croaked, already slinging Lory’s arm over her shoulder and guiding her to a cushioned footstool for her to sit. “I’ve seen you around here often enough to know what you’re after—and it’s not one of my pretty girls, who you couldn’t afford even if you were actually able to steal your way through the tavern.”
Lory didn’t follow the urge to draw the bag from behind her back and wave it at Lu'Shen’s face, too busy keeping her breathing even as the madame bustled toward the counter, pulled bandages and a tin of salve from a drawer, and returned, her painted lips pursed as she studied Lory’s hunched form.
“Can’t say I blame you for picking the drunkards in my tavern. They are easy prey after fucking half their night through my girls’ beds, then consuming wine and ale for the rest of the night. I’d come here, too.” Her pink half-smile was almost convincing. “You picked the wrong target tonight, though.” Her kohl-framed, upward-tilted eyes flashed dangerously as she cocked her head to assess Lory’s knee more closely, one hand reaching for the bloodied blotch on Lory’s pants.
Lory’s knife was in her hand so fast, she nearly fell off the chair. To know she’d been out there in the streets, Lu’Shen must have been spying at the door, which wasn’t a particularly trust-inspiring thought.
Rocking back on her heels as she crouched before Lory, Lu’Shen gave her a scolding glance. “Put that away, girl. You won’t get far with a damaged knee. Here, let me help you.”
