Free The Long War 02 - The Dark Blood by A.J. Smith Page A

surrounding Katja before turning sharply and walking in the other direction, leaving Rham Jas alone at the top of the stairs. No guests stood on the other side and Glenwood was not interrupted as he walked towards several doors that led from the balcony. He was only a couple of storeys off the ground and he hoped that any random window would allow him to escape. A breeze came through the first door and he turned into a storage area for wine and silverware. The room had a large window which was slightly ajar and, after a quick look around, he was sure he wasn’t being observed.
    He moved to the window and paused. He disliked Rham Jas – hated him even – but leaving him alone to get killed made the forger feel bad. He was not a good man, far from it, but he hated these puffed-up nobles even more than he hated the Kirin assassin. With strained resignation, Kale Glenwood, wannabe mobster of Ro Tiris, returned to the doorway and peeked out.
    He couldn’t see the Kirin and his eye was again drawn across the carpeted balcony to the figure of Katja. She was tall, with a lush figure, and drew all eyes to her as she spoke. As before, her voice carried and each phrase she uttered was met with fawning approval and laughter from the nobles. Archibald Tiris stood next to her. The new duke’s bearing was much less impressive. He had the high forehead and receding hairline common to the king’s family and a look of vacuous euphoria on his face.
    Just as he was beginning to think that Rham Jas had left after all, a slight movement caught his eye. Ironically, the presence of the enchantress worked in the assassin’s favour because it meant that those normally observant men were sufficiently distracted to let the Kirin get close. He’d ghosted his way along the far wall, keeping away from the balcony’s edge and making sure to stay behind the armoured Purple clerics. Glenwood knew how much Rham Jas hated the churchmen of nobility and he wondered if the Kirin would be tempted to kill more than one person before he left.
    It was difficult to see Rham Jas now because he had hidden behind one of the tapestries. Then, through the throng of nobles, a hand reached out to a discarded drinks tray and took two crystal goblets. No one had seen this and Glenwood held his breath, waiting for Rham Jas to make his move. The man of Leith had one foot tapping nervously on the floor and he glanced back to assure himself that the window was close. He knew he should have left already, but curiosity had the better of him and he waited a moment longer.
    Rham Jas appeared again, crouching behind a low drinks table. He lobbed one of the goblets into the air in such a way that its trajectory took it over the balcony’s edge to smash loudly on the stone floor below. No one had seen where the goblet came from, and the nobles on the upper floor reacted with surprise before moving to investigate. Glenwood smiled. The duke and most of the knights and clerics left Katja’s side to look down to the lobby. The enchantress herself appeared equally surprised by the sound but was far too demure to investigate what was, after all, merely a glass breaking.
    When the assassin moved, it was with lightning speed. He sprang from cover with the second goblet in his hand. Two men either side, who had not gone to the balcony, saw the Kirin move forward but were helpless to react as he wrapped an arm round Katja’s neck and rammed the goblet into the side of her head, just above the wolf’s head tattoo. The glass drove into her temple and a high-pitched scream sounded out. Katja was thrashing around in pain, but Rham Jas didn’t let go. He twisted the goblet, driving the jagged glass further into her head, until her eyes rolled back and the screaming stopped. Blood ran freely over her tattoo to fall on her limp shoulders.
    Everything froze as the high nobles stared at the Kirin assassin and the dead body of Katja the Hand of Despair. A strange haze flowed over the assembled