Free Ghost in the Storm (The Ghosts) by Jonathan Moeller Page A

at the corpses and felt a twinge of guilt. Two men, slain in cold blood. They would have killed her, had they caught her. Yet it still weighed upon her. She had killed these men without hesitation, without mercy. How hard and cold she had become. 
    Little wonder Jadriga had seen herself in Caina.
    She shoved aside the thoughts with an angry shake of her head. Her conscience could wait. Right now she had to find Nicolai. With the soldiers marching out of the Market, her best chance to do so had arrived.
    She took a moment to arrange the corpses so it looked like they had killed each other in a quarrel, and then left through the warehouse's back door. The alley was deserted, and Caina saw a five-story tenement standing nearby. By now its residents would have fled or been taken captive. It would make an ideal location to watch the Great Market.
    And if she got lucky, she might spot Nicolai.
    Caina walked into the tenement’s courtyard and froze.
    Five men stood there, waiting for her. 
    Four of the men looked like common mercenaries, clad in chain mail and leather, broadswords hanging at their belts. The fifth wore leather armor with steel studs, an old cloak thrown over his shoulders. His dress was that of a caravan guard, but his features were...scarred.
    Badly.
    His face looked as if it had been stitched together from pieces of old leather. His left eye was a bright green, while his right was a sulfurous yellow-orange. Both eyes fixed on her, and the man's scarred face twitched into a smile.
    She felt the tingle of sorcerous power.
    The scarred man, whoever he was, had some level of arcane ability.
    "Ah," he said. "Mistress."
    He recognized her as a woman, even through her disguise. Which meant he was either clever, or able to wield his arcane power with skill.
    Or worse, both.
    "Who are you?" said Caina.
    "I call myself Sicarion now," said the scarred man. 
    Caina blinked. "That's High Nighmarian for 'of the dagger'. Rather pretentious."
    Sicarion shrugged. "Well. I am ever so fond of knives, mistress. They are positively delightful." He titled his head to the side. "You...do not recognize me?" 
    "No," said Caina, hand inching toward her weapons. "Should I?" 
    "You really should," said Sicarion. "We've had many good times together, mistress, you and I. Unless..." Again he titled his head, his mismatched eyes unblinking. The tingle of sorcery sharpened against Caina's skin. 
    "Whoever you are," said Caina, "I have my own business, and you have yours. No reason for us to kill each other. The Istarish and the Kyracians will do that readily enough."
    "I am hard to kill," said Sicarion. "And you are the one I seek. I am rarely mistaken." His eyes widened, and he nodded to himself. "Yes...I understand now. This has happened before." He glanced at his men. "Take her. But gently, mind. No harm is to come to her. She is our mistress."
    The men advanced on her. Caina just had time to wonder what the devil was going on, and then she turned and ran. 

Chapter 7 - A Severed Hand
    Caina sprinted down the alley, all attempts at stealth abandoned.
    Sicarion and his mercenaries pursued. 
    She risked a glance over her shoulder. The mercenaries kept out of each other's way in the manner of experienced fighters. Whatever had happened to Sicarion's face had not damaged his legs, and he kept pace with ease. The five men knew how to work together.
    If they caught up to Caina, and she fought them, she would lose. 
    She had to get away. 
    Caina took a sharp right and ran down a narrow street, the ground sloping beneath her boots. This street led to the harbor, winding through the docks' tangled maze of alleys and courtyards. If she was careful, she could lose her pursuers here. 
    Boots slapped against the cobblestones as Sicarion and his men rounded the corner in pursuit. 
    Caina pushed through a narrow door in a brick wall. Inside was a wine shop, its tables and benches empty. A stairwell climbed the far wall, leading to the upper