Free Blood of the Redd Guard - Part One by Dan Decker Page B

what they were doing, not the whole of it.
    Earlier in the day, when Semal had asked her to help with the research, he’d mentioned that the project was based on a theory and explained that some time ago he’d stumbled across a reference to the ledgers of the Kopal. After giving it thought and considerable research, he’d wondered if it meant the ledgers in everyday use within the armies. He was starting with the Paroke archives because they were the most extensive and the best kept.
    “That’s all I can tell you,” Semal said. “Look for things that seem odd. A price that is too much or too little when compared with the items being bought or sold. It could be some sort of code in the way items are ordered on the page. I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Like I said, irregularities.”
    Nelion took the ledger that Semal still held out to her. It was from five years ago and was as thick as her leg. She’d been expecting to look at something decades old, not a book that was from so recent a time period. Did Semal believe that the Kopal had been active as recently as that?
    “This isn’t that old,” she said. “The Kopal were extinguished long before this.”
    Semal didn’t look up. “A dangerous assumption that seems to be on everybody’s lips. Makes me wonder how the rumor got started.”
    A chill went down Nelion’s back and the darkness surrounding them outside the glow of the lantern seemed to close in. She thought of the sound she’d heard earlier and dismissed as a rat. If the Kopal were still around… She pushed the thought away and tried to think of a response to Semal but came up with nothing, so instead she pulled over a stack of ledgers and was about to sit when Kyson spoke.
    “I was back at the table. You’re welcome to join me. That would be a bit more comfortable.” He motioned at the stack she was about to sit on.
    She took her ledger and followed him to the table. As they walked, the lantern that he held made the shadows in the room move. Stifling a gasp, she turned, positive that she’d seen somebody in the darkness but when she stared at the place, the moving light made it impossible to tell.
    Shuddering, she dismissed it as her imagination as she continued forward. She had thought it odd that Semal had wanted to do this research at night and had assumed that it was the only time he could get access to the archives. If he believed that the Kopal were still active, there was a different reason altogether that they were here once everybody else had gone home.
    She could feel her dagger brushing against her side and took some measure in the comfort it provided but not much. A sword would have been better. The shadows were dancing too much. The moving light hit what appeared to be a person covered in a cowl in a row to her right, but when Nelion focused on it, Kyson had already moved on and she wasn’t able to make anything out for certain.
    She got a bad feeling and almost called out to Kyson but stopped before she did so. All this talk about the Kopal had worked up her fears.
    As she passed the bookshelf where she’d seen the shadow, she couldn’t help but look from the corner of her eye but saw nothing. Once they were beyond the place in question, she found herself reaching for her dagger even while she told herself that she’d been seeing illusions. She pulled it out from the sheath on her belt and held it flat against her side. She was certain she was being paranoid, but after hesitating she decided that it was better to have the dagger in hand in case she hadn’t imagined the hooded person.
    She squatted on instinct when a scraping sound came from behind.
    Kyson set the lantern on the table and looked back; he frowned when he noticed she was crouching. He opened his mouth to speak as an arrow plunged into his chest. Whatever he’d been about to say turned into a scream while Nelion dove between the bookcases and went to all fours. Had the arrow been meant for her? She’d felt it