Free Labyrinth by Alex Archer Page B

of the pack, which is why he’d sent his soldiers in first—before he moved in for the kill.
But now Annja was here and he was reacting to the threat she posed.
Or the threat she posed as soon as she yanked her sword out.
If the dog was concerned about the blade, it showed no sign of fear. How could it? Annja reasoned. There was no way such a dog would have ever risen to power in the pack if he’d shown the slightest hint of emotion.
Even in the face of staring down an armed human, the dog menaced Annja. It began to growl, a lower vibration from deep within its belly, moving up through its throat.
Annja didn’t want to have to kill the dog, but neither did she intend to end up being mauled and eaten by it, either. Had Fairclough stocked the maze with these beasts and kept them underfed for just this purpose?
She was rapidly growing weary of Fairclough’s mechanisms for keeping his old book safe and secure.
There were so many better ways he could have done this, she thought.
When the alpha dog attacked, there was no hesitation. It simply shifted and shot at her, fully committed and without any pause. One moment, it had been standing completely still. In the next, it was charging Annja faster than she could draw a breath.
Annja pivoted as the dog sailed past her.
Dammit, she thought, he’s not giving me much of a choice here.
The dog came at her again and, this time, Annja tried to smack it with the flat of her blade. She caught him on his flanks, but the dog barely whimpered at the hit. He landed, skittered away from Annja, then turned and came racing right back at her.
Annja shook her head. Don’t do this, she wanted to yell.
Ravenous as it appeared to be, despite its girth, the alpha dog would need to provide for its soldiers or risk being unseated from his position of power. And that meant that it would attack any viable target.
And Annja was viable.
So was Kessel.
The alpha dog rounded on her again, intent on snapping for her neck.
Annja had no choice.
She backpedaled and then cut quickly, severing the dog’s head and just barely sidestepping a gush of blood that erupted from the stump. The dog’s body crashed to the floor and lay still. Its head landed across the room, closer to Kessel.
There was a moment of stillness. The three dogs snarling at Kessel stopped. One of them nosed the decapitated head, sniffing around it. Annja heard a curious sound that was a combination whimper and growl.
They’ll either break for it here, she thought, or another dog will try to take the alpha’s place.
She hoped it would be the latter.
Kessel glanced at Annja and his eyes widened when he saw the sword. So much for keeping that a surprise, she thought. Oh, well, she’d deal with it when she had to and not before.
Another dog nosed the alpha’s head, then sniffed the first dog that had nosed it. There were more growls. A whimper.
And then all three ran down the corridor away from Annja and Kessel.
Annja let out a pent-up breath. She didn’t want to have to kill any more dogs today.
“That was close,” Kessel said.
She whipped her head up. “Uh, I thought you didn’t have a tongue.”
Kessel grinned. “Yeah, well, that’s not exactly accurate.”
“No shit.” Annja kept the sword handy. “You feel like explaining that one to me?”
Kessel shrugged. “Not much to explain. It was necessary to make it appear as if I didn’t have a tongue. Greene’s much more trusting when he thinks there’s no fear of anyone letting his secrets out.”
“And who would want to do that?”
Kessel smiled. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a special agent with the FBI.”
Annja eyed him. “You’re with the Bureau?”
“I am.”
“Prove it.”
Kessel laughed. “As if. I don’t carry a badge around with me, Annja. I’m deep undercover. Something like that would get me killed. Greene wouldn’t even hesitate if he suspected me.”
“How long have you been under?”
“Two years.”
Annja shook her head. “That’s a hell of a long