Free Dwarven Ruby by Richard S. Tuttle Page A

running down her cheeks, and she clung tightly to her son.
    “You should not be here,” Lara cried. “They will kill you.”
    “We are going to take you home,” Tedi said softly.
    “No,” sobbed Lara. “They will never let me out of this building. Take your friends and get out before you are discovered. The will kill you horribly. I do not want that to be my remembrance of you.”
    “I am not leaving here without you,” Tedi said adamantly as he led his mother towards the rear of the room. “I have lost you once, and I will never lose you again. I don’t care if we have to defeat the whole Lanoirian army. You are coming home with us.”
    Bin-lu heard loud talking outside the room and started moving towards the door. Suddenly the door swung open and a noble walked in. The two soldiers were right behind him.
    “What is the meaning of this?” demanded the noble. “Nobody is allowed in here without permission.”
    Bin-lu noticed that the soldiers had drawn their swords as they entered the room. He also recognized the noble as the man who had escorted him to see the Emperor.
    “You,” shouted the noble as he pointed at Bin-lu. “You dare to come back here after the Emperor spared your life? Seize him!”
    Bin-lu wasted no time. He leaped into the air and extended his foot in a flying kick to one of the soldier’s chests. The soldier flew against the wall and collapsed. Bin-lu landed and dropped to the floor. He swiftly pivoted and used his legs to sweep the other soldier off of his feet. As the soldier hit the floor, Bin-lu brought his stiff hand down hard on the soldier’s neck. Neither soldier moved, but the children ran screaming out of the room.
    The noble turned with fury on face and Bin-lu leaped to his feet. Tedi shoved his mother behind himself and picked up his staff. Bin-lu executed another flying kick to the noble’s chest. The noble hit the floor hard and slid towards the rear of the room. Tedi placed his staff on the man’s throat to keep him from getting up. Bin-lu turned and slammed the door shut.
    “We will never get out now,” he shook his head as he dragged the large desk to block the door.
    “This one is out cold,” Tedi declared as he examined the noble. “What other ways are there out of here, Mother?”
    “You should have just left me,” Lara cried. “Maybe you still can.”
    “I am not leaving you, Mother,” retorted Tedi adamantly. “What other ways are there to leave this building?”
    “None,” cried Lara. “The whole palace is walled off from the city. There are hundreds of guards stationed all over the grounds. What are you going to do against them? One soldier, an old man, and a fisherboy? Why did you have to come?”
    “Because he loves you more than his own life,” Boris said softly. “We can get out of here, but we will need your help. Which way is the garden?”
    “The garden?” sobbed Lara. “Through the next room, but that will not get you off the grounds of the palace. There will already be guards heading towards it. They will seal this room off quickly.”
    Now would be a good time, Niki. We have precious little time so do not dally. Meet us at the wagon when you are done.
    “We need to move quickly,” shouted Bin-lu as soldiers began pounding on the door that he was still piling furniture against.
    “Can we really escape from the garden?” asked Lara. “Is it really possible?”
    “Anything is possible,” Boris said softly. “Mostly you have to want it bad enough.”
    “Wait then,” Lara shouted as she dashed through the doorway to an adjacent room.
    “Bin-lu,” called Tedi, “leave that door be. If these adjacent rooms open to the same corridor, you are just wasting your strength.”
    Bin-lu nodded and headed towards Tedi as Lara reappeared leading another woman.
    “Mistress Clava!” shouted Tedi.
    “You look old enough to call me Kamil now, Tedi,” smiled Arik’s mother. “I thought Lara was imagining things when she told me about