Broken Crossroads (Knights of the Shadows Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

slid to a halt just beyond the last man. He landed on his side, looking back up the passage. He could see the merchant's boots just a few feet away and Trilisean in the distance, her face white. Her hands were raised in plain view above her head.
    “Now, then,” said a voice from above him. “You keep those hands where I can see them. Your friend here cut three of my men pretty bad just now. I may have to hire new guards. And you probably weren't doing any good back the way you came. He may make a decent slave, and I'll recoup some of my cost. I'll probably need to cut his tongue out to keep this night a secret, but that's no problem.”
    Conn tried to move, but his body would not respond. His dirk lay just beyond his reach. It may as well have been on the moon. He couldn't even turn his head. He dreaded that this man would use his magic on Trilisean and he would have to watch, powerless to help.
    “You, my dear,” the man continued, “would fetch a pretty penny. If you don't want to suffer, you'll cooperate. If not, we have ways of breaking the rebellious.”
    Conn struggled, but could not even blink. He felt as if he would burst a blood vessel in frustration.
    “What do you say, lassie? The easy way, or the hard one?”
    “You leave me no choice.” She seemed to droop.
    “Very goo–”
    There was a flicker of movement and a knife appeared in Trilisean's hand. Her arm snapped down and she rolled forward like an acrobat, coming up to her knees with another dagger reversed for a throw.
    There was no need. Conn heard the meaty thwack as her first throw hit home. The expensive boots toppled and the owner fell first to his knees, then flopped onto his side. At the edge of his vision, Conn could see the hilt of a dagger standing out of his throat, just above his breastbone. The slaver's expression was the same one he'd seen on the Jarving all those years ago.
    Never underestimate your opponent, he thought.
    “Conn! Conn!” She was on her knees beside him, cradling his head. “Are you alright?”
    He could feel control returning, first to his face and spreading to his body. He nodded weakly.
    “Ahhmaahriigh',” he managed.
    “Oh, thank Kerra,” she hugged him to her chest. He wished for a moment he had just a little more command of his muscles, but it was nice just the same.
    Slowly he recovered enough to sit up.
    “Wha' happen'?”
    “That was Paisleigh,” she said. “He's the slaver whose house we just robbed. I didn't know he knew any magic. Never seen it really used like that, just herbal powders and such. He did something that took your will away, so you couldn't even move. I guess that's one way he controls his slaves. Oh,” she started. “Your shoulder's bleeding again.”
    Conn studied the dead slaver while Trilisean rummaged for another bandage. It was an impressive throw. Right in the throat at twenty paces. He supposed that with an opponent who could do what this one could, the first shot had best count.
    “Wonder what they were smuggling,” he said.
    “I looked,” she replied. “I don't know. Just bags of some black powder. Must be valuable. Probably a narcotic, or something for the apothecaries. There are some long heavy boxes in the boat. Must be full of something heavy and metal. You can smell packing grease.”
    “Odd,” he muttered. His legs seemed able to hold him now. “Wonder what he was up to. I guess we could use my late friend's axe and open the crates.”
    “Why bother?” she asked. “I'm usually curious, but the sooner we get out of here, the better. Besides, the best treasure comes in wee sparkly packages, not made of iron in packing grease. Whatever it is, it's too heavy to lug back to town. You need to see a flesh tailor.”
    “I've had worse,” he grinned. “But you're probably right about the chests.”
    They started hiking along the shore, looking for a path up the cliffs that Conn could manage. He had no doubt she could scale them at any point. She nudged his good