Byzantium's Crown Read Online Free PDF Page A

even when he tries to rape a princess?"
    "I think she fears I might kill him otherwise."
    "You may indeed have to kill someone. Unless, of course, you have guards in your pay." He tossed her a dagger.
    "I told them to await us outside!" For the first time Alexa looked dismayed.
    "Then we're on our own." Marric drew blade, kissed its hilt in salute first to Alexa, then to the gods in the mosaic. "For luck!" he cried softly. Did some radiance come from the figures as if blessing their heirs? Marric shook his head. Heated by the anticipation of a battle, he was imagining things.
    Alexa took Marric's old place behind the door.
    "I hear about three men," Marric said. "If I dispatch the first two, can you take out the third?"
    "I must!" The footsteps and jingle of harness grew louder. Now subdued laughter filtered through the door, rude jokes coupling Alexa and Ctesiphon. Marric nodded reassuringly and saw his sister grip her dagger more firmly. He doused the lights and waited.
    The door edged open.
    "Prince Ctesiphon?"
    "It's dark. Perhaps he's abed with the little lady. I wish him joy, taming that one."
    "He wouldn't welcome interruptions."
    "We have our orders. Plague on it, it's dark here. Strike a light!"
    As one man struck flint, the hindmost shut the door. Marric lunged at them, his sword slashing out a lethal pattern. Alexa launched herself onto the third guard's back. He fell under her slight weight and shrewd throat slash almost immediately.
    As Marric fought the other men, she watched for an opening and darted in to hamstring the second man so Marric could kill him quickly.
    "Now, fast!" Hoisting the still unconscious Ctesiphon on his shoulder, he gestured Alexa before him out into the garden. Behind him the delicate curtains bellied into the room where dead men lay and dabbled in the blood on the marble floor.
     
    As Alexa had arranged, there were horses waiting outside the gardens. Unfortunately, guards also hovered nearby.
    "Mount and ride," Marric panted. Ctesiphon and the rug were no light burden to a running man. As Marric threw the rug across a pack saddle, Ctesiphon began to kick and shout. Even through the gag, he made himself heard. The guards started forward as Marric made fast his bundle with rope.
    "Have to check that, sir." One started to loose his knots.
    Set take them, were Alexa's men drunk? Where were they?
    "Ride!" Marric slapped Alexa's horse. It galloped down toward the harbor. Two mounted men rode out from the shadows after her.
    Marric leapt for his own horse. He kicked one of the guards brutally in the face, made his horse rear, and laughed as the other men leapt free of the dancing, lethal hooves.
    "Hold!" someone shouted behind him.
    "Hail!" Marric yelled and grabbed the reins of his pack horse. As his enemies ringed him, he drew sword to fend them off, holding both horse's reins in his left hand.
    "I am Marric," he gasped, "rightful emperor in my father's name. Stand off!"
    One man hesitated, then moved in beside him. When another guard pressed the attack, the newcomer struck him down.
    "You've killed a comrade, soldier, but saved a prince—and the prince is grateful. Ride with me!" The man's face lit at Marric's words.
    There were guards barring the gateway. Irene's security was terribly efficient. But they rode the watchers down and pounded along the road to the harbor where Audun Bearmaster waited.
    Why was Audun their ally? Marric wondered. He had brought Marric a white cub. Like Alexander, Audun had always spoken of a proper order to things. Slight enough reason for risking his life and those of his men, if that was what drove him to ally with what might easily be a losing faction. Certainly Audun was rich: no reward that Alexa could offer would move him. But Marric had no time to ponder. He rode on even faster.
    Now he could see the charred stubs of what had been tall trees. Some trunks still glowed red. They rode faster and faster as passersby screamed and dodged. Marric used the flat