Chivalry by Gavin G Smith

Author:Gavin G Smith [Smith, Gavin G]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781912950270
Publisher: NewCon Press
Published: 2019-07-23T22:00:00+00:00

Five:

The Hierophant

The halberd’s axe head crashed down on the Church Militiaman’s helmet, splitting it open, bisecting the man’s head with a sickening crunch and then sticking there. Thornto’s muscles bulged and he grunted as he tried to wrench the axe out of the wound. The militiaman was still on his feet, shaking. The other guard in the corridor thrust his spear at Thornto. It glanced off his shoulder and opened up his cheek but Thornto barely felt it. Before the second guard could bring his shield up, however, a crossbow bolt embedded itself in his throat and he collapsed to the ground. Thornto worked out how to wiggle the axe in the wound so it came loose and that guard collapsed to the floor with a crash as well.

Cross appeared over the body of the guard she’d killed, glancing up at Thornto, clearly irritated about the amount of noise they were making. She had guided him through hidden and forgotten streets, through sewers that must have bordered the kingdom of the ghouls, and in through the church’s catacombs. Thornto was coming to the conclusion that it was easier to fortify yourself against an army than it was against one man. Particularly when that one man was guided by a woman who knew the city as well as Cross did. She wasn’t, however, supposed to be involved with the killing as there was to be no trace of the Ponce’s involvement. This was presumably why she was using a dagger to dig out the crossbow bolt and mutilate the wound.

They’d left Gritcham back by the door to the crypt. He hadn’t wanted to be involved but nor had he wished to remain in the crypt.

The arched, stone corridor ran off the nave and led to the Hierophant’s private offices. Thornto strode towards a door in the wood-panelled wall at the end of the corridor. He stopped by a wall sconce and lit the match cord on both the pistols. Gritcham had already loaded and primed them for him, now Thornto cocked both the weapons. He left the halberd next to the sconce. It would be too unwieldy in such an enclosed space.

Turning back towards the door, Thornto saw that it was open. A shocked-looking priest, presumably investigating the noise, was staring at him. Thornto started to run. The robed priest tried to close the door. Thornto’s boot crashed into it, battering the door open and sending the priest flying.

There were four others in the room. A jowly looking red-faced man sat behind a sturdy table of polished hard wood. Judging by the elaborate white robe the man wore this was the Hierophant. Sat opposite the Hierophant at the table was Bloody Stephen, the Earl’s Squire. There were two other Crimson Company soldiers present, presumably there as escort for the squire. Both the Hierophant and Bloody Stephen had goblets in front of them on the table.

Thornto put the barrel of one pistol against the face of the first soldier and pulled the trigger.

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