Elyon’s Blades by Alison Naomi Holt

Author:Alison Naomi Holt [Holt, Alison Naomi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Denabi Publishing

Nineteen

Geller had assumed more than just the care of Ghost while Terrowyn was gone. She’d also taken over supervising her squad, a role she was accustomed to since she’d been a Senior Guardian for twelve turns before she became Prime. Since all of the shivs were doing fairly well, she’d settled in to finish some administrative duties that she’d put off for a few days.

Ailith and her handler, Jenx, were patrolling the market district with Nox and her handler, Maeira. When the four were together, the two shivs were under orders to speak only when spoken to. The first few nights they’d patrolled together, Ailith had forgotten she wasn’t to speak, but several head slaps later, the point had been driven home.

They’d been assigned to patrol the alleys, looking for several trib runners who’d been harassing women on a nightly basis. They’d managed to catch one the previous night and had taken him to the Temple Magistrate for punishment. Maeira picked up a discarded wrapper, wadded it up, and threw it in a nearby trash box. “How long are Sábria and Shirin gone for? It’s weird having them and Terrowyn out of town at the same time. Where did they go, anyway?”

Jenx searched the rooftops, looking for any skellies or nints that might be following them. “Terro escorted healer Cori back to the Dreyuthan border, and Sábria and Shirin rode to the Temple in Yhario. I guess the High Priestess there died, and Sábria needed to go and appoint a new one.” Jenx looked at Ailith. “And how many High Priestesses serve under Sábria?”

Ailith pursed her lips as she considered the question. “Well, didn’t ya tell me there are thirty lesser Temples—”

“Subordinate Temples.”

“Aye, I can niver remember that word. Anyway, thirty of ‘em, so, I guess thirty High Priestesses?”

Jenx turned back to Maeira. “Hopefully, none of them will be gone long. I like it when everything is running just like it should be, without all the disruption and change.”

Maeira grabbed Jenx’s arm and pointed down an alley. “There they are. They’re the ones who were with that nob we took down yesterday.”

The tribs saw them and took off running with the two Blades and their shivs close on their heels. The men turned the corner, and the Blades followed, expecting them to keep running. Instead, the men had pulled up short and were waiting for them when they rounded the corner. One swung a cutlass at Maeira’s chest, and since she was completely unprepared, she reflexively ducked. The sharpened steel embedded itself in the bridge of her nose. She went down and stayed down.

The other four men had their swords drawn, and they charged with gleeful roars and bloodthirsty anticipation written across their scarred and cunning faces.

Jenx barely had time to draw her weapon before the first man was on her. She blocked his first swing, and kicked him in the stomach, shoving him back long enough to put her back to the wall and parry a cutting swipe aimed at her midsection from a second nob.

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