The Lady of Seeking in The City of Waiting (Shadeside) by Jennifer Brozek

Author:Jennifer Brozek
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dungeons and dragons, sword and sorcery, fantasy novel, fantasy series, magic and mayhem
Publisher: Dark Quest Books
Published: 2013-04-09T00:00:00+00:00

Seeking

Outside, Derax and Jane stood before a massive collection of six interlocking buildings that made up the Butcher Jonas’s slaughtering factory. The great stacks spewed smoke into the air that smelled like charred flesh. The cobbles were slick with offal and ash while the stench of live animals and slaughterhouses assaulted the senses. Jane took it all in with the acceptance of one who would weep later. It was more important now that she keep her attention on Derax.

“How did you find me?” she asked.

A figure dropped down next to her. She whirled, the stolen knife still in hand. Punyon backed up a step and raised his hands. “Whoa. It’s me. Punyon. Remember?”

“Punyon told me,” Derax said as he looked around.

“What? How?”

“We need to get off the streets, then I’ll explain,” Derax said.

Punyon nodded. “There are body-baggers all over the place.”

“To the Forgotten Ward.”

“I know a way,” Punyon said and led them through the dark, dirty streets.

As the freerunner shepherded them through the streets and alleys of the Gutter Ward, Derax explained, holding himself together as best he could. He refused all of Jane’s attempts to help him, despite the wet, bloody spots in his side and shoulder. It was a good thing that Punyon’s instructions for open areas were to always walk, looking alert. Running was a sign that you were weak, prey, trying to get away. It would have also made Derax’s wounds worse.

Derax said, “His lordship Ender ordered me to make certain he was kept informed of your progress. As such, I hired Clan Tempest to keep an eye on us. How they did it was up to them.”

“Trade secret,” Punyon quipped as he held them back to avoid another suspected body-bagger. How he knew which of the dirty, ragged people were safe and which were not was beyond Jane. Everyone looked the same to her.

“They’ve been sending reports every six hours. Punyon saw you taken by Jonas’s men.”

Punyon nodded, “I was on duty. I saw someone let those men into the tavern after it closed. It was: follow you or check on Derax. I chose you and whistled for House Maru. Makoto was still awake. While we followed, I told him about you. I knew he and Takeda would patch Derax up. I think Takeda was an EMT in his other life.”

“A what?” She shook her head, “That is no matter. You are working with Clan Maru to watch me?”

Punyon grinned and repeated, “Trade secret.”

“Thus, rescued by Clan Maru, you came rushing to the Gutter Ward?” Jane asked Derax.

“Of course. You’re my charge. My responsibility. I’m not going to see you hurt...” He looked as if he was going to say more but stopped.

They turned a corner and then slipped down an alley. Punyon stood at the mouth of it, looking out. “Just over there’s the gates. Hopefully, they’ll let you out.” He stuck his head around the edge for a brief moment. “Too many body-baggers prowling the area. I think they know you’ve escaped. I’m gonna have to draw them off.

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