The Third Apprentice by Lana Axe

Author:Lana Axe [Axe, Lana]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: AxeLord Publications
Published: 2014-12-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Silently in the darkness, Zamna crept along the roads, his feet making no sound against the stones. Approaching the tavern with caution, he observed his surroundings. Not a single person was visible in the streets, and the only sound to be heard was the yowling of a cat in the distance. Moving up to the tavern door, he unwrapped a small set of lock picks that had been stowed in a secret pocket of his leather shirt.

Sliding a thin metal pick into the lock, he tested the mechanism for its complexity. Grinning, he realized it was a simple lock with only two tumblers. The owner shouldn’t have bothered placing a lock on the door at all. Within seconds, Zamna sprung the lock and stepped quietly inside.

All was dark except for the remnants of a dying fire in the hearth. Though he did not know which room his quarry had gone to, he distinctly remembered the man climbing the stairs as he and Taren were leaving the establishment. If he had to search each room, he would do it. There was always risk involved in a hired killing, but for fifty gold pieces, it was definitely worth it.

His graceful movements allowed him to creep silently up the stairs. The wood did not creak below the weight of his well-trained feet. For years he had practiced the skill of moving unseen through the darkness, and tonight he put those skills to good use. This job was no different from the dozens of others he had taken over the years.

At the top of the steps, he crouched low, focusing his ears on the silence inside the tavern. Pressing one ear against the first door, he listened for the sounds of sleep inside. Cautiously, he turned the handle, opening the door a sliver. With one yellow eye, he peered inside to see a couple asleep in their bed. The man he sought was accompanied by two males, not a female. This was not the right room.

He crept down the corridor, checking rooms on both sides, but still his target eluded him. Finally, when he came to the fifth door on the right, he heard an interesting sound. His lips curled slightly at the edges as he pressed his ear to the door. Inside was the sound of snoring, and it was coming directly from the other side of the door. Running a scaly hand silently down the wood, he paused when his hand neared the floor. The weight of the occupant inside could easily be felt pressing against the door. This was the room. No other patron of this establishment would have the need for a guard to sleep next to the door. The man knew there was a price on his head, so he had hired someone to bar the door while he slept.

With quick but silent feet, Zamna moved along the corridor and back down the stairs. Tiptoeing through the common room, he let himself out of the tavern and back onto the street.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.