Balanced on the Blades Edge #2 Deathmaker by Lindsay Buroker Read Free Book Online Page B

the back of the tunnel if she had to.
    “Down,” he whispered, crouching again.
    A second later, the first guard came into the sight, a dark outline against the jungle. Cas melted to the ground, making herself a small target, and lifted the rifle to aim.
    “Wait,” Tolemek breathed in her ear.
    Two more guards came into view, one holding a lantern, both armed. Cas’s finger tightened on the trigger. They might not be able to see her and Tolemek in the deep shadows, but if they started firing into the tunnel, they were bound to hit them.
    “They go in? Or run out?”
    “They must have come from in there and run out.”
    A soft rustle of clothing came from behind Cas. The little leather ball flew through the gate, bounced on the ground, and came to rest between the men. Its sides unfurled like flower petals, and some sort of smoke oozed out.
    “What is that thing?”
    One of the guards shot at the ball, which was inches from another man’s foot. Everyone jumped back. The unfurled ball seemed undamaged; if anything it spewed more smoke.
    “You boys all right down there?” someone asked from the side.
    “I...” The guard who had fired—and doubtlessly caught a big whiff of the smoke—grabbed his forehead and stumbled backward. The next closest man simply pitched to the ground. The third soon followed.
    Cas thought she heard a couple of thumps from near the tunnel exit too. How potent was that smoke? She couldn’t smell anything in the tunnel, but it had to have a decent range.
    “Poison?” she whispered, her stomach queasy at the thought. Yes, she would have shot the guards with the rifle, but somehow this seemed more diabolical.
    “Not exactly.” Tolemek rose and trotted to the exit. He leaned out and scanned the surroundings to either side before waving for Cas to join him.
    She was already on her way, though she held her breath as she drew closer. Just in case.
    Tolemek headed straight across the clearing around the base of the fortress toward a vine-draped trail that disappeared into the dark jungle. Cas paused to touch the throat of the first man who had fallen, checking for a pulse. Surprisingly, it was there, beating normally. Aware of the alarm gongs and more shouts in the distance, she ran for the foliage too.
    She thought to veer off in a different direction, to find another trail into the jungle, but Tolemek had stopped to wait for her. Was he being thoughtful? Or did he want to make sure he didn’t lose her for his own reasons? The latter seemed more likely. But as thick and dense as the vegetation was, she ought to be able to slip away at any point along the trail once they entered the jungle.
    “You made them fall asleep?” Cas wondered, noting that he hadn’t killed anyone in their entire escape. She couldn’t make that same claim.
    “They’re unconscious. They shouldn’t wake up for a half hour to an hour, depending on how much they inhaled.” Tolemek looked like he might take her arm, but he stopped himself and simply pointed toward the dark jungle. “More will be coming.”
    “Right.” Cas strode down the path, glancing back before they left the clearing. Dragon Spit leered down from atop its rocky precipice, rock that wasn’t as solid as she had assumed when her cage on wheels had been hauled up the winding road to the top earlier that day. That road and the entire above-ground complex were lit by lights now, dozens of yellow dots against the night. There had to be a lot more guards out there searching.
    She and Tolemek slipped into the jungle. Though the main road meandered along the rocky coast, that would doubtlessly be watched. Their trail seemed to parallel the coast, but it was difficult to be certain. Even though it seemed to be regularly used, vines and large leaves hung low, and they had to duck often. Branches scraped at Cas’s bare shins, and once again, she lamented the shapeless canvas smock she had been forced to don. The shoes—more like moccasins—had soles