Demonbane (Book 4) by Ben Cassidy Read Free Book Online Page B

poisoned.
     

Chapter 4
     
    The guard doubled over and dropped his weapon. He didn’t even manage to mouth a curse.
    Kara snatched the falling musket, then cracked the stock into the man’s face.
    He crashed back to the ground, unconscious.
    The second guard readied his halberd with a cry. He started towards Kara, the blade on the shaft held high to strike.
    Kara didn’t have time to think or react. The guard’s intention was clear. It was him or her.
    She only had one choice.
    Kara swung down the musket and fired.
     
    Maklavir brushed himself off as he hurried away from the scene of his altercation. Things were rapidly spinning out of control. And those guards…it almost seemed as if they knew why he was here.
    The same uneasy feeling he had felt when he first spotted Bronwyn returned with a vengeance. Something was wrong. He had to warn the others. Where was Kara? Still upstairs? Perhaps he could bluff his way past the guards, find some way to—
    A loud bang sounded from somewhere upstairs.
    Maklavir stopped short.
    He had been around Kendril and those blasted firearms of his too long not to know the sound of gunfire when he heard it.
    Maklavir started again, moving so fast he was almost running.
    Everything was falling apart.
    Why didn’t it surprise him?
     
    “Joseph!” Kendril glanced over at his fallen friend in concern.
    The scout made no response.
    Nadine stuck one of her long knives back into her belt, then reached for several throwing blades that were attached to her vest.
    The table was between them. If Kendril had had one of his pistols, it would have been an easy enough shot. But he didn’t, and for all he knew the assassin’s throwing blades were poisoned too.
    Nadine brought back her hand to throw the three blades she held between her fingers.
    Kendril threw himself forward and smashed into the billiards table with all his weight.
    The whole table lurched towards Nadine.
    The female assassin leapt up on top of the table. She balanced herself perfectly.
    Kendril lashed out at her exposed leg with one of the broken billiard sticks.
    Nadine blocked it with the long knife in her hand.
    Just as Kendril had expected.
    He dropped the sticks he was holding, then grabbed the table with both hands and tilted it up.
    The assassin hurled the blades.
    Kendril felt one pass just over his head. The table blocked the other two as it came crashing up and over onto its side.
    Nadine gave out a surprised cry as she toppled backwards.
    Right out through the room’s window.
     
    The second guard was dead before he hit the floor, his chest shattered by the musket shot.
    Kara dropped the weapon, her eyes stinging from the black cloud of smoke. She turned and dashed to the broken door of the room.
    She could already hear voices out in the hallway. Shouts, orders, heavy footfalls.
    More guards. And they were coming her way.
    Kara ran out into the hallway. Like the rest of the house, it was lit only by the flickering glow of crystal-sleeved candles.
    There was a barked shout from further down the hall. A shadow loomed at the corner.
    Kara grabbed for the handle of the nearest door on the other side of the hallway, then threw it open and entered the room. She closed the door quickly but softly behind her.
    She pushed herself up against the door. The room she was in appeared to be a spare bedroom. It was unlit, the furniture looming up in the darkness like half-seen monsters.
    Her ear pressed to the door, she heard the sounds of running out in the passageway beyond, intermixed with angry voices.
    It was only a matter of time before they started searching room-to-room for her. And considering that she was just across the hall, they wouldn’t have to go far to find her.
    Kara took a breath. She looked around the room she was in, her vision slowly adjusting to the darkness.
    She had no weapons, so she couldn’t fight her way out. The stairs down were certainly blocked, so she couldn’t go that way either. Joseph and Kendril