Imperial Assassin by Mark Robson Read Free Book Online Page A

went automatically to his hip, seeking the comfort of his sword hilt. He cursed softly. His sword was in
his tent, which was in the opposite direction from where the figure was disappearing. There was no time to go and fetch it. He didn’t even have his knife with him, as it kept getting in the
way when he was digging. Should he follow without a weapon? Should he follow at all?
    His curiosity said yes. Also, his instinct told him he might not get another chance. It was now or never. With a quick glance back at the File Second to see if he was watching, Reynik picked up
his long-handled shovel again and set out after the retreating shadowy figure. The shovel was unwieldy, but it could be used as a weapon at a push. Adrenalin began to flow as he dashed silently
between the nearest rows of tents in an effort to close down his distance from the figure.
    ‘Be careful,’ Reynik told himself silently. ‘Shalidar is bound to be on his guard for signs of pursuit.’
    The dim, dusky light made it easy for him to flit from shadow to shadow as he raced to catch up, but Reynik knew that if Shalidar detected him, he could easily find he had switched from hunter
to hunted without warning. Darkness would fall quickly now. This would make tracking the killer both more difficult and more treacherous. In order to keep the assassin in sight, Reynik would be
forced to follow him more closely, thereby increasing the danger of discovery. There was no wisdom in this, he concluded, but his resolve to follow did not waver.
    ‘What brought you back to Shandrim, Shalidar?’ he wondered. ‘With half the bounty hunters in Shandar salivating over the reward the Emperor has placed on your head, why would
you choose to return? It’s got to be something important.’ Even more intriguing was the question of what he was doing in the heart of the campsite of the Emperor’s own elite
Legion. Did Shalidar have a friend within the Legion? It would not surprise Reynik if this were the case. Assassins and spies all seemed to have friends in unlikely places.
    He was catching up fast. The killer was apparently in no hurry to go anywhere, but he was moving steadily between the tents towards the edge of the city. If Shalidar had a friend in the Legion,
then he had already paid him a visit.
    It was an abrupt rumpus erupting behind Reynik that fitted the main piece into the jigsaw. The assassin wasn’t here on a social visit. He was here on business. By the sound of the confused
shouting behind them, Reynik guessed Shalidar had already concluded that business and was now coolly walking away, as if nothing had happened. Who had been the victim? It was impossible to tell
from the noise.
    ‘Well, it isn’t over until you disappear, Shalidar,’ Reynik said under his breath. ‘And you’re not going to disappear so easily today.’
    The assassin accelerated his pace slightly. He was still showing no signs of undue haste, and certainly not enough to draw attention to his movements. Reynik felt that his stealthy movements
were more likely to draw attention than the bold, striding pace of the assassin. It was annoying, but necessary. He could not afford for the assassin to notice that he was being followed. If he was
spotted, Reynik was as good as dead. It would not take much for the assassin to drop out of sight around a corner and set an ambush for his pursuer. With the element of surprise, even a half
competent assassin could kill anyone he chose with ease. For an expert assassin like Shalidar, it would be as simple as drawing breath.
    ‘Looks like you’re heading for the guard post on the main South West Avenue. Now why would you want to be seen there, Shalidar? Do you think you’re going to stroll out of the
camp with no one the wiser?’ Reynik was amazed at the man’s audacity. Surely one of the guards would notice he was not a Legionnaire.
    Having worked out where the assassin was going, Reynik turned and ran silently between the lines of