Siege of Pailtar by Robyn Wideman Read Free Book Online Page B

beside her mother’s neck.
    The man spoke softly; his gravelly voice filled the room with harsh intent despite the light way he spoke. “Kiana, I really don’t want to have to hurt or kill your parents, but I will if I have to. How this goes is entirely up to you,” said the mysterious villainous man while he moved the knife around menacingly in front of her mother’s neck.
    Kiana sincerely doubted that anything that happened in the next few minutes would be entirely up to her, but she kept that thought to herself. Instead she nodded, letting her genuine fear find its way into her voice. With a creaking voice she replied, “Okay.”
    “Good,” the man continued, “now I know you have a book with you.  I am going to need that book. The Guild had no business stealing it and I will be taking it now. Don’t pretend you don’t have it, I know all about your little excursion into the desert today.”
    Kiana was not surprised; of course this was about that damned journal. Scorpions, lions, soldiers, and now a knife-yielding assassin, Kiana was growing rather weary of this mission. Slowly she pulled the book out of her small pack. She let the pack drop to the ground as she lifted the book. She hesitated, holding the book in front of her. Her hands shook in fear, the book wobbled back and forth as if it was too heavy for her to hold. She looked at the book and then back at the man. “How do I know you won’t take the book and then kill them?” she asked.
    “You don’t, but you have no choice. Besides, if I was going to kill your parents I would have done it before. I would not have wasted the time to tie them up and blindfold them. This is for their own safety. If they don’t see meand I get the book, they live. If I don’t get the book … well you know what will happen.
    Kiana started making her way towards the kitchen table; she got to within a couple of feet away before stopping. “Okay, here is the book. But I am not giving it to you while you have a knife against my mother’s neck. You have to come to this side for the book. I don’t trust you; this is the only way you are getting the book.”
    “Tsk,tsk, Kiana. This is a dangerous game you are playing. But I agree, you have shown me the book, now I will show my good faith by coming to that side of the table.” The man moved around the table. When he stood in front of Kiana she had her hand held out as far as possible, holding the book out for him. As the man reached out to grab the proffered book, Kiana let the book fall out of her hand. While the man reacted, grabbing for the falling book, Kiana sprang into action. She leapt onto the table, rolled over it, while pulling her dirk out as she moved across the table. Once on the other side she dropped to the ground. She yanked hard on the edge of the table, lifting the table so that it was left on its side. The table top now acted as a shield between her and the mysterious knife yielding man.
    The man ignored her. He was studying the book in his hand. He read out the faded title carefully, “Locksmithing Basics, A Beginner’s Guide.” Then he turned towards Kiana, “This is not the book I am looking for.”
    Kiana’s eyes were on the man, but her knife was busy slicing through the knots holding her mother’s hands together. As the sharp blade slipped through the knots, she replied. “No? Well, it is the only book I have on me. If you don’t believe me you can check my bag.”
    With her hands free, Lilliana was able to remove the blindfold and gag while Kiana stood ready, dirk pointed at the man. Able to see again, Lilliana blinked, and then with the practiced hands of a master thief she untied the knots around her feet. Now freed from all restraints she stood and calmly began untying her husband. As she untied Spencer she spoke to the cloaked knife-yielding man holding Kiana’s first-year locksmithing book, “Well, as much fun as this has been, I do believe it is time for you to leave.”
    With the