The Way of the Sword and Gun by Stuart Jaffe Read Free Book Online Page A

against the law," Malja said.
    The bearded man scratched his belly. "What law?"
    "Law one — Do nothing to another that you would not want done to you. I think you boys wouldn't want people stealing you, tying you up, and threatening to sell you."
    Raising the metal weapon above his head, the bony one said, "I don't know no laws, but I know a sweet ass when I see one. You got a name? I like to call out a woman's name when I take her."
    Malja raised an eyebrow. "My name's Malja. I am the law."
    Both men froze. The bony one looked from Malja to Fawbry to Tommy, matching up the members of the crew and their descriptions with the stories he no doubt had heard. Then he took a hard appraisal of Viper. His head tilted back in recognition and he dropped his weapon.
    "What you doin'?" the bearded man said.
    "Shut up. This is her. The real Malja."
    The bearded man leaned forward and squinted. As his brain finally caught up with the situation, his mean countenance melted away. "Oh, lady, we're sorry. This your boy? We thought he was a dumb farmer. You can have him back. We didn't mean nothing."
    Malja kept watch on the man with the club. "Fawbry," she said, and Fawbry scurried by everyone to attend to Tommy. Malja side-stepped a few times to reposition the men away from Tommy. Just in case. "You two don't need to live like this anymore. I'm bringing laws to Corlin so that we can all be free to live like we want to without troubling each other."
    The bony one shrugged. "What if I want to rape women and steal kids? Am I free to do that?"
    Malja opened her mouth, ready to deliver all three laws, when a man with a sword and a gun dropped from the trees. He shouted loud as he sliced straight through the bony one. The bearded man stared dumbfounded at the bloody mess that had been his friend.
    Startled, Malja snapped Viper out in front. The man moved with grace and purpose like a well-trained dancer. In a swift, spinning motion, he cut open the bearded man's belly.
    And it was over.
    He sheathed his sword, holstered his gun, turned to Malja and bowed. "My name is Owl," he said. "I've traveled very far just to meet you."
     

 
     
    Owl
     
     
    Malja swung Viper overhead and came down in a clean ax cut. Owl dodged to the side, his face a soup of confusion.
    "No, no, I'm on your side," he said.
    Again, Malja attacked, but Owl had grown up evading great swordsmen — Brother X, for one. A grin rolled across his lips. He was being attacked by the great Malja and her famous weapon, Viper. But the fun of it passed just as quickly as the thought. She had massive power — he could feel Viper slice the air as it passed him by — and he wouldn't last too long just dodging.
    "You don't understand," he said.
    "Those men were no threat," Malja said, her body bristling with rage. Owl stepped back, amazed at the sheer power behind her eyes. She went on, "You murdered them, and I don't need a murderer on my side. Get out of here before I get really angry."
    "I'm from Penmarvia. Queen Salia is after you. You're in danger."
    "I fear no queen. I'll send her your head as a warning."
    Malja launched at Owl with a ferocious yell. In a blur, Viper streamed out from her side, heading right for Owl's neck. He stood his ground, watching every movement, keeping his breathing calm, letting his years of training gauge the timing.
    At the final moment, he snapped his sword out and up, clanging with the inner-crescent of Viper and stopping Malja from cutting off his head. She pressed hard and he pushed back. He had to use both hands on the sword — one at the hilt, one pressing against the back of the blade — to keep Viper from completing the cut. Metal against metal screeched. He locked eyes with her.
    Grunting out the words, he said, "I came here for your help."
    "I don't care." She barely had trouble speaking, and Owl wondered just how much strength she hadn't used yet.
    He saw her shoulder move just an inch, but it was enough to signal her release. A second