The Shadow Throne (Ascendance 3)

I was spotted soon after I began running for a quiet area of the wall. An Avenian at watch called out for me to stop, but a whoosh hissed through the air and Herbert’s arrow found him. Others would be alerted now, but I didn’t need much more time.

At the wall’s base, I reached into the sack of gunpowder I’d stolen earlier that day. I withdrew a generous amount and laid it in a heap, then ran away as quickly as I could. Seconds later, Evendell sent a flaming arrow directly onto the heap. The gunpowder instantly exploded the entire wall. I was thrown off my feet and rolled behind a nearby rock to protect myself from falling debris. When the worst had passed, I peeked over at the collapsed wall and widely scattered wreckage. Perhaps I’d used too much gunpowder that time.

I went at a full sprint back toward the wall. Those who had survived began shouting for help, but Herbert remained watchful and fired off arrows at anyone who took notice of me. Once inside, I realized there was far more attention being paid to the destruction of the wall than the cause of it. If I kept my head down, I would be able to pass right through the crowd.

I climbed the ladder of an abandoned watchtower until I could see Mott and Imogen. The soldiers with them had gathered in close to guard their prisoners, or perhaps to protect one another. There were more than I could fight, and far too many people who could hurt my friends before I could stop them.

I climbed down again and took shelter behind a building to consider my next move. A quick glance inside the nearest window revealed it was full of weapons, in my opinion far more than Avenia needed. I dumped more of the gunpowder next to the building and then ran as if my life depended on it. Mostly because, well, it did. Just as had happened before, I wasn’t nearly far enough away before a flaming arrow hit it and the building exploded. This time, I didn’t shelter myself as well and got a nasty scrape on one arm, not to mention a chunk of rock nearly landed on me. If both Evendell and I survived this, we would have to discuss his timing when explosives were involved.

By then, general chaos had erupted in the camp. Soldiers were being ordered to the places I’d already destroyed, but several others were running as far from it as they could get. The confusion helped me, but what I really needed was to get at the soldiers around Mott and Imogen.

So my last use of gunpowder went to another nearby supply building, this one full of food and blankets. I left the entire bag beside it, and then gave a signal to Evendell. This time, he allowed me more distance before he lit the explosive. When it blew, I heard orders for all available soldiers to surround the camp and prepare for an invasion.

I rather liked that. My invasion had already happened, and the thing I wanted most was for them to clear out the center and move to the flanks of their camp.

A hand tapped my shoulder and I turned to see Herbert next to me. All I had asked of him was to stay in a safe position where he could pick off anyone who prevented my entrance into the camp. But he had gone beyond that and followed me inside. I nodded at him in thanks for his loyalty and motioned for him to come with me.

Mott and Imogen had not been entirely abandoned. One young soldier stood behind Mott’s chair with a crude sword pressed against his prisoner’s chest, waiting for whatever terror he expected to come at him. Two other larger soldiers guarded Imogen. The man with the whip and the remaining soldiers had been ordered away.

I quietly instructed Herbert to position himself with a solid view of Imogen while I prepared to sneak up behind Mott. Our timing would have to be perfect, and Herbert would have to be fast because he had two targets.

The instant I crept from the shadows, Herbert fired his first arrow, hitting one of Imogen’s vigils. By then I was directly behind the boy standing watch over Mott. With my left hand, I brought a knife to his neck, as my right hand steadied his arm holding the blade against Mott’s chest. The boy stiffened, and without a word I pulled that arm back and lowered it. When I looked up again, Herbert had downed the second soldier beside Imogen. He would now watch this area until Mott and Imogen were free.

The boy behind Mott released his sword into my hand carefully and squeaked, “Please don’t kill me.”

My memory flew back to several months ago, when the orphan Latamer had begged me for the very same favor. I had never intended any harm toward Latamer, and not toward this boy either.

With my knife still at the boy’s neck, I told him that if he tried any tricks, an arrow was already nocked with his name on it. He agreed to cooperate and I ordered him to untie Mott.

While he worked, Mott said, “I’m sorry, Jaron. The trap was for me.”

“We were both tricked.”

“I knew it was you when I heard those explosions.”

I flashed him a grin. “Imagine the possibilities if I’d had more gunpowder.”

Mott didn’t act impressed, but I knew he was. They were fine explosions.

Then I ran over to Imogen, whose honey brown eyes blazed with disapproval. I knew she’d be angry with me — she often was. I rarely blamed her for that since, admittedly, I usually deserved it. But this time, it wasn’t the sort of anger I could laugh off. We remained in a very dangerous situation.

I first removed the gag from her mouth, and when I did, I felt overwhelmed by a sudden desire to kiss her. The pull was stronger than anything I’d ever felt before, and was a feeling I didn’t entirely understand. But I held back and instead asked, “Are you hurt?”

Ignoring that, she said, “You know what they’d do to Mott and me just for information. What do you think they’ll do to you?”

“If we get out of here, none of us will have to find out.”

“No, Jaron, please just go! This place is a trap. I am the trap!”

Her body wiggled while she argued, and though her legs were free, she was complicating my attempts to reach her tied hands. I said, “You can help me or not, but I won’t leave without you!”

She huffed, and then went still so that I could reach her ropes. While I sliced at them, I said, “Once we’re free, we’ll run toward the swamp. Mott has a boat waiting there.”

“We won’t make it. Not all of us.”

“We’re just going to run. Don’t look back. Just run.”

“They were asking Mott about you, but at first he wouldn’t tell.” Imogen bit into her lip with worry. “Once they brought me here, and the whip, he told them he would cooperate. I begged him not to. I hate that they used me against you. I’d rather be dead than be the cause of your downfall.”