Bone Diggers (Paperback out now!)

Bone Diggers - Chapter Seventeen

Loading... Chapter Seventeen

"I'm not so worried about getting in as I am getting back out," Daniel said. The two of them stared at the building Lance was being kept in. "I'll take the front, while you head around the back to see if there are other exits for us. Maybe if we are lucky, they won't realize we brought a war to their doorstep." Amilia tilted her head, thinking two people didn't make an army, but Daniel continued before she could reply. "Let's meet back up somewhere in the heart of the building."

It was once an option she wanted, but now agreeing made her nervous. Still, she ran around towards the back of the building while Daniel took the straightforward approach. The difficulty level didn't matter if he got results.

The first group of men Daniel found were having a get-together that would be their last. Daniel made his introduction by slitting the throat of one before his intrusion was even noticed. A free-for-all broke out. Daniel managed to hold off four men for a while, before a guard landed a hit and filled his mouth with a coppery taste of blood. The pain tipped Daniel's rage over the boiling point and fighting multiple targets became easier. He nailed one right in the chest with a dagger before spinning around to drop another seconds later.

Daniel turned to the sole survivor. The guard nearly jumped out of his shoes before he darted down the hallway. Daniel followed behind in no real rush. Each step slowly gaining on the man. As smooth as a ghost, he grabbed the guard and snapped his neck.

The man fell, revealing Amilia as she came down the same hall. The zen-like calm Daniel gained made Amilia's heart pound like she'd been the one fighting. The hard truth was the thief could be a true predator when desired.

"I..." she stumbled around for words.

Daniel cocked his head to the side. "You got here fast."

Amilia shook her head, more at herself than his comment. "I think I know the way, or at least I have a feeling it's down this way." She led them down a flight of stairs, and stopped to wait for him a few steps past the landing.

When Daniel crossed the invisible line that separated the stairs from the rest of the room, he seemed to trigger a cutscene. The camera ripped away from him jarringly, like a moth pulling towards a flame.

***

"You need to start talking if you ever want to see sunlight again."

A knight stood in front of a man shackled. His hands and feet were weighed down with long chains, and the cuffs rubbed against a jagged wound that hadn't been left alone or cleaned enough to be healing. Lance lifted his hanging head. His eyes narrowed at the threat, or as well as he could with one nearly swollen shut.

"Who was with you at the meeting?" the knight pressed.

Lance stayed as silent as the grave he still hoped to avoid. The wrong word would lead them back to Amilia, then Daniel, and finally the rest of the guild. Giving up any of them simply wasn't an option.

"Fine, have it your way." The knight took a step closer, and leaned over one of the shackles. "I personally love getting to play with you thieving dogs." He dug a thumb into the old bandage on his prisoner's wrist.

Lance let out a strangled cry, his eyes prickling with tears. He hadn't wanted to give the man any satisfaction, but the noise was given by a part of him that was too weak to fight anymore.

"Ah, so you can make noise." The knight smiled. "Start answering and end this already." The suggestion almost sounded reasonable now. His hand hovered away, only promising relief if Lance cooperated. When Lance said nothing he was greeted with a sharp pain once again.