Guardian of the Night

26

Bilain took too long agonising about leaving her husband, but she could wait no longer. Ghistreen needed to face justice and her husband, though not a fighting man, would not want her to shirk her duty. He knew her well, and the thought of allowing Ghistreen to get away with all she had done would tear Bilain apart. As Kaluun engaged the arriving guards, she touched Ranaie's cheek before heading for the rear of the great hall.

Her luck held, if only for a short while. The door led to a corridor that ran behind the great hall, with no other doors leading from it. Not yet. She ran along the corridor, the spear thrusting and receding as she pumped her arms. Ghistreen couldn't run as fast, not in that mourning dress, and Bilain knew it was only a matter of time before she caught up with the woman. A sharp turn in the corridor almost brought her to a standstill as she ran into two guards heading the other way.

Their surprise didn't last long, but Bilain reacted first, swinging the butt of her spear around and upward, catching one guard square on the chin. The crack of wood striking bone, amplified by the tight confines of the corridor, preceded the guard dropping to the floor in a pile of arms and legs, but the other guard now had time to react.

The sword cut through the air between them, slicing through the loose, clean clothing given to her, but didn't touch her flesh, but that didn't stop the man. He recovered the swing, twisting his wrist to arc the sword up and then down towards her neck. Bilain ducked, barrelling forward, catching the man in the chest with her shoulder before stepping back, bringing her spear to bear and thrusting the point into the man's leg.

He howled as the spear tip passed through the flesh of his leg, emerging from the other side, and howled again as Bilain dragged it back out, pulling a chunk of his thigh along with it. A boot to his face as he collapsed to one knee sent him reeling and Bilain jumped over him, continuing her chase.

At the end of this part of the corridor, she saw a door, closing as though someone had held it open, and Bilain barged her shoulder against it, finding herself back in the entrance hall of the enormous building. Of Ghistreen, she saw no sign, but another guard gave Bilain a good idea where the woman had run to. She stood before another door, prepared to defend it, but not moving to meet Bilain.

She had no time for continuous scuffles, but, as she took note of the guard, she also noticed her bully stick, laid atop a table as though it awaited her. As she ran, she hefted her spear, setting it to throw and launched it toward the guard. As expected, however, the guard twisted to the side, allowing the spear to crack into the stone wall beside her, bouncing away. But Bilain had only wanted the distraction long enough to reach her bully stick.

With several swipes in succession, she struck the guard on the wrist, against the knee, into her ribs and then, to finish, Bilain made an almighty swing that smashed into the woman's temple. A simple weapon, yes, but the bully stick had its uses in the hands of an expert, and Bilain had spent years using them.

Dragging the guard aside, Bilain opened the door she had guarded and found stairs leading downward. Why Ghistreen would head that way, Bilain couldn't imagine. A set of lanterns sat upon hook inside the door and Bilain took one, scratching the flint and steel, hanging from another hook, until the wick caught. She held the lantern high as she looked down the narrow, steep stairs, flexing her fingers upon the bully stick.

It was better this way. If she carried the spear, she would have difficulty not using it. After everything Ghistreen had set in motion, death would be everything she deserved, but it wasn't Bilain's choice to make. Even if the magistrates ruled her not guilty, Bilain had to follow the law. If she didn't have the law, she would have little else to hold on to. The law and justice informed everything she did. She had to honour it and pray to Go-Rar Kha that justice would prevail.