Shadowdance 01 - A Dance of Cloaks

watched, a smirk growing across her face.
    “Don’t you d—” Vick started to say before Veliana stepped in, drew her own dagger, and thrust it into his chest. His eyes bulged. Veliana grabbed his hair in her hands as she pulled her weapon free.
    “You betrayed me,” she told him. “Betrayed me, then betrayed your guild to join the Hawks. A shame I don’t have the time to make you suffer for it.”
    He died, Veliana’s dagger rammed deep into his throat. Feeling the cold shock creeping through her, Kayla stared at all the blood. The little girl’s death haunted her vision. What was the matter with her? She sold information. She spied on men and women in alleys. What could have possessed her to think this was the life for her? To think she was some sort of general, someone to stand beside Thren Felhorn and belong?
    The blood spread further. Power, she thought. Is this the power I sought?
    “It’s brutal, but this is the life we’ve chosen,” Veliana said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
    Kayla thought of all the sacrifices she’d already made to put herself in this position. After tonight she would be in Thren’s highest graces. She would almost be a queen in power. But when she looked over at Veliana and saw the honest compassion in her eyes, her resolve broke. The woman had fought at her side, pulling her to safety when she should have died at the explosion at the front door. And in return…
    “Thren wants us to kill you,” Kayla whispered.
    A shadow seemed to fall over Veliana’s face.
    “What?” she asked.
    “Once the mansion is secure, we’re to help the Hawks kill you all,” Kayla explained. “Please, you must get out now.”
    “But we gave in,” Veliana said. “We gave him what he wanted.”
    “Doesn’t matter,” Kayla said. “James resisted once. He might again. This night is Thren’s victory, don’t you understand? Not over just the Trifect, but over everyone. He’s even planned to kill the king. After tonight, the city is his.”
    Veliana slammed the door to the bedroom shut and spun to face Kayla.
    “We have little time then,” she said. “Were your men to wait for a signal?”
    Kayla shook her head.
    “No, the Hawks were to start it. We just needed to stay out of the way and help if needed.”
    “Shit,” muttered Veliana. “I need to warn James. We need to get him out of here, now!”
    “It’s too late,” Kayla said. “Can’t you hear? It’s already started.”
    Veliana paused to listen, the color draining out of her face. Screams had indeed continued. Each had thought at first that they were those of the Gemcroft house guards, or perhaps remaining members of his household. But they were too many for how much time had passed. The Hawks had turned on the Ash, without warning and without mercy.
    “You let us walk into this damn trap,” Veliana said, closing in on Kayla. “All because of Thren, all because of that stupid egotistical shit. I’ll make him pay. I’ll … his son. Where is his son?”
    “Aaron?” Kayla asked as she took a small step backward, her hand resting on her belt of daggers. Veliana drew her own and then pointed one at Kayla’s neck.
    “You know his plans,” Veliana said. “I may not be skilled enough to kill Thren, but I can kill his son. At least I can inflict some measure of pain on that withered heart of his. Now tell me, where is Aaron?”
    Kayla hesitated, and that was enough for someone as fast as Veliana. She dodged to one side, avoiding Kayla’s thrown dagger, and then delivered a kick to the head. As Kayla collapsed, Veliana fell upon her, her knees on her wrists and her dagger at her throat.
    “My guild is dying as we speak,” Veliana seethed, her face inches from Kayla’s. “I have nothing left to lose, nothing, so do not think I would lie to you now. Tell me, or I’ll do to you what was done to me.”
    Her wounded eye was ugly and red, and Kayla stared at the milky pupil in horror as Veliana’s dagger slowly trailed up her neck toward her left eye.
    “I sent him away,” she said. “He was watching us, so I made him promise to leave us be. He’s turned against his father. He wants to stop all this, but he’s just a boy. Just a stupid boy.”
    Veliana left her dagger pressed against Kayla’s face as she thought.
    “He lied to you,” she whispered. “Just like his father, he’ll promise one thing and do another. He’s at Leon Connington’s estate. He must be.”
    She stood and slowly backed away,