Shadowdance 01 - A Dance of Cloaks

deeper into the trade districts of Veldaren.
    The crowd exploded. Furious shouts coupled with heartbroken wails. Some gave chase. Aaron stood shocked, his hand clutching his dagger so hard his knuckles ached. Then the girl turned and ran. He almost didn’t notice. When he did, he shouted to her.
    “Wait!”
    He couldn’t believe how stupid it was to shout that. Trying to push his emotions down, he chased after. He didn’t know where she was headed, or for what purpose. Perhaps she knew she was in danger. Perhaps she only wanted to get away from the massive crowd of strangers and back to what might remain of her family.
    She turned down a small alley in between two bakeries. The air smelled of yeast and flour. The girl ducked behind a large refuse container and didn’t reappear. Aaron realized she didn’t know she was being chased. She just wanted to be alone.
    His dagger still sheathed, Aaron stepped around the corner of the bin and saw Delius’s daughter.
    She sat with her back to the wall, her head buried in her knees, arms wrapped around her legs. Tears wet her dress and face. Her eyes were closed. Aaron couldn’t believe what he saw and heard. She was praying.
    “Please, Ashhur,” he heard her say. “Please, please, oh god, please…”
    He drew the dagger, never making a sound. His hand trembled as he held it. She would by no means be his first kill. All his victims flashed before his eyes, from assassins to guards to his own brother. All had been armed. All had lived a violent life. There was something about donning a thief’s cloak or soldier’s helmet that made death forever possible. But what had this girl done? Why would she die? For nothing.
    No, not nothing. She’d die because his father desired it. Aaron was becoming little more than the extended will of his father. He looked to the girl, so close to his age, so wounded, so alone. Gods damn it all, how could he kill her while she was praying? Praying!
    Her eyes had still not opened. He had a chance. He had a choice. Kayla’s words flashed through his head.
    You must keep Haern hidden and safe. Keep him alive. Can you do that for me?
    If he killed the girl, he’d be killing the part of him that was still free. The part that could love Kayla. The part that wasn’t wholly enmeshed with his father. Killing her meant killing Haern.
    Aaron sheathed the dagger and stepped back out of sight. He leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the refuse bin. A soft sigh escaped his lips, unheard through her sobs. His eyes lifted to the sky, and there he saw Kayla watching him from the rooftops.
    His heart leaped in his chest. His legs turned to water. How long had she watched? Had she even known his task in the bloody affair?
    As if in answer, she looked to the girl, looked to him, and then smiled. Moments later she was gone, vaulting along the rooftops.
    “Please, Ashhur, please give him back,” Aaron heard the girl beg. “Ashhur, please, I can’t, I can’t…”
    He ran, unable to listen to any more.

CHAPTER
16
    V eliana wondered what James would think if he saw her like this. Her eyes were blindfolded by one of Zusa’s wraps. She detected the faintest hint of sweat on it. She kept her hands at her sides, and was thankful they weren’t tied. Zusa didn’t seem worried that she’d run off but had insisted quite strongly that she not. Veliana had sworn her life to the faceless. If she tried to leave, her life would be forfeit, for it was no longer hers. It was Karak’s.
    It seemed appropriate enough, so she thanked Karak that the streets were so empty. At least they sounded empty. Zusa rushed her along at dizzying speed. If the other faceless women were nearby, she wasn’t aware of them.
    Veliana’s knowledge of the streets was superb. With every turn she tracked where they were. A few times she had to guess, and the speed at which they hurried was no help, but no matter the twists and loops they made, she was certain they had traveled into the northeastern district.
    They stopped. A gate rattled. Zusa yanked the cloth from Veliana’s eyes to let her see. Before her towered the temple to Karak, impressive with its black marble and rows of pillars. Through a trick of her eyes, she swore she saw the lion skull hanging above the door turn and rattle its teeth.
    “Welcome home,” Zusa said.
    The doors opened. They were ushered in by a young man with a pockmarked face. Once they were inside the main foyer, the priest left them between