Mistress of the Night - Don Bassingthwaite [47]
Just coming down the staircase were Lyraene and her friends.
She hadn't seen them.
An idea burst into Keph's head. He leaped back, dragging Talisk and Starne with him. Baret only barely managed to jump away from the tangle of cursing bodies.
"Dark!" he spat. "What are you doing, Keph?"
Keph pulled himself free. "There's going to be a half-elf woman coming around the corner in a moment," he hissed. "You three scatter, but follow my lead." He clenched his fist. "I want to give Shar proper homage on the night of my initiation."
The three man glanced at each other then ducked away. Keph ground his teeth together and stepped around the corner.
Lyraene was only steps away. Her hand darted to her sword at his sudden appearance-and stayed there when she recognized him.
"Keph!" she snarled.
"Did you miss me, Lyraene?" Keph asked. He kept his hand close to Quick, but not on her hilt. Lyraene's friends had their eyes on him, but the half-elf s gaze was darting around suspiciously. "Looking for Jarull?" he asked her. "Don't waste your time. He isn't here."
"That's what I thought last time," she grunted. She focused on him again. "We've got unfinished business."
"Just what I was thinking." He flicked the fingers of his left hand, gesturing her to him. "You and me. You know about Quick. I know about your tricks. What do you think-a duel?"
He could tell that she was considering it, trying to guess if he was hiding something.
"Bring your friends if you're worried," he suggested.
There were four of them-two men and two women. Talisk, Baret, and Starne would be able to handle them if they tried anything.
Lyraene's eyes narrowed, but she nodded and said, "Where?"
"Fanter's swaybridge," Keph said.
Her eyes narrowed even more, but then relaxed. "Now?"
Keph spread his arms wide and said, "There's no better time."
He spun around, boldly presenting his back to her, and started walking.
Fanter's was a tailor shop out near the edge of the Stiltways and up on the fourth level, a quiet and respectable area. Relatively few people went that way after dark. The swaybridge was a railed platform suspended from beams above and tied off to walkways at either end. No strangers would interrupt them and no allies could interfere without being spotted on the empty bridge. If either of them tried to run, there would be no escape in two directions. It was a long way down to the street from the sides of the bridge. Fanter's had also spent good coin having spells of light cast on the posts of the bridge-they burned with a cold, eternal flame. Keph and Lyraene would have good lighting for their fight, but anyone watching would be blind to whatever happened in the deeper shadows around them.
As Keph stepped onto the swaybridge, Baret peered out quickly from a hiding spot near its far end. His hand flashed in the flickering, magical firelight-two fingers, pointing back the way Keph had come. Talisk and Starne would be hiding behind Lyraene and her friends. Keph gave no reaction, but just walked out to the middle of the bridge and turned. A moment later, Lyraene stepped onto the bridge as well.
A warm wind blowing through the canyon of the Stiltways stirred her blond hair. She drew her sword.
"Since you have a magic sword," she said, "I hope you don't mind if I even the odds a little."
She spoke a word and gestured with one hand. With her other, she stabbed the rapier up into the air. A pure, ringing note shimmered in the night as she cast the spell. The metal of the sword seemed to ripple faintly.
Keph smiled. "You're full of surprises, aren't you? Don't use up all your magic, though. You may need some later." He drew Quick and said, "Storm's lash!"
Lightning crackled up the blade and quickly subsided. Lyraene snorted as she walked out to meet him.
"I could just knock that out of your hand again," she said.
"You can try."
He held Quick up in a salute. Lyraene returned the gesture-then lunged.
Keph had been expecting it. He dodged