Sentinelspire - Mark Sehestedt [102]
Berun untied his hammer's leather strap from around his wrist. He knew that Sauk's senses were exceedingly sharp. He'd have to risk a throw rather than a charge. Carefully so as to minimize the sound of his sleeve rustling against his cloak, Berun brought his left arm out, tightened his grip around the haft of the hammer, brought his arm back- -and hesitated.
At one time, Sauk had been his…
No. Not Berun's. Sauk had been Kheil's friend. More than just a friend. Blood brothers. Sworn to live and die for one another. Dead Kheil might be, but his memories lived in Berun, and Berun knew that Sauk was a hunter who reveled in the chase, in the kill, and had no remorse for most who had died by his hand. But there was little malice in him. Sauk did not prey upon the weak. To hunt and kill those weaker than himself was the utmost shame to Sauk, and he refused to take part in it.
Kheil had been there many times when Sauk stood in the way of the Old Man's blades, refusing to let them kill for killing's sake, because there was no honor in it. Sauk stalked and killed to prove himself, to test himself against stronger foes. And, Berun knew, to fight the demons that haunted his past-growing up among ores who derided him, under a father who despised him, and amidst brothers who recognized how much better he was than them and hated him for it. Had Sauk not fallen under the wing of the Old Man, had his fate taken him under brighter skies, Berun knew that Sauk could have been a great force for good in the world. Perhaps even a hero.
And so Berun hesitated.
All that stood between him and Lewan was Sauk and whoever was under the cloak. More assassins were likely scattered nearby, hiding in the shadows, but if he could remove Sauk and his companion from the situation, he and Lewan could lose the others.
Easier said than done. Incapacitating a foe quickly was not as easy as bards' tales told. A knock to the head that fell too lightly might only annoy a very dangerous foe. Too heavy, and you could just as easily kill your target as knock him out. An despite everything that had happened over the past tenday despite the blood he had already spilled that night, Berun could not bring himself to strike at Sauk. Not to kill. If he could strike the soft tissue between Sauk's jaw and left ear, it would daze the half-orc at the very least. Might even knock him unconscious if he hit with enough force. But again, too much, and it might kill him.
Berun closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer to the Oak Father, adjusted his grip on the hammer, swung it round once to gain momentum, and threw.
Sauk was halfway through a sentence. "I'm sure Ulaan will be willing to-"
–and the weighty stone head of the hammer struck. Sauk pitched forward, his knees buckling. Lewan stood just to one side and so barely managed to avoid being crushed under the falling half-orc. Berun was moving even before Sauk hit the ground.
The cloaked figure beside Sauk gasped and turned. Hearing Berun's approach-perhaps even seeing the eldritch light glinting off his blade-the figure looked up. "Kheil, no!"
Berun turned his strike just in time. The blade sliced through the fabric of the figure's hood but missed the throat within. Even after nine years, he recognized the voice at once. It was Talieth.
Berun heard footsteps approaching from the surrounding paths. Several shapes were coming out of hiding from buildings across the street. Berun caught the blur of an arrow just in time. He bowed to the side and heard the whisk of the arrow go past his head before it shattered against the wall behind him.
Talieth threw her hood back and turned, both arms upraised. "Stop! I'll flay the next man who looses an arrow. Stop where you are!"
Her men obeyed.
Sauk was stirring, one hand moving to rub his neck while he struggled to his hands and knees.
Berun darted forward, grabbing Talieth from behind. With one hand around her waist, he pulled her close and set the point