Chapter 4

No one had and as they continued down the corridor the seeds of a plan began to take root in her mind…

Sari and her hooded escort steeped into a courtyard, one of many on the route to the gallows. Quickly looking around, she saw that no guards were present. Acting swiftly, Sari drew the dagger from its hiding spot in the waistband of her pants. With a cry, she swung around, throwing herself at her guard and pressing her dagger against his throat. The man froze and stiffened, a muffled voice emerging from the hood.

"Sari, you fool what are you doing?" Sari gasped stepping away from the man and lowering her dagger.

"Nikki?" She asked, confusion in her voice. The hooded person removed their hood, revealing the rough, smiling features of a young woman, a street rat like Sari. Sari swore, "What do you think you are doing?" Rage quickly took the place of bewilderment on her features.

"Saving your life." The young woman replied grabbing Sari's arm and explaining as they ran. "I heard you were to be executed so I snuck into the palace disguised as a maid. I flirted with the guards until they revealed which of them would be your executioner. I led him to believe I would bed him, then, when we were alone I killed him and took his uniform and mingled with the other guards until it was time to get you. They will have found his body by now. Good-bye and good luck." Sari looked around, surprised to note that they had emerged from a small east gate, near the docks.

"Thanks Nikki." Sari turned and ran off towards the docks without another moments thought as Nikki disappeared in the opposite direction.

Lord Karazan smiled as the young woman before him finished her report. His teeth, blackened by drugs, gave him the appearance of a long dead corpse, aided by his blood-shot eyes and gray, waxy skin.

"My spies report that she has snuck aboard a ship bound for Tortall."

"What if she does not make it?" The man grinned wolfishly.

"Then we move on to Plan B." Nikki gazed up nervously at her master as he threw back his head and roared with laughter.

Sariana Yallimi's last view of her home country was through a hole in the cracked hull of a vessel bound for Steadfast, Tortall.