Lowborn Ch. 09

"Oy! I wouldn't do that if I was you, fella."

Reed and his fellow guardsman tensed. Mindblind looked around to see a half-dozen ill-kempt men emerging from the tall grass and around the corners of buildings. Swords gleamed in the dancing flames caused by his sword's explosion. The limbs of bows creaked as they were drawn, and crossbows lifted to point at Reed's chest.

"What is the meaning of this?" Reed demanded, though he stayed very still.

"The meanin' of this is we heard what you just said. Come on by ta see what all the commotion is about, and hear you done gone and tried to kill our pretty girls."

"That's ridiculous."

"Nah, me hearing's pretty good. Got to be in me line of work, don't ya know? Otherwise ye end up hangin' from a rope. I heard what ye said, right enough, and I'm not takin' too kindly to it."

Reed snorted. "More scum with lies to tell. You'll hang alongside this murderous monster for your crimes, bandits."

"Yeah, we're scum. Thing is, we're scum with arrows pointed right at ya. Now why don't you just back away from that fella there."

"Surely you know you won't escape. My men will be here any moment." Though his tone was confident, he did take several steps back.

Mindblind stood up, still shaky. "Ain't worth getting killed over. Get outta here while you can."

The leader of the bandits said, "You go. We got ya covered."

"Cerebus!"

Mindblind started and looked over his shoulder at the sound of the voice. To his surprise, he saw Kayleen, Yasmine, Raven, and all the other girls from the house of ill-repute other than Yani approaching. It was Kayleen who had shouted his name.

"The hell are you doing here? Go, before you get caught up in this."

"Saving your neck, it looks like," Raven said. She broke out into a crooked smile as she walked up next to him, and the rest of the girls moved between the guardsmen and Mindblind. "Heard what Yani said. Should've known it was him, huh?"

"We aren't going to let you dangle from a noose after all you've done for us," Becky said.

The commotion and confusion only increased as Reed's men reached the scene, spreading out with weapons at the ready.

"Take the bandits and the murderous halfbreed," Reed ordered.

"Sir?" one of the men questioned, seeing all the women blocking the way.

"They're standing in the way of justice. You will take those men — now."

"Don't fucking think so," Raven whispered as she gripped one of her daggers at Mindblind's side.

"They're women. They're unarmed," another guardsman protested.

"They're whores. I don't care," Reed growled. "Do your duty."

"Not all unarmed," a quiet voice said.

Raven chuckled. "Told you the scum come out at night."

The shadows came alive with men in dark clothing, the blackness broken by glints of steel.

"Hehe. Who's outnumbered now, fella?" the leader of the bandits said. More of his men were emerging from the shadows as well.

Tension hung in the air as armed men stared at each other, all waiting for the slightest flinch. A poorly timed sneeze would have set off a bloodbath.

"I... I can't do this any more."

Mindblind looked at the guard who had spoken — the same one whose wrist he had broken in the earlier battle. The man looked haunted, and unlike everyone else, his dagger hung at his side in nearly nerveless fingers.

"Silence, Hodges," Reed demanded.

"I didn't know anyone was going to die. They're women, Sir. It's... I can't do this any more."

"Didn't know who was going to die?" Raven prompted, nudging her way toward him through the prostitutes with Mindblind right behind her.

"The wh... The women from the... From that house. Sir, it isn't right. No promotion — no gold is worth this. You paid to have them killed, Sir. How could you do that?"

Reed's men began to murmur amongst themselves.

"You are a liar, and a disgrace to your uniform, Hodges. You are obviously in league with this halfbreed. Men, take Hodges into custody as well."

The corners of Mindblind's mouth crept upward. It took only a glance to see that Reed's men weren't falling for their captain's lies. Though remaining wary, they were obviously standing down, not ready to spring into action at any moment.

"I said take them into custody," Reed snarled as he turned back toward his men. "I will have you all tried for treason."

"Knew something wasn't right about all this," one of the guardsman said. A few others murmured agreement.

"I heard you, Sir," Hodges said, walking toward Reed. "It isn't right. You're the traitor. You're the murderer."

Reed's eyes went wide, his gaze darting this way and that. Mindblind tensed, his danger sense screaming at him. When Reed let out a roar and sprang toward Hodges with his dagger lifted to stab, Mindblind intercepted him.

Reed changed targets quickly enough, but to no avail. Mindblind grabbed his nemesis' wrist, pressing his thumb hard into the space between the bones. His muscles flexed, and he redirected the blueblood's stab. A sharp crack sounded as Reed's arm broke and the dagger plunged into his chest.

"I'll see you in the hells, monster," Reed wheezed as blood bubbled up in his mouth.

"Better hope not, because as far as I'm concerned, you're getting off easy. This is for Delly and everyone else who died because you can't deal with your inchworm prick." Mindblind gave the knife a twist.

Reed's eyes glazed over, and his knees buckled. Mindblind let go of the dagger, letting the man crumple into the grass at his feet.

"You lads really want to do this tonight over him?" The leader of the bandits asked.

Slowly, the armed men on both sides relaxed. The thieves in the shadows slinked away, though there was no way to know if they'd gone far.

"So, we all goin' to our beds without any extra holes then, are we?"

"Go now," one of the guardsmen ordered. "This doesn't excuse your crimes. You are still wanted men."

"Hell, it ain't no fun otherwise, fella. Truth to tell, the pickins is gettin' slim hereabouts. We was just talking about movin' on to greener pastures, so to speak. May be that we never have to put holes in each other." His men having taken the cue immediately upon being told to go, he was the only one left by the time he finished. "You lads and lasses have a pleasant evening, now."

The guardsman who had ordered the bandits to leave, apparently having some rank, said, "Someone needs to answer for all of this."

Raven snorted. "Think he already did," she said as she glanced at Reed's corpse.

"T-thank the g-gods..." Pompeil wheezed as he jogged in behind the guardsmen with Indigo at his side.

"It appears our arrival is a bit too late," Indigo added as he sheathed his sword.

"Not much luck with the governor, huh?" Mindblind asked.

"I fear you were right, my friend. He was disinclined to pursue the matter until the good merchant here arrived."

"I had to threaten to use my influence to cut off trade," the winded merchant added.

"Where nothing else would sway him, the loss of tax revenue seemed to open his mind. Upon hearing Pompeil's tale, he issued a writ ordering Reed to report for questioning, and to be detained if he refused."

Hodges stepped forward. "I'll tell everything I know." He then turned to the prostitutes. "I'm sorry. I had no idea he would go so far."

"Go easy on him," Mindblind said as the ranking guardsman gestured for Hodges to approach. "Be a lot more men dead here tonight if it wasn't for him fessing up." His energy draining away as the danger finally ended, he wavered on his feet.

"We will still need to hear from you — from all of you. The full truth of this matter must be determined."

"Not tonight," Indigo said as he hurried over to support Mindblind.

"Damn me if I'm going anywhere near that jail," Raven muttered under her breath.

"Send someone around to the Cat and we'll tell you all we know," Yasmine said. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," the lead guardsman agreed. He then waved off one of his fellows who had approached with manacles for Hodges. "I don't believe that will be necessary."

"That healer still at the Cat with Yani?" Mindblind asked.

"Yes," Kayleen answered. "He said he should stay and observe her all night."

"May need to see him," Mindblind slurred with the last of his strength as the world went black.

****

Almost home. The conclusion of the story should be out in a few days. Take a moment to vote, as your votes, comments, emails, and favorites are the bread and butter of a free author. It's what keeps us coming back for more - and the more the better!