Janis advanced on the irate man, thrusting his bearded face forward. “I’m aware. But you have your gold back. No harm done. Now, I suggest you get going, or there will be some harm done, and not to the boy.”
“I will have my justice!” the noble spat, glowering.
“If you try, you will have to get through me,” Janis growled. “I don’t take kindly to people like you picking on the less fortunate because you can. The war has made us all desperate. The boy did what he had to.”
“But – ”
Rage slammed through Janis and his right hand shot out, grabbing the noble by his collar and dragging him forward, off balance. All around, swords hissed free of their scabbards.
“If you want to keep your guards I suggest you tell them to lower their weapons,” Janis said mildly.
The noble, as Janis had expected, did exactly the opposite. “Dispatch this barbarian!” he cried. “Destroy this gutter-spawned miscreant!”
Janis thrust the noble away from him so that he fell to the dirt next to the thief. He saw the boy crouch, but had no time to wonder what he was up to. There were four swords on their way, all intent on separating Janis from his head.
Janis ducked, letting the first wave pass over his head in a flurry of steel. Then, he reached beneath his cloak and drew a dagger with his left hand and his sword with his right. Not a short sword, gleaming and new like those of the noble’s guards. This was a long-bladed cavalry sword, heavy, sharp, and christened with the blood of many foes.
Janis slashed the nearest guard across the back of his leg, effectively destroying the fragile joint by severing tendons and ligaments. The man screamed and crumpled, dropping his sword, his blood staining the cobbles. Janis stood erect then and parried two of the questing blades. He gave ground quickly, giving himself room to maneuver. The guards came after him, but they were all in front of him now and more spread out. Janis backed away a few more steps, then abruptly changed tactics and charged.
Two of the guards jumped to one side, trying to get out of the way. The third, their leader, stood to meet Janis, deflecting his quick thrust. Janis’ dagger flashed as he slid past, slashing across his opponent’s sword arm. The guard fell to one knee, cursing, cradling his injured limb. Janis rammed the pommel of his sword into the man’s temple, just to make sure he was out of the fight. The guard’s eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed.
The remaining two guards closed in on Janis from either side, trying to divide his attention. Janis sighed to himself. It was almost too easy. As the guard to Janis’ right lunged forward, thrusting with his blade, Janis turned sideways and dropped his dagger, grabbing the man’s sword arm. Using the charging man’s momentum, Janis rammed the short sword forward, straight into the chest of the remaining guard. The stricken guard stared stupidly at the blade protruding from his chest, then collapsed in a heap. The guard who Janis had manipulated released his sword and stepped back in horror.
Janis stepped towards him and sheathed his sword. He didn’t need it anymore. The guard put up his hands in surrender, but Janis was already moving. His right fist crashed against the guard’s jaw and he joined his comrades on the ground, unconscious, but alive.
Janis turned and looked over the battlefield. All the guards were down, most permanently. He then turned and located the noble who had started this mess. The man was still sprawled on the ground, one arm outstretched to ward Janis off.
“Go.” Janis snarled.
The noble got to his feet and ran off, leaving his guards to fend for themselves. Janis watched contemptuously as the cowardly figure retreated, cloak flapping as he ran. Then, he sheathed his sword, retrieved his dagger, and turned to the thief.
“Are you hurt?”
The boy licked his lips, touched the side of his face gingerly. “Yes.”
“Anything major?”
The thief shook his head.
“Come on,” Janis said. “I think it’s best if we leave.”
The boy stepped back warily. “We?”
Janis smiled. “Don’t be afraid. I’m on your side. That was the boldest bit of attempted thievery I’ve ever seen. And one of the smartest.”
“But I was clumsy and I failed,” the boy replied.
Janis shrugged. “Things like that tend to happen. We think we have it all worked out and then fate throws the whole plan awry with a set of circumstances no one could have predicted.”
The thief nodded. “So . . . what now?”
“You could come with me,” Janis said.
“You’re a soldier,” the thief said, the distaste in his voice obvious.
Janis nodded. “Yes. I’m a soldier. A captain, actually.”
“Then why aren’t you fighting?”
Janis snorted. “The war is over, for a while. I’m assigned here now. To the Academy.” An idea struck Janis, the perfect idea. “If you come with me, you could become a warrior.”
A spark of interest lit those fierce eyes. “I could learn to defend myself? But . . . I’m not much of a fighter.”
“We’ll see about that,” Janis said kindly. “You would have a place to stay, food. And protection.”
That struck a chord in the boy’s mind. Janis could see the gears turning. The three things he had just offered were the three things that were hardest to find in the kingdom right now.
“Deal,” the boy said finally. He reached into the neckline of his tunic. “By the way, I think this rightfully belongs to you.”
Janis looked in astonishment from the grinning, bruised face to the purse of gold the boy held. “You still managed to steal it,” Janis said, shaking his head. “You’re a
