Page 96 of The Piper's Pursuit

“Give it to me,” Hennek demanded, a satisfied sneer on his face.

Hans handed it over. Finally Hennek let go of Mother, giving her a push, and took the key, closing it into his fist. “Hans, you know what to do. Get rid of our new mayor, and her mother.”

Hennek strode out of the house, and Hans turned toward her.

“Wait.” Katerina stared hard at Hans.

He stopped and stared back at her while Mother sobbed softly on the stairs.

“I won’t kill you,” he said quietly, “if you will take your mother and go. Get out of town.”

“I thought you were my friend, Hans. I never, ever expected something like this from you.” As she talked, she moved closer to Hans.

“You and your mother need to go before I change my mind.” He stared at her, no signs of relenting in his eyes.

“Very well.” Katerina moved to walk past him toward her mother. “Come, Mother.”

But as she moved past Hans, she reached out and snatched his sword from its sheath across his back. Then she stabbed him in the leg just above his knee.

Hans cried out and she stabbed him again, this time in the arm.

Katerina, still clutching the sword, grabbed Mother’s arm with her other hand, and they ran out of the house and down the street toward the town gate in the opposite direction from the Rathous.

Twenty-Nine

Katerina dry-heaved, then let out a sob as she ran, still holding on to Mother’s arm.

But there was Hennek, and he had spotted her. And one of Hennek’s guards was with him.

Worst of all, Hennek and his guard were between her and the town gate and the two guards she had been running to find.

Hennek and his guard advanced slowly toward her and Mother.

Katerina raised her sword—Hans’s sword—and prepared to fight. Hennek’s guard had a sword, but while he was fighting Kat, Hennek would be able to grab Mother and hold her hostage again. However, the gate guards were not close enough to hear her scream.

“Stay behind me, Mother.”

Mother started sobbing and calling for God to help them.

At that moment, a horse and rider became visible as it passed through the gate and galloped in their direction. Were her eyes deceiving her? Was that...

Steffan rode up behind Hennek and his guard. He swung his sword and knocked the guard’s sword out of his hand, sending it flying through the air to land several feet across the cobblestone street.

Hennek pulled out a long knife and ran toward Katerina, yelling, his eyes wide and crazed.

Kat raised her sword and prepared to stab Hennek, locking her eyes on his chest. If she could stab Hans, she could surely stab Hennek.

Just before he reached the end of her sword, Steffan, now on foot, slammed his sword blade in a wide arc down on Hennek’s knife hand. The knife fell to the ground, and Steffan kicked it away.

Hennek yelled, falling to his knees and clutching his hand.

Hennek’s guard started running toward Hennek’s dagger, which was lying in the street. A man who had stopped to watch the fight and was standing by the knife picked it up, looked at the guard, then threw the knife behind him. It clattered at the feet of two of Hamlin’s guards who were running toward them.

Hennek stared at his bloody hand, which was obviously broken, as one of the guards grabbed him from behind and ordered him, “Lie down! On your back, now!” He held his sword to Hennek’s throat as the other guard chased after Hennek’s guard.

More guards were coming from the other way. Men and women were emerging from the shops and homes and wandering closer.

Steffan was staring at her. He calmly put his sword back in its scabbard. Katerina realized she was still clutching Hans’s bloody sword, and she dropped it. Steffan stepped toward her and she threw herself against his chest. He enveloped her in his arms, holding her close.