It was chilly in the warehouse, but John felt a bead of perspiration roll down his cheek as the cardinal brought them up to date.

“It happened during the Treto day service three days ago,” the cardinal was saying. His voice was thin, and he was still visibly shaken by the memory, “And one of our priests… Father Albert murdered His Grace with a dagger…”

“He shouted in Treto’s name in full view of the entire royal court as he did it too,” one of the Cardinal’s guards added, “then, absolute pandemonium erupted.”

“I can imagine,” Simon breathed, turning pale.

“It was all we could do to get His Excellency out alive,” the guard continued.

“Father Albert?” Keith asked, “I can’t believe it. We came to Darnos at the same time, and I’ve never known a kinder soul…”

“Yes, it was a shock to all of us,” Cardinal Darren agreed. His hand trembled as he spoke, “He was a weak man, and yet somehow was able to toss aside two of the king’s personal guard as though they were rag dolls before being overwhelmed.”

Udoriol looked at the door of the warehouse. The shouts of an angry mob could be heard from outside. He then turned his attention back to the cardinal. “The mob also said remember Shediac. I thought the Inquisition was massacred there.”

Simon and the Cardinal exchanged looks. “The Inquisition and the townspeople were all killed,” Simon said tiredly, “Shediac is a village not far from here, and I’m afraid that certain quarters place the blame on the Church for what happened there.”

Udoriol’s eyes widened. “They didn’t tell us that back in Mithia.”

“You’re in touch with the Church there?” Simon asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

“I have been,” Udoriol confirmed, and even the Cardinal’s jaw dropped.

“Does that mean you have been forgiven?” Simon asked delicately.

Udoriol laughed and waved a hand. “Oh goodness, now. It was much as it is now, my past indiscretions were set aside so we could focus on more important matters.”

“His eyes,” John said, and the others turned to look at him in surprise. Even Grimald appeared to have forgotten he was there. “Father Albert’s eyes, did anyone see them?”

“They were black pits,” the other of Cardinal Darren’s guards replied, “I saw them myself, and they still haunt me.”

“It took five men to cut him down,” the guard added.

John shot Udoriol a look. “It does not mean he’s alive, necessarily,” the elf pointed out nervously, “As you said, no one could have survived that…”

“Then it means the Enemy has others who can do that…” John pointed out, “and I don’t know which possibility distresses me more.”

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“What are the two of you talking about?” Simon asked.

“Ratri’s Chosen,” Grimald chimed in when the other two did not reply, “We fought him in the caverns under Corrington.”

Cardinal Darren inhaled sharply. “The worship on the Night Goddess has been on the rise here in Darnos, but to think that Her Chosen has emerged…”

“And he could well be behind all this,” Grimald added. He paused thoughtfully before continuing, “Did King Frederick survive?”

“He was severely wounded, but no one knows his condition,” Lisa said as she closed the warehouse’s backdoor behind her. “And it’s a bloodbath out there. Lord Ian, our patron was murdered last night.”

John looked to Grimald and asked, “What’s our next move then, boss?”

Grimald gave the young man a sideways look. “Boss now, am I?”

John nodded. “I suggest we report back to our employer. He’ll want to know.”

“I’m afraid it’s impossible for anyone to leave the city now,” Lisa said, “Everything’s locked down tight.”

“We didn’t seem to have problems entering,” Simon pointed out.

“Small wonder, Prince Matthew’s supporters are trying to eradicate the Church in Darnos,” Lisa remarked.

Keith turned pale. “If they’re attacking us openly, then Father Alan is not safe.”

“It’s a miracle the baron hadn’t fallen upon us already,” Simon added.

“They are probably trying to keep the news confined here until the situation here is resolved,” Udoriol observed. He then turned to Lisa. “Are there no ways out of the city?”

The young lady shook her head. “We would left long ago if there was.”

Udoriol frowned. “Is there a place where the defences are weak? We could fight our way out…”

Lisa looked the others over, and John thought he saw her roll her eyes when she looked at him. “The gates are tightly held while they allow anarchy to reign inside, as you have seen.”

“Too much for seven doughty fighters to break out of?” Grimald pressed.

Lisa shook her head. “I wouldn’t risk it.”

“Any other ways out?” John ventured, “Drainage ditches, low sections of the wall.”

He paused and shuddered inwardly before adding, “Sewers?”

Lisa raised an eyebrow. “Sewers?”

John shrugged, and she rolled her eyes. “No, none of that here. Just two well defended gates.”

“Besides,” one of the cardinal’s guards chimed in, “We are over a hundred miles away from the border with Mithia.”

“We could run south,” the other guard suggested.

“Into the Elven Forest?” his colleague asked incredulously, “Do you think the elves will welcome us with open arms there?”

Their eyes went to Udoriol who raised his hands, “I’m afraid I would be welcome there as I am at the Church.”

Lisa frowned and stared at Udoriol who still had his cloak over his head. He pulled it back and smiled wryly.

Her eyebrows shot up, and the older man gasped. “You’re an elf.”

Udoriol nodded and pulled his hood over his head again when he saw the open hostility in the older man’s eyes.

The sounds of the angry mob grew louder, and they heard a crashing sound from across the street. Lisa rushed to the front door and cracked it open a hair. John watched her curse softly before closing it. She dropped a wooden beam into place to secure it shut before rushing back to the others.

“They’re searching the buildings on this street,” she hissed, “We need to leave.”

The cardinal and his men hurriedly gathered their possessions while John, Udoriol and Grimald rushed for the back door.

“What now?” John asked.

“We need to leave the city,” Grimald replied, “That much is clear.”

“But how?” John pressed.

Grimald looked up at the young man tiredly, “If you have any ideas, I’m all ears.”

John turned around to Lisa who was speaking animatedly to the older man and bit his lip. It seemed the entire city was searching for them. He put himself in her shoes, would he sell them out to save himself? However, they appeared to be the only ones able to help them at the moment, so they had no choice but to rely on them.

Soon, everyone was assembled at the back door. As they were about to leave. There was a loud knock at the front door and John readied his short bow.

“Open up!” demanded an angry voice. Moments later there was a loud crash.

Silently, they filed out the back door with Udoriol in the lead. John was the third in line and wasn’t even out the door when he heard shouts from down the alley.

“There they are! Alert the others!”