Carmen Warren crouched amid the rubble of a collapsed tenement. She hated this part of the city. The stench of blood and offal made the air almost unbreathable. How the others lived amidst such filth Carmen couldn’t imagine. Nestled between the two broken timbers beside her rested a rune-stitched satchel holding a black urn. Carmen neither knew nor cared what the urn was for. All that interested her was the huge sack of gold she’d been promised for its delivery.

Across the street two members of the Crimson Legion were approaching the slaughterhouse where her contact told her to meet the couriers. She didn’t recognize the two sorcerers. Whenever one of the legionnaires passed her in the castle she made certain not to meet their gaze. Morana had assured her when she brought the first pouch of gold that sorcerers couldn’t read her mind, but Carmen wasn’t taking any chances.

The sorcerers disappeared inside. If they captured the couriers how would Carmen get the urn out of the city? And more important, how would she get paid? She didn’t want to have to go back to Jonny for help. He’d made it pretty clear after she tied him up that she was on her own. Maybe she could steal the crystal bird that brought his orders and send that for help.

A golden dome appeared over the slaughterhouse and from inside came several explosions. Carmen slipped the satchel over her head and slunk back away from the battle. This was a waste of time. She needed to escape before the sorcerers finished their business with the courier.

When she’d moved out of sight of the dome she turned and ran. She’d left Jonny tied to the bed in their favorite room at the White Stag inn. The cleaning ladies didn’t get started until midmorning and given the damage from the quake they’d probably start later yet today. She had plenty of time to sneak back and convince Jonny to help. If he refused and she got caught he’d be in as much danger as her. Carmen doubted she’d stand up under questioning and she planned to make that very clear to him.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The inn had remained standing through the quake, but the front steps no longer connected to the building and all but two windows lay shattered on the dirt outside. She opened the door and leapt the gap between the doorway and landing. Inside the girls were working at setting up tables and sweeping glass. Two of them glanced up when she entered before returning to their tasks. Carmen came here a lot and no one gave her a second look. The scent of frying sausages and brewing tea wafted out of the kitchen.

She forced her hunger aside and ran up the stairs to the second floor. Carmen slipped into room three and found her lover right where she’d left him, naked and tied to the headboard.

“What the hell are you doing back here?” Jonny asked.

“The legion got to the drop before me. They were fighting the courier when I left. I need help, some other way to get rid of this thing.”

“What do you want me to do? I’m supposed to resume my post after they find me tied up. If I help you anymore there’s no way I’ll be able to go back to my position.”

“After this conversation you’re doomed anyway. We both need to get out of the city. If either of us is caught the other’s had it.”

“Damn it, Carmen, that’s why you weren’t supposed to come back. Fine, cut me loose. I know another way out of the city. We’ll deliver the package to my contact outside of town. I can send for Holly in a few months.”

Carmen almost leapt for joy. Of course Jonny had a secret way out of the city. He’d been spying longer than she had. The prick might have mentioned it before now, but that was an argument for when they were safe.

His clothes hung on the back of the door and Carmen dug the little knife he always carried out of the front pocket of his pants and sliced the cheap scarves holding him to the bed. He watched her through half-closed eyes and rubbed his wrists.

“Hurry up. We need to get out of here.”

Jonny sat up and punched her in the side of the head. The room flashed in and out of focus and the knife clattered to the floor. His big, strong hands wrapped around her throat and squeezed.

Carmen tried to fight, but he spun her over and slammed her skull into the headboard. Everything went dark for a second.

“Keep it down in there!” someone shouted from out in the hall.

She tried to call for help, but no sound came out.

“Sorry,” Jonny said. “We got a little carried away.”

A muffled grunt then steps on the hardwood floor. No help from that direction. No help anywhere.

The world went red then black.