The Exile and the Sorcerer by Jane Fletcher Page B

Derry’s parents, Tevi made her move. The nearest thug was hoisted into the air and hurled against the other, sending the pair of them smashing into a brick wall. They collapsed to the ground in a mound of arms and legs.
    Tevi did not wait to see if the thugs would offer further resistance. Maybe Derry’s parents would have the presence of mind to claim the dropped cudgels for themselves. She charged past the traders, bearing down on the third thief, only to be confronted by a drawn sword.
    The years of training took over. Before Tevi realised it, her knife was in her hand and outstretched before her. She dropped to a defensive stance and met the gang leader’s angry eyes. The pair of them glared at each other.
    Tevi broke the silence. “Why don’t you go and find someone else to play with?”
    “Why don’t you get out of my way?” The woman sounded rattled by the unexpected interruption, but she was not ready to back down. The two adversaries began to circle, watching for an opening.
    In icy calm, Tevi reviewed Blaze’s advice on how to fight when your weapon was outmatched. Let your opponent make the moves. She’ll be overconfident. Take no risks. Watch what she does. Wait for the mistake . It was the style of combat in which Tevi was at her worst. The memory of countless defeats in practice assailed her, but this time, her life was at stake.
    The thief’s sword flicked out in a few feints to test Tevi’s defence; amateurish efforts, easily blocked, and the sureness of Tevi’s response drew a frown. Clearly, Tevi was not an untrained novice making free with someone’s kitchen utensil.
    For her part, Tevi was surprised at how easy it was. It was as if she could hear Blaze’s voice, offering advice.
    “ She’s going for your throat! ” Blaze screamed, even as the woman made a more ambitious high thrust. In reflex, Tevi ducked and knocked the blade aside. She swung across sharply in riposte and felt the knife make contact. The footpad gasped and lurched a few steps backwards. They both knew it was merely a flesh wound, but the woman was unnerved, and her eyes flicked anxiously around the square.
    The traders had been frozen in paralysis, but now they began to shout loudly.
    “Help!”
    “Call the watch!”
    Tevi grimaced. Like all Torhafn residents, she knew the town watch were unlikely to come to anyone’s aid. However, the sound further alarmed her opponent.
    “Shut them up,” the gang leader snapped to her accomplices, but a glance showed that she could expect no support. The thugs had barely managed to clamber to their feet. One appeared to have a broken arm. The other, with a blood-smeared face, was still braced against the wall. The cudgels lay where they had fallen. The leader’s bravado had completely gone when the new sound of running feet reverberated around the walls.
    The circling meant Tevi’s opponent now had her back to the square. Over the woman’s shoulder, Tevi could see that the approaching footsteps belonged to Derry. He was running down the wharf, wildly swinging a wooden stake. Fortunately, the thief did not want to hang around. She jabbed with her sword. Tevi parried easily but was forced to step aside. This was what the gang leader had intended—clearing her escape route. After one last swipe, she rushed past Tevi and disappeared down the dark alley.
    Tevi watched her go and then turned to the two thugs. She gestured with her knife. “You can clear off as well.”
    No second bidding was needed. The pair hobbled in pursuit of their leader with what speed they could manage. The sound of their uneven footsteps faded away.
    Tevi’s gaze was caught by the dark smearing of blood on her knife. She looked at it thoughtfully before wiping the blade clean. Over by the water’s edge, Marith had caught hold of Derry and was simultaneously hugging him while wresting the stake from his hand. Verron’s face was pale in the moonlight, and his upper lip was beaded with sweat, but a relieved