Fetch thwacked his hoopak soundly against the hands of his foe, the blow causing the dwarf to drop his sword. "I'd prefer not to kill you," Fetch sneered, imitating Maldred. The dwarf held his arms out to his side in surrender and backed up, and Fetch let out a victory whoop.
A few of the other dwarves were retreating, trying to push the crowd back so the Legion of Steel Knights who had come from the hospital could circle the thieves and deal with them. But there were a dozen town guards in the mix, and they continued to press forward. It was on these that Maldred and Fetch concentrated.
Rikali sliced at the dwarves on her side, who slightly outnumbered the Legion of Steel Knights. She guessed there were more than a dozen in the group facing her and Dhamon, and she wasn't going to look over her shoulder to see how many more there were. One of her attackers was an especially good swordsman, and she couldn't quite manage to upset the rhythm of his swings nor wrest the blade from his grasp. "Mai, more're comin' fast. I hear them! Knights all a' clangin'! I don't want to die in this town! Do somethin', Mai!"
The big man finally mumbled an acknowledgment, then let out a keening cry that sounded like a chorus of angry gulls. He swung his great sword in an arc over his head, the metal fairly singing and catching the moonlight. The light skittered along the blade and a shower of sparks-like swarming fireflies-leapt into the crowd, catching hold of the dwarves' garments. Maldred ran forward into the mass of startled dwarves. Unnerved by Maldred, or more likely frightened by the rash of fires, they parted like a wave. Fetch was quick to follow the big man, swinging his hoopak against the backs of those who were too slow to get out of his way and accidentally striking Rikali in the process.
On Dhamon's side, the dwarves also retreated. But the Knights, though momentarily stunned by Maldred's magical display, stood their ground.
Rikali spotted more dwarves emerging from their homes, most toting weapons of some kind-even makeshift ones, torches, a few crossbows-and these latter especially worried her. There would be too many now for Maldred to chase or to scare. Or to fight.
Dhamon saw Rig and Fiona running down the street. The mariner was shouting something and waving. Fiona was moving quickly despite her Solamnic armor, the torches illuminating her disbelieving, wide-eyed face.
Rikali and Dhamon ignored all of them, capitalizing on the momentarily stunned Legion of Steel Knights and whirling to follow Maldred, who had chased a group of dwarves beyond the stable.
As Maldred stopped and threw open the stable door, Fetch darted inside. The big man gestured at Rikali and Dhamon. Hurry, he mouthed. Behind the pair, a half-dozen Knights were running toward them. More dwarves were charging, cursing as they came, hollering "Thieves!" at the top of their lungs. Only the dwarves' stubby legs kept them from overtaking the Knights. A quarrel struck the stable, inches from Maldred's hand.
In the middle of the dwarves could be seen Rig and Fiona. The Solamnic Knight's eyes were fiery, and she was resolutely threading her way through to the front of the angry crowd.
"Inside!" Maldred urged, ducking as a quarrel whizzed over his head.
A heartbeat later he followed Rikali and Dhamon into the stable and slammed the door shut, throwing the bar across it. Maldred motioned for Dhamon to do the same with a side door that was barely discernible in the dark, cavernous interior.
"Oh, this is great!" Rikali jeered. "You've trapped us, Mai! Like rats, we are. And it stinks in here. Pigs, I see there's a Solamnic Knight in town on top of the dozen or so Legion of Steel Knights who aren't laid up in the hospital! That's all we need. A shining-in-armor Solamnic Knight!"
"She's an old friend of mine," Dhamon said as he brushed by.
"Friend?" Rikali put her hands on her narrow hips. "You have bad taste, lover. Least you used to. No one needs a Knight for a friend. They're trouble-at least for the likes of us."
"Quit complaining," Fetch said. He was huffing and wheezing, rolling a barrel to prop against the door. "Give me a hand."
"Oh, that'll work, wee man," Rikali said wryly.
"No. Fetch has the right idea," Dhamon said. He gestured to the center of the stable, where they could see the outline of a big wagon.
Maldred patted Rikali's shoulder as he rushed by and grabbed the front beam of the wagon. The muscles in his arms bunched, the veins on his neck stood out like ropes as he began to pull. The horses started whinnying nervously as Dhamon, dropping the backpack and leather sack, got behind the wagon and pushed.
Fetch scampered up into the wagon bed, tugging free a half-dozen canvas sacks. "Coins from the bakery, which was my idea to rob," he said as much to himself as to Dhamon. "Coins from the weaponsmith's. Spoons and candlesticks from an old manor. Stuck it all in here, Mai and me. Thought we were gonna use the wagon to ride out of town on."
