From the other side of the building, a deep voice called out. “I think I heard something over here. Sounded like an animal rooting around, but I’m going to have a look.”
“Fine,” the older man said, uninterested.
Rae glanced over at Omari and smiled.
They waited, counting silently to ten. Other than the sound of the young man humming tunelessly, there was only silence.
But the third guard did not return.
“Eh, Hasire, get back here, will you?” the older man said after a minute or so had passed. “It’s your turn to mind this whelp. He irritates me.”
The humming stopped.
“Hasire?”
Rae clenched her hands into fists, her body tensing with anticipation.
The older man cursed under his breath, sighing. “I’m going to find out where that fool has got to. If I don’t come back in two minutes, wake the men.”
“Y-yes, sir,” the young man replied.
Rae listened to the faint sound of receding movement, and took a quiet step toward the corner of the building and the circle of flickering firelight.
“Hasire?” the older man said again, his voice distant. Then came a muted grunt of pain.
Rae’s pulse began to race as the young guard gasped. He’dheard it too. Any moment now, he would sound the alarm, dragging every soldier in the barracks out of their slumber and down onto the rebels’ heads.
Go! Now!
Rae darted around the corner. The young guard had his back to her, khopesh in hand, and was craning his neck to catch a glimpse of his companions on the other side of the building. In one fluid movement, she clamped a hand over the guard’s mouth and snaked her other arm around his neck until it was tucked into the crook of her elbow. She squeezed, pulling her elbow back to create pressure on his throat. It took a moment for the guard’s shock to register. Then he started kicking and stabbing the blade over his shoulder to try and get her off his back. In an instant, Omari was there. He disarmed the young guard and caught the khopesh before it could clatter to the ground. The guard’s blows weakened. A few seconds later, he went limp.
Rae and Omari remained perfectly still, listening for any movement from the barracks. Their struggle had made more noise than anticipated.
The barracks remained silent.
Sighing with relief, Omari stuffed the khopesh into his belt and helped Rae drag the unconscious guard to the side of the building, where they set to binding his wrists and ankles. “Curse you, Ay,” Omari whispered while they worked, “You were supposed to wait for me!Iwas going to give the signal!”
“He was about to squeal,” Rae retorted, tying a rough gag around the guard’s mouth. “We didn’t have time for a signal.” She glanced up. He was glaring at her. “What? Everything’s good. Flawless execution.”
Omari shook his head. “You’re impossible. Come on, let’s go.”
“I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” Rae whispered as they ran to the front of the building. “All you do iscomplain…”
Asim and his partner were waiting for them.
“Done?” Asim tipped his chin toward where the young guard had been standing.
Omari nodded.
“Good.” Asim turned away from the House of the Medjay and cupped one hand to his mouth.
Kroo! Kroo!
Within seconds, six more men emerged from hiding, four carrying large stoppered jars, the other two holding rolls of rough cloth. For the next step of the plan, Asim and his partner were to keep watch at the entrance while Rae, Omari, and the six additional men made their way into the courtyard.
Easy, Rae thought to herself, focusing on the armory doors. It was only about fifty cubits away, give or take, but suddenly it felt a lot farther. She imagined all those men slumbering behind the heavy curtains, daggers cradled in their arms. One wrong move, and—
She took a step forward, her toes curling into the cool, hard ground, and remembered what Asim had told her.Don’t hold your breath, and don’t stop. Move faster than your fear, and it will never catch you.
