Leave it to a mage to get the princess caught, she thought as she ran between two trees and through a bush. Hans kept pace as they pursued the princess’ abductors. Tracking them wasn’t hard, though Liandra could only make out one set of footprints. That of a the hurg.

The Knight Captain Commander had warned Emperor Kurosawa’s guard of the dangers he had posed to their ruler, but her warning were brushed aside with a near hostility—as if she were being unreasonable.

Fools.

“We’re getting close,” she called to Hans. They were both breathing hard, and they couldn’t move fast at prolonged speeds. Somehow Lawrence knew that. Had he fought the Order before? She found herself narrowing her eyes.

They rushed up the base of a small hill, and when they crested it, Liandra spotted the hurg, the princess still slung over his shoulder like a sack of wheat.

“Halt!” she called.

The hurg stopped, turned to face them. He obviously knew he wouldn’t outrun them with the girl on his back, assuming he could outrun them without the added weight. Like them, hurg weren’t overly fast on foot, but they could strike or lunge with great speed or keep up a demanding pace for hours.

The frog-faced hurg glanced at her for a moment, then dropped the princess in the grass. She squeaked, made to move, but he grabbed her by the arm and told her not to. He didn’t let go until she nodded her ascent.

“Yuko, where are you?” he called, voice deep and booming over the hills.

“Be careful,” Liandra said out of the side of her mouth. She didn’t need to warn Hans of what. They both knew that a hurg could shout them into a heap on the grass.

The hurg walked forward, as did Liandra and Hans.

“There’s another out here somewhere,” Hans said, unsheathing his sword with a metallic hiss.

Liandra looked about. It was good ground to fight this foe, but if there was another hiding in the area, lying in wait for a surprise attack like some slinking savage, things were going to be a lot more difficult.

And dangerous, she thought. But knights of the Purging Flame are no strangers to danger.

“We’ll just have to fight this hurg together and keep our eyes open for the other attacker,” she said in answer, then drew her own sword. She addressed their opponent now. “Hurg. Stand aside. We’ll be taking the princess back with us. You can be on your way.”

His yellow eyes regarded them. His teeth, some of which were visible even though he kept his mouth closed, were highly polished, not the usual yellow of most hurg who did not have the same customs of cleanliness as most civilized races had.

He gestured, surprisingly docile and civilized. “Unfortunately I am under contract, so I cannot allow that to happen.”

“That’s right. You’re the assassin who tried to kill the emperor. You’re no battle hurg,” Liandra said, her eyes catching the rainfall in the pond at the center of the depression. It was large enough for a small grove, the surrounding hills proving excellent cover for a potential base camp.

“No,” the hurg said. “I am not.” He slung a leather satchel from his side to his front and removed some objects. They were bracers. He slipped one on, belted it. And then the other. The bracers had red-steel knuckle guards and blades that jutted from the wrists to past the elbows. They tapered off into wickedly curved points.

Their foe repositioned his feet into a battle stance, his arms raised and fists clenched, ready for close-quarter martial arts.

“Whatever you do,” Liandra said, “don’t let him near you.”

“I will now give you one chance to sheath your swords and walk away,” the hurg said.

Liandra sniffed, feeling a certain outrage at his words, quite similar to her own uttered just moments ago, she noted. She introduced herself, though left out the part about the Order of the Purging Flame. “Now tell me your name, so that I can speak of how I bested you in this battle.”

His mouth parted, white teeth deadly sharp and ominous. His eyes narrowed. “I am called Urhaggha. Formerly of the Urghamahn.”

A highborn hurg of the highest degree, she thought. Very interesting. She almost wanted to sit down and speak with him. “And now you’re a hireling?”

“I much prefer the term ‘contractor,’” he said. “Hireling has an air of cheapness that I would prefer not to sully my reputation with.”

“Very well,” Liandra said. “Shall we fight, Ur…?”

“Urah,” he suggested, making his name easier.

“You’re very polite for a hurg, Urah.”

“Indeed,” he said. “I wish to be civilized, and so I am, Knight Commander Arduani.”

Of course he knew who she was. He had been the assassin who had nearly killed Emperor Kurosawa. He probably had detailed pages on many of the people at the palace last night. “Most interesting. Then I will endeavor to give you quarter should you ask for it.”

“The sentiment is most appreciated, knight, however honor is not within my realm of propriety, as I am a contractor and do not have that luxury. I thought you should know that before we begin.”

“Very well,” she said. “Shall we fight, then?”

“Indeed.”

Liandra widened her stance as she tightened her grip on her sword hilt. She nodded to Hans, who began to encircle their foe as she moved forward.