Severed Destinies Read Online Free Page A

hungry." He sat down on the bottom step and leant upon his cudgel, watching the other two anxiously.
    Torga twisted Varayan's arms, so that the thief felt they were going to snap. Then, with a vicious kick, Torga caught him in the stomach. Varayan felt the breath fly from his lungs and his legs buckled. However, Torga still held him limply in place, now with one hand.
    "I don't think he's going to feel much," Torga said to Leran. "He's nearly passed out already."
    Leran gave an impatient gesture to continue and Torga pulled his arm back, aiming to land his clenched fist somewhere on Varayan's face. By the size of the man, Leran believed that his fist was the same size as the young thief's head and he leant forward to watch the bloody display.
    Varayan, through watering eyes, caught sight of his knife still tucked into his belt. He saw Torga pull his arm back and realised that he needed to time his move right so that the large man's fist didn't punch him through the nearby wall.
    Torga threw the punch and Varayan caught him by surprise, twisting to the right and bringing his leg up to catch him firmly in the groin. Torga yelled in unexpected pain as the boot connected. He released his grip and Varayan's hand flashed to his knife. Leran was up quickly and charging towards him, cudgel raised.
    "You should learn to take your punishment, boy," snarled Leran, swinging the cudgel.
    Varayan ducked the blow and slammed the knife down as hard as he could into the top of Leran's boot. Leran stumbled forward as the small blade stabbed deep into his foot and found himself lying face down on the floor, the cudgel sliding out of his grasp.
    Quickly, Varayan wrenched the knife free, bringing another yelp of pain from the fallen man. Then, aware that Torga was looming in the background, he thrust his hand into one of Leran's pockets and pulled out the emerald ring.
    "Mine, I believe," stated Varayan, making his way towards the back door once more.
    He heard Torga's thumping footsteps behind him and wished that he had been able to grab the money pouches from Leran too. Still, the ring should fetch a tidy profit.
    He flung the door open, ready to escape into the darkness of Ashgar's alleys, but instead stared straight into the face of the homeowner and his wife, who stood with horrified expressions at the sight of a stranger opening their back door for them.
    "You really picked the wrong time to come home," Varayan told them.
    He was suddenly aware of Torga again and darted past the man and woman, sprinting off down the alley. He could hear them calling for the guards as he ran, but he was not concerned with that. He just needed to put some distance between him and the two thugs he had left behind.
    As he ran around the next corner, he came to a sliding halt at the sight of three town guards running in his direction. They had obviously heard the cries for help and were coming to investigate.
    "You there," yelled one, pointing at Varayan.
    With a brief curse, the thief was away again. This time, he could hear the heavy footfalls of the guards as he escaped through the maze of alleys. He knew them better than any man and was soon resting in a darkened doorway, catching his breath. His cheek hurt, his jaw ached and his stomach still turned at the kick from Torga. Worst of all, five other people had seen his face and could now recognise him if need be.
    "I guess that decides it then," mumbled Varayan to himself.
    He would have to leave Ashgar. From what Leran said, if he had indeed been telling the truth, Naskador was not an option. Varayan would be face down in the river within the week. He wondered whether Leran and Torga had escaped the house before the guards had arrived. Torga could have, but Leran's injury made his escape a little more tricky. Varayan did not really care. He was in one piece and that was all that mattered.
    He waited in the darkness for an hour, allowing his body a brief time to relax after the blows he had received. Then he