Ruein: Fires of Haraden: Action/Adventure Necromancy Series (Books of Ruein Book 2) by G.O. Turner (best ereader for graphic novels txt) 📗

Ceer and Liv skid to a halt before the spiked growth.

With the last pot under his feet, the goblin sprang for the wall. His tiny clawed hands had no trouble clutching to the mortar. Scratch scrambled up and turned to seat himself. Ruddy brown eyes locked upon Ruein. “With all the dead and dying, should’ve known. As much as the drow hate your lot, of course the council would’ve sent for a necromancer. Dug anything up yet?” He offered her a yellowing grin.

Here was her lead to lose. No way the little bastard was skating free. Steady footfalls built until Ruein ran full tilt for the courtyard gate.

The goblin’s glee diminished. His brow furrowed. Tilting away with his pointed ears, the goblin ass-pivoted and leapt over the wall.

Liv was busy plowing her mace at the briar’s leading-edge, showering a spray of thorns in her arc. “Twigs! This is not helpin—” Liv’s eyes went wide as Ruein charged past.

Without drow armor or studding of iron to protect, Ruein plunged through the gate’s briar field. A mass of senseless afflictions raced to her dust-filled mind, none of which she’d time for.

Once outside the salt larder’s walls, Ruein eyed the marketplace at the end of the alley. The wild mix of surfacers and underdarkers was not going to make this any eas—

With a scritch of gravel above, and the smashing of pottery below, Ruein’s eyes shot to grounded clay fragments. Following higher, she glimpsed tiny goblin legs scrambling onto the roof.

Nimble little bastard.

He’d already leapt from the wall and made his way up the next building. Not so much a mystery why he’s been so hard to catch. These stone shops made easy catches for such tiny hands. She’d need to find her own way up.

Another gravel scritch flipped her attention across the alley. The merchant shop on that side had a second-floor patio. Above that, pebbles sprayed from the rooftop.

What was that?

Dashing for the shop, she shoulder-barreled the back door. Its locks splintered free on impact, leading her into a woodshop. Ruein spied a set of stairs and darted up.

Out on the sparse patio, a table and chairs sat before a back wall. Precisely what she needed.

She stamped onto the chair, stair-climbing the table, then let her momentum propel her spring for the roof lip. Hauling herself up, the rooftops presented a broad view of the city around her.

Leagues of varying heights and slopes, all in a mix of colors and materials. An inclement blanket roiled overhead, save for the shrinking open-blue above the Apex citadel.

The ominous cover diminished the hues of the city before her. Yet, few other things moved about these tops. Diffused light of a Haraden morning would not play tricks upon her eyes. No glare, nor shadow to deny her vantage. Already, four rooftops away, she spied a dark figure pounce up.

Shrouded wholly in black cloths and leather, the cowled figure arced its arms outward. Padded sheaths bound to wrists hooked inward in its descent. That was no drow garb Ruein knew.

The shroud landed upon the goblin.

Ruein scrambled across the gravel.

The two figures tussled. The goblin frantically slashed and cajoled, attempting to break free. The black figure maneuvered to lock in its hold.

She needed to close that distance.

Her footing was unsure across the pebbled surface. Ruein glanced at the remnants of her footwear. Shredded and mangled, they were in no condition for a lengthy chase. Yet, enduring was not her concern.

It was a short run to the next slope of clay tiles. Her tattered soles would have to suffice to avoid slippage.

The shrouded one doubled forward, spiraling with the goblin bundled beneath. As it righted itself, a slender arm arced skyward. A broad-bladed dagger directed down.

No. Don’t.

In a back sweep, the blade swooped up under the goblin. Ruein caught the distinctive shunk of steel in meat.

Ruein flung herself forward, lurching into her run. He may still be—

The shroud twisted the grip. Scratch stiffened, then went limp.

Too late.

Ruein leapt for the next rooftop, colliding broad-chested against the side of the building, her arms thrust out. The hit of her body—quite audible.

The shroud turned.

Not silhouetted against daylight, the figure’s cowl opened to a mask, concealing the face below the eyes. And from those…eyes, they spewed gouts of ethereal darkness.

A rattling gasp slipped from Ruein’s bone-dry lips.

It’s that thing.

Crouched over Scratch’s body, it rifled through his remains, searching. The dark figure made a mad scramble, grabbing up pouches and something from Scratch’s hand. Blood poured from the chin-buried blade. The goblin’s life continued to flow in splashes as his pockets were ripped open.

This was why Ruein came. Now, she would feel again.

Kicking her leg, Ruein thrust herself over the roof’s edge and tumbled onto her knees. A tantalizing scorch of loathing swept along her dead arteries and veins. Levered upon the pole of her glaive, she lunged forward.

Only one more roof.

The shroud sprung to its feet, pumping an arm high in triumph. Clasped within its fingertips, a solitary feather. Shoving the prize beneath its wraps, it glared back at Ruein.

With the proximity, its dark form became clearer. The curve of hips and fullness of chest were all too feminine, not hollow or emaciated like other liches Ruein had known. This was more full-figured.

Visceral dust swirled in her gut. Teeth clenched. Her mangled feet a vacant memory, Ruein hurled herself into her run.

In response, the shroud snatched up the goblin’s body. Twirling, she flung Scratch into Ruein’s mounting vault. The body hurtled over the alley straight into her path.

Ruein would never make the cross.

Unable to slow or complete her jump, Ruein skidded, driving her feet into the gravel. At the edge, Ruein tumbled over the lip.

She caught herself by her glaive pole. The weapon wedged to a hold.

“Ruein!”

Hitting like a bag of sand, Scratch’s body bounced off her shoulder into the alley. Ruein tracked its fall until it smacked at Liv’s feet.

Her sister had caught up with Ceer