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start searching."
Kindan had just begun to head toward the rocky cliff overlooking the water at the far end of the Countess' property when a
booming crack broke the silence. He went cold, and began to race toward the cliff.
Years of placing sounds on the open sea had made him good at pinpointing them, and the sound had definitely come from
the cliff. Reaching it, he looked over the edge, where a small, winding path worked its way down the cliff to the coastline.
Nankyo and his assailant weren't far down - it looked as if the prince had been on his way back up. Blood poured from his
right shoulder, over the hand held to the wound as he glared up at his assailant despite the pain twisting his pale face.
"Now, prince. You'll want to be coming along. I do believe they'll be willin' to pay more if you're alive." The man lowered his
gun confident he'd have the prince's cooperation. "No more trying those spells."
It was all Kindan needed. He pulled a dagger from his sash - this one all business, not a jewel in sight - and let it fly. It hit
the mercenary in the throat, and he was all but dead when Kindan leapt down and shoved him off the path. He turned to
regard the prince, "Can you go a single day without causing some sort of trouble?"
Nankyo merely shook his head. "I had no idea those weapons could hurt this much."
"Yeah, they're pretty nasty." Kindan considered him, then reached down and carefully helped the prince to his feet. "I hope
you can walk, because I'm not nice enough to carry you."
"It's my arm that's wounded, not my leg." Pale faced but stubbornly determined as he used the captain for support, Nankyo
painfully made his way up the cliff and back toward the house.
Barely had they stepped aside when Takara and Raiden appeared. "Kyo!" Taka cried fearfully, "What happened?"
"I found him a little too late," Kindan glared at the two of them to move, helping Kindan into the nearest room, a small salon
decked in green, blue and silver. He laid him out on a settee, "I think the ball is still in there."
Raiden grimaced sympathetically, keeping his grip on a frantic Taka. "I'll go get what we need. Taka, try to stay calm eh?"
"Storms take you! I'm not a child." Takara dropped down beside the prince. "Kyo!"
Nankyo looked like he wanted to do nothing more than pass out, but he focused his pain-clouded eyes on the Secretary. "I'll
be fine, Taka. Give me your hand."
Instantly Takara held out his right hand, and Nankyo gripped it with his blood-covered left one. He began to chant, but
faltered, pain making him stumble over the intricate pronunciations. He grit his teeth and then tried again, speaking slowly
and carefully. As he went, the words seemed to become easier, and at last he sat back with a sigh.
file:///H|/NOVEL/New%20novel/1.htm[9/25/2009 10:22:25 AM]
AmaSour Fiction
Takara stared at him, then at his hand, and shook his head. "How strange. Is that what magic feels like?"
"Yes," Nankyo smiled faintly. "Wait until I can teach you to use it yourself. It's the only good thing about having blue hair."
"What did you do?"
"Stopped the bleeding some, lessened the pain a bit." He looked at the captain, "You said that whatever he shot me with
was still in me?"
"Yeah. The balls seldom go all the way through."
"Should be easier to take out now." He hesitated, "And thank you."
Kindan shrugged and looked away.
The Countess appeared before the silence could turn too awkward, dismay ravaging her face. Takara sighed and moved to
comfort and reassure her, wiping his hands on a handkerchief he pulled from his sash. When she was convinced
Nankyokukai would be all right, and that events wouldn't bring all of Kundou down on Pozhar, she shifted to fretting over
her blood-drenched settee.
Raiden reappeared and handed over a small kit to Kindan.
Takara watched them work on Nankyo, the Countess' grip on his arm all that kept him from doing them bodily harm at
causing the prince more pain, which even the spell he'd cast could not completely prevent.
Wound bound, Nankyokukai gave in and passed out. The four gathered around him, expressions somber and worried.
"Storms!" Raiden groused, "How in the Dragons' names could we have forgotten? All of us!"
"You should have told me," the Countess said reprovingly.
"We should have," Raiden agreed. He looked at Kindan, "I'm disturbed at how rapidly they found us here. They must have
been watching us even while we were on the ship. We're lucky only one was stupid enough to try it there. Are they working
in tandem? Or is this just a bunch of solo efforts?"
"Probably a little of both. I'm sure there are bands, and solo mercs leeching off of their efforts. This& was probably a solo
effort. If it had been a group, Nankyo and probably myself would both be dead." Kindan shook his head, "He probably tailed
us from the carriages, seeing us disembark. We're pretty distinctive here."
The Countess pursed her lips, "I will have servants stationed to stand guard, until proper security can be summoned. You
should have told me sooner he was in danger. I am most displeased with all of you. Did it not occur to you that we are in as
much danger as he? You will explain this to me in full after we get Nankyo to bed." She moved to ring for a servant,
"Though how we're going to get him upstairs& "
"I'll carry him." Kindan said shortly. He matched the deed to his words, stooping and carefully lifting the prince into his arms.
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