Tyre came at Rezkin immediately. He pulled his hunting knife from his belt and slashed at the young warrior. Rezkin easily dodged and ducked behind the man. Twisting the merc’s knife-wielding wrist, he bent the man’s arm straight back and shoved at his shoulders. The merc lost hold of his weapon and careened head first into the wall.

Barclay took a swing at Rezkin’s head from behind, but his fist met only air. Rezkin ducked and spun, shoving his shoulder into the man’s gut and causing him to double over. The young warrior grabbed the man just below the hips and stood, tossing the rugged guard into the air. Barclay landed on his back with a whomp, and Rezkin kicked him in the head hard enough for him to hear a crack. He did not know if it was the man’s skull or neck that broke. The first guard, Tyre, was just attempting to sit up with a moan when the young warrior lobbed a throwing dagger into his throat. Blood spurted between the merc’s fingers and poured down his jerkin as the man lay thrashing and clutching at his neck.

Rezkin twisted and threw himself behind the open door just as a crossbow bolt dug into the old wooden slab. A shout rang out from the adjacent room, and he knew he was running out of time. He flitted across the room faster than the guildmaster could reload. Whipping Bladesunder from its sheath, he whirled as he leapt over the desk and took Guildmaster Martius’s head clean off his body. Just as the head smacked into the floor, several more men piled into the room. Rezkin whipped his blade around, splattering the men with the guildmaster’s blood. He held the sword slightly behind him so it was covered by his cloak. The Sword Bearer did not desire for these men to know he carried a Sheyalin, but he wanted to keep his weapon at the ready.

The men paused as the guildmaster’s head rolled to the center of the room. They took in the additional bloody carnage of the two top guards and then looked at Attica questioningly. The woman stood to one side of the door where she had stood upon entering the room. She had her arms wrapped around herself tightly as though doing so could protect her from the violence. Her face was pale as alabaster, and her eyes were wide with surprise, but when she noticed the attention of the newcomers she managed a smirk.

Attica tilted her head toward Rezkin and said, “He’s the new guildmaster.”

This did not sit well with any of the men, and the shifty one in the center narrowed his eyes as he asked, “Says who?”