Standing at the head of the group was Vincent.
“That’s enough. Release your hostages and surrender,” he commanded. Harrison’s group numbered six in total. Vincent had twenty men with him. If it came to combat, Harrison barely stood a chance.
“You sure about that?” He chuckled, unperturbed. “If you try to arrest us, you’ll pay a heavy price, too.”
“We have already arrested those who were aiding and abetting you,” Vincent revealed. Harrison’s eyebrow rose. “And in what world would we not arrest lawbreakers who attempt a child abduction in broad daylight?”
I snorted. “So you guys get to claim a mobster’s fortune for yourselves?”
“The money was illicitly gained. After an investigation, it will be added to the kingdom’s coffers.”
Or in other words, into the pockets of the high and mighty.
“Hand over the treasure, and I will guarantee Miss April’s safety. I intend to negotiate with His Lordship to have the guildmaster released as well.”
“You mean you’re not acting on his orders?”
“My loyalty is to His Majesty and the kingdom,” Vincent said proudly. “I will not have my decisions affected by lesser men.”
Well, at least he’d learned how to talk like a big shot.
“Now don’t go thinkin’ any of this belongs to you yet,” said Harrison. At a hand signal, one of his men put a knife to April’s throat. With the flick of a finger, he could have an innocent girl’s life ended.
“This money belongs to Heather…to the Devil’s Alliance. No official’s gonna be makin’ off with it.”
“Say, boss,” I said, despite the knife held to my own throat, “consider this a warning. You should probably do as he says. We’re right by the dungeon.”
“What of it? You think monsters are gonna pop out of it again?”
“Nope,” I said. “Even worse.”
A dark shape descended from above. It walloped Harrison’s man, pounding him into the ground, and scooped up April as it landed, then tossed her toward the Paladins. Mustache and Tan hastily reached out to catch her.
“Treat a lady with a bit more respect,” I grunted.
“You should try following your own advice regularly, then,” said the figure, caressing his bushy beard.
My best friend had arrived.
Harrison clicked his tongue. He knew the capability of the unbeaten, unparalleled, and unfriendly dwarf. Your typical gangster around town didn’t stand a chance against him.
Dez glowered at him. His subordinates took off running.
“Matthew!” April cried, rushing over to hug me. I caressed her hair.
“You all right, April? That must’ve hurt. I’m sorry for putting you through this.”
“No…it’s okay…”
Her voice was teary. She must’ve been terrified. I was just glad she was safe.
“So the tables have turned.”
“Not so,” said Harrison smugly. While I didn’t know where his confidence was coming from, it didn’t take long to learn the answer.
An entire mob was rushing pell-mell toward us. They came down the street and spilled out of alleys, surrounding the Paladins several rows deep.
“There it is! In that hole!”
“That’s where the gold is?”
“Gimme some! It doesn’t need to be much, but I want my share!”
They were ordinary folks. I recognized some of them. All locals to the area.
“That’s right, I’ll split it with you folks. But only if you get to it in time!” Harrison shouted, eliciting a cheer from the mob. They all rushed for the hole, desperate to get a piece of the buried fortune.
“Don’t let any of them pass!” Vincent commanded, but there were just too many.
“Uh-oh.”
Dez could handle a hundred gangsters without a problem. But harming ordinary people would lead to trouble later on. He might even get kicked out of the guild. The Paladins had a professional right to attack citizens if needed, I assumed, but there were too many of them. They could try to hold off the riotous mob, but it was only a matter of time.
“We have our own reputation to uphold. After all this trouble, I can’t go back home and tell them I got beat.”
Harrison pulled out a magic scroll wrapped around a wooden rod. I suspected that it contained an explosion spell. If he used it in the middle of the crowd, dozens would die. I hoped it was a bluff, but the look in Harrison’s eyes made it clear he was serious.
“What now?” Dez asked, yanking on my sleeve.
“I’ll do something to get that scroll away from him. You handle the scrubs…”
“Move it!”
One of the rioters broke through the wall of Paladins, leading to a flood that pried open the hole. In an instant, Dez’s small form was swallowed by the mob. Then I was swept along, too. We were ripped apart.
As I was carried away, I was able to see the figure of Harrison, holding a knife, while April stood just in front of him.
I screamed.
With a howl of rage, Harrison thrust the knife at April’s chest, just as a gust of wind caught him from the side. He doubled over, losing his balance. Lightning flashed down from overhead, piercing Harrison’s body.
He was charred, suffering burns all over his body. A puff of white smoke escaped from his mouth, and he toppled to the ground.
All at once, the rioters went still. Their eyes, bloodshot with greed and lust, suddenly filled with reason and fear.
“Come on now, Bea,” said a scolding voice. “He’s an amateur. You’re supposed to give him a warning before you strike, remember?”
“Yeah, but this way is faster.”
“See, this is why people say you have Uncle Adam’s impatient streak.”
Two magicians with identical faces were bantering back and forth: Cecilia and Beatrice, the Maretto sisters.
And then she arrived from the other direction.
“Sorry about the wait.”
She always showed up at the best possible moment. Even Ralph and Noelle were in tow; she must have picked them up along the way.
The princess knight had arrived.