Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw

The dead cannot die. You, on the other hand . . .”
    â€œWait!” Kalen cried, but it was too late. In one powerful move Silas thrust the blade up into his robes, driving the metal deep into his heart.
    â€œOne death for another,” he said, letting Kalen bleed freely until his lifeless body slumped down onto the cobbles.
    The alleyway fell silent. Kate dared to peer carefully out over the window ledge and saw Silas crouching down, pressing his hand to Kalen’s forehead. The air rippled strangely around him, like heat rising from a roof on a wet summer’s day, and everything seemed to slow down. Kate did not know what she was seeing. Silas was impossibly still, his eyes closed, concentrating on something she could not see. Kate had forgotten to breathe and only when the air settled back to normal again did the full horror of witnessing a man’s death hit her. Her knees felt weak and she stumbled back.
    â€œKate!” whispered Edgar, abandoning his hiding place to help her.
    That was all Silas needed.
    He saw Edgar move, drew his sword, and strode toward the broken window. Edgar did not see him approach. Silas’s boots made no sound upon the cobbles and no shadow crept across the shop floor. Only Kate saw him standing there just two steps from Edgar’s back, his sword raised ready to strike.
    â€œMove!” she yelled, pushing Edgar hard into the curtains as the blade fell. The sword missed, the point dug into the wooden floor, and the metal rang out.
    Edgar stood frozen against the wall. Silas was inside the shop, standing right in front of Kate. Both of his hands were on the sword, but he made no attempt to free it from the floor. He just stood there, looking at her.
    â€œDo you know who I am?” he asked.
    Kate nodded firmly, trying not to give away her fear.
    â€œThen you should know that no one escapes me once I have set my mind upon their capture. No bargains are granted, no freedoms or mercy are offered or given. You have something I want, and I believe you can help me find something I need.”
    Kate didn’t know what he was talking about, and she didn’t care. “Where is my uncle?” she asked, sounding far braver than she actually felt. “He’s not one of the Skilled. He’s not what you’re looking for.”
    â€œI know that.” Silas tugged his sword from the floor and raised it a little, enough to make Kate flinch. “I knew it as soon as I saw his face. The eyes do not lie, Miss Winters.”
    â€œHow do you know my name?”
    â€œI have been ordered to find you,” said Silas. “And I believe you may be of use to me. But first . . .” He turned to Edgar, whose face was a picture of terror. “First I must put down the boy.”
    â€œNo!” Kate shouted. The blue blade whipped up to Edgar’s throat and stopped only a hair’s breadth from his trembling skin.
    â€œNo?” said Silas. “Why not?”
    Kate glanced at the dead body out in the barrow alley. “Because I . . . I’ll go with you,” she said. “You don’t have to hurt him. He’s not in your way. He won’t stop you from taking me. Will you, Edgar?”
    Edgar shrugged his shoulders as much as the blade would allow. “I was going to give it a bloody good try, actually.”
    â€œI’m not going anywhere if you hurt him,” said Kate. “And I certainly won’t help you.”
    â€œYou will do as I say, or you will die right here next to your useless friend.”
    Kate thought fast, not knowing what to do, but Edgar had a plan.
    With Silas distracted he took his chance, heaving on the green curtain with all his strength, making the rusted curtain pole break from the wall and spilling the wooden rings from its end. He had hoped to catch Silas beneath the fabric, but it was too heavy, and the curtain flopped straight down on top of his own head instead. Edgar scrambled blindly