Page 39 of The Sunlit Man

“What is it you want, offworlder?” the Cinder King asked, finally letting go of his Charred, who fell to his knees, gasping. Nice to know they could be strangled. That didn’t work on all Invested beings.

“I’m a simple man,” Nomad said, helping himself—without asking—to more of the liquor. “I run. I just want to stay ahead of the people hunting me.”

The Cinder King turned to the front of the cabin, where the open doorway to the pilot’s station let them see the windshield—and beyond that, the horizon, where light was growing ever brighter.

“Understandable,” the Cinder King said. “I can protect you from those chasing you.”

This time, Nomad almost choked on his drink as he belted out a laugh. “Yeah, all right, sure. Good luck.”

“Stop laughing at me.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Nomad said, waving his fingers and finishing the drink. “I’m allowed to laugh at kings. I’ve got a card somewhere from my master, granting me authorization.” He shook his head.Damnation, that was good liquor. Healmostfelt somethingfrom it—a very, very light buzz—and it took a lot to get through his body’s protections.

An official entered and whispered something to the Cinder King, and some of his good humor returned. A moment later, two more entered from the deck, dragging Rebeke. Her hair loose from its braid, her mouth gagged, her eyes wild as she struggled.

Nomad snapped the shot glass down on the counter.

The Cinder King, misinterpreting the motion, smiled more deeply. He slipped a handgun from a holster at his hip and pointed it at the young woman.

Oh, the knight says, up until this moment I thought he might actually be smart.

“Compassion?” the Cinder King asked Nomad. “From one such as you? I expected more from a man of your world. After all my studies, I expected you to be ruthless.”

Nomad sighed.

The official continued whispering to the Cinder King, and Nomad picked out the words “entire city” and “prospectors.” The Cinder King’s frown returned, and he thought for a moment—clearly aware of the area they were in. His eyes flickered to the safe on the wall where he likely kept his key, the one replaced with a fake in the chaos of the surprise attack.

He was putting it together. Damnation.

“You should have kept reading,” Nomad said, pulling back the man’s attention. “It’s not compassion that drives me, Cinder Fool. It’s not ruthlessness either.” He took a pointed step forward—putting himself closer to the Cinder King, and toward the line of sight between the man and Rebeke. “I really do only want to get away. But there’s one thing you need to know about my people.You promised meno tricks. And you shouldneverbreak an oath to a Rosharan.”

Nomad lunged to the side as the king focused again, his gun aimed at Rebeke. At the same time, Nomad formed Auxiliary into a metal ball in his hand.

The Cinder King fired.

And Nomad’s thrown sphere knocked the blast from the air in a shower of sparks.

Nomad wasn’t trulyfaster than most projectiles.

He missed stunts like this one more often than not. It depended on how well he could position himself, and how soon he could ready a throw before the trigger was pulled. He’d once spent weeks training to deflect bullets and had only managed about one in ten.

Fortunately for Rebeke, today he was on point.

It made a compelling trick when he succeeded. Even more so here, with the blast exploding into a firework of light, throwing sparks.

“Idiot,” Nomad said, summoning Auxiliary back into his hand as a simple metal sphere. “I was considering your offer—until you gave me a reason to look forward to killing you.”

Those in the room gaped at him. Their moment of stunned disbelief gave him a chance to lunge and grab Rebeke. The twoCharred immediately blocked the exits on either side, so he shoved her through the door into the pilot’s station.

Before Nomad could follow, one Charred bodychecked him, slamming him against the wall with the Cinder King’s treasure cabinet—including the tiny sunheart—causing the contents to rattle. Nomad turned and looked at this Charred; his face bore long red streaks, like someone had run burning pokers across his skin.

The Charred grinned and stepped back. Nomad reflexively raised his fists—then froze against his will. This let the enemy punch him three times in succession, dropping him with ease. Nomad slammed to the metal floor and groaned softly. But there wasn’t time to stop and rest.

Never seemed like there was time for that. He pushed himself into a crouch and hurled himself to his feet, dodging past the Charred who tried to pile onto him. Nomad’s quick steps brought him into the small control room with Rebeke.

He immediately slammed the door, then formed Auxiliary into a door guard. Clamps at the side fuzzed and locked onto the frame around the door as he pressed it into place. When the two Charred tried to shove the door open, they found themselves completely blockaded. Not that this wooden door would last long with armed people on the other side.

Rebeke backed into the cab’s control panel. “Did you justknockabulletfrom theair?” she asked.

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