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    The Stroke of a Blade: An Assassin Short Story
    The Stroke of a Blade: An Assassin Short Story
    The Stroke of a Blade: An Assassin Short Story
    Ebook29 pages21 minutes

    The Stroke of a Blade: An Assassin Short Story

    By Nick Herntier

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    About this ebook

    Do you want to get a good reading in, but only have 15-25 minutes? Want a full adventure but don't want to read for days and days? This short fantasy story is for you!

    Ismail is assigned a task from the Order, which ends up going sideways.  He has to do whatever he can to make it right.  Out on his own, he comes up with something.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNJH Books
    Release dateAug 29, 2019
    ISBN9781393228912
    The Stroke of a Blade: An Assassin Short Story

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      Book preview

      The Stroke of a Blade - Nick Herntier

      Chapter 1

      The desert wind buffeted the caravan as the dozen or so camels, and their riders slowly but steadily made their way across the seemingly endless sands. At first glance, they appeared to be nothing more than simple travelers. Perhaps pilgrims returning from the Holy City, but a closer look revealed some details that seemed somewhat out of place. Scouts skirted several hundred meters in front and behind the caravan, reporting back at regular intervals. Beneath their clothes, the vast majority of the travelers carried weapons and wore suits of armor bearing the bright orange insignia of Saladin. Try as they might to appear like a casual band of travelers, the discerning eye would have no trouble telling that this was a military operation.

      A sharp yell rose above the howl of the wind, snapping Ismail awake. A journey by camel was long and tedious, and it was easy to doze off in the saddle, even if you were supposed to be up and alert. Worried shouts sounded across the caravan, bearing news the man rather wished he didn't have to hear. There was a sizeable band of armed infidels approaching from behind. In the vastness of the desert, this was no coincidence. Their caravan was the obvious target.

      Muttering a curse, Ismail tugged on the reins of his mount and joined the rest of the warriors in the best semblance of a defensive perimeter that their small group could manage. Following the example of the other riders, he drew his bow and readied an arrow, searching for any signs of the approaching enemy. Almost immediately, his ears picked out the thundering sound of hooves and large dark silhouettes appeared from over a nearby dune, riding on a cloud of sand and dust. Steel-clad riders

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