Enemy Within (Moira Ashe Book 1)

Finding her was a lot easier than he initially thought.

The yells of the guards hunting her kept him informed of her location for a majority of the chase, but the real challenge was when they lost her, but even then he just had to search everywhere the guards were not.

He dropped his heavy package at his feet. He didn’t know how she would act once she had been discovered. Would she trust him? Would she be hostile? To err on the side of caution, Lincoln swung Moira’s blunderbuss over his shoulder and brought the weapon to bear on her. She heard the sound of the weapon despite the rain, and Lincoln saw Moira’s movements slow as she pulled the stolen shirt down, obscuring Lincoln’s view of her back. She slowly turned to face him. Her wet hair clung to her face as her eye and an empty socket stared at him. Lincoln didn’t lower the weapon.

Lincoln almost whispered as he spoke first. “I went back to your cell. I saw what you did to those guards.”

“Are they all right?” The darkness and rain hindered his ability to read her expression, but the concern was obvious in her voice.

Lincoln lowered the weapon. “Some bumps and bruises, but nothing some rest can’t cure.” Moira let out a breath of relief as he leaned the weapon against the wall. Lincoln gathered her belongings and moved towards her.

Moira made no attempt to flee or to attack him as he approached.

“What are you doing?” Moira asked, giving him a sideways glance as she slowly reached to pick her boots off the top of the pile.

“What do you mean?” Lincoln stood holding her belongings as Moira slipped her dirty feet into her boots.

“Why are you helping me?” Moira grabbed the holsters next.

“I think that you’re a good person that’s just trying to make the most of a bad situation. I wronged you. I can’t fix what happened, but I can try to help you however I can.” Lincoln dropped his head. “I’m sorry.”

Moira gave him a sad smile as she took her hat and set it on her head. She touched his forearm. “Thank you.”

Lincoln smiled back at her, but it vanished as the sound of the guards’ shouting approached.

Panic engulfed Moira’s face.

“Wait here.” Lincoln passed Moira the rest of her belongings.

Lincoln left her, hurrying to intercept the guard. Turning the corner, he almost bumped into the other man. Lincoln held up his hands as the guard lifted his weapon.

“Identify yourself.”

“Lincoln Clarke.”

The lowered his weapon. “Abalonian?”

Lincoln nodded as he lowered his hands. “Did my accent give it away?”

“Something like that. Have you seen a woman around here?” The guard made a slashing motion across the side of his face. “She would have a large scar across her face.”

Lincoln shook his head. “Sorry, I haven’t seen anyone like that. And from the sounds of it, I don’t think I would want to! Eh.”

Lincoln let out a nervous laugh while the guard’s bushy grey brow lowered.

“Hmph … thanks for the help. I would get indoors if I were you.” He looked over both shoulders before adding. “Wouldn’t want a stray bullet to find ya.”

Lincoln snapped off a quick salute. “Will do.”

The guard rolled his eyes before turning and shouting the all clear to his allies as Lincoln returned to Moira. He half expected her to run while he was distracted, but she was fully dressed and leaning against the wall near her weapon while she waited for him to return.

Lincoln walked towards her.

“That’s him taken care of.” He noticed her unimpressed expression. “What?”

Moira pushed off the wall. “Wouldn’t want to see me, huh?”

Lincoln shrugged, “Sorry.”

Moira rolled her eye as Lincoln’s memory and was suddenly jolted.

“That reminds me.” Lincoln pulled the broken eye patch out of his coat pocket. “I thought you might want this back. Not that you need it.” He wasn’t lying; her injuries didn’t bother him.

Moira accepted the item. “Thank you.” She inspected the broken strap. “I think I could fix this.” Moira slipped the patch into her own pocket for safekeeping.

“You’re welcome.” Lincoln looked around the alley. “Now what?”

Moira picked up the blunderbuss and looped it over her shoulder. “Well, the walls are too tall to jump off of and are crawling with guards. They would see us coming before we would even reach the top.” She was deep in thought as rain dripped from under her hat. “We could break into James’s house and escape through the sewers.”

“Why don’t I open the front gate for you?”

The idea seemed to intrigue her. “They wouldn’t be expecting me having help would they?” She turned to him. “That might work.” Her expression changed. “The guards aren’t going to let you just walk up and open the gate, though.”

“I’ll get that gate open for you,” Lincoln said defiantly.

“How?”

He didn’t know, but he was determined to help her. “I’ll find a way. Trust me.”

“Not much else we can do,” she replied, sounding unconvinced. Lincoln wasn’t totally convinced either.

Moira gazed around the alley. “It’s better than wasting time here.” She remarked as she pulled her scarf over her nose, obscuring the lower portion of her face.

Lincoln agreed. “Let’s go.”

Moira was genuinely surprised by Lincoln’s change of heart. And she was glad for it. He might just be her ticket out of here. They held their heads down and walked quickly as they navigated the sparkling streets, shifting direction when a patrol appeared. They experienced a few close calls as they approached the front gates, but a quick dodge into cover was sufficient to keep them hidden. The near-constant shouting of the guards alerted them to their positions and kept them informed on the status of their search.

Moira moved in close to Lincoln as they tried to walk casually through the empty street. She whispered to him. “If the gates are too well protected, we head for the tunnel.”

Lincoln replied. “Yes, ma’am.”

They were only a few minutes away from the gate when they were spotted.

The patrol came into the street behind them.

Moira and Lincoln tried to continue as they had before, but they drew the guards’ attention anyway.

“Hey, you two,” they yelled after them as they walked quickly towards them. “Hey, I’m talking to you! Stop!”

“What do we do?” Lincoln asked her as they ignored the advancing guards.

Moira replied swiftly. “We run.” They broke into a sprint as the guards yelled after them.

“Hey! I think we got her over here! She’s not alone! They’re heading for the front gate!”

They ran to the gates. There were no side streets, nowhere they could divert their course, there was only the way forwards. Their only hope was to get past the gates and continue to the tunnel before the guards could catch them.

Murphy and his guards were waiting for them. Taking position along the roads into town and on the walls, they formed a crescent shape around Moira and Lincoln.

Moira began to panic as they pointed their rifles at her. As two guards moved towards them, it only took her a split second to know what to do. To Lincoln’s surprise and the guards’, Moira pulled him against her and pressed a knife against his throat, retreating to safety under the cover of the gatehouse. Holding the knife with her left hand, she pulled Lincoln’s pistol out of his belt with her right hand and pointed it at each guard as she frantically gazed over Lincoln’s right shoulder. The advancing guards backed away from them as the commander called for the guards to hold their fire. While holding Lincoln’s gun in her hand, Moira used her pinkie and ring finger to pull her scarf down from her face, allowing here voice to be heard clearly.

“Let me through the gates, or I kill him!” she yelled.

Lincoln didn’t resist her, but she could feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest, the heat off his skin, and the slight trembling in his limbs. The same trembling that entered his voice as he spoke. “What the hell are you doing?”

Moira whispered in his ear. “You wanted to open the door for me. Well, here’s your chance.”

“This isn’t what I had in mind.”

Moira pulled him closer. “Just trust me.”

“You know they might shoot me, right?”

“Yeah, but they WILL shoot me!”

She felt him swallow. “Fair point.”

Murphy interrupted their conversation. “There’s no need for all of this. Just let him go.”

More guards arrived and began taking formation. Moira noticed Flynn amongst them. He hadn’t visited her during her time in the cell, and as he pointed his rifle at her now, he kept his gaze on the ground.

Tears began to trail down her cheeks. Using her shoulder, she attempted to wipe them from her face as she returned her attention to the mob gathered before her.

“You let me go, and I’ll let him go.”

Murphy shook his head, sending raindrops left and right. “You know we can’t do that. You’re a threat to everyone! You’re not leaving here. Not here, not now, not on my watch.”

Moira believed that he was determined to end her here and now, and with every passing second that outcome seemed likely, but she wouldn’t stop trying until the bitter end. She just had to hope that they wouldn’t call her on her bluff.

“No one needs to die today! Just open the gate and you’ll never see me again!”

Again the commander shook his head in disagreement. “And why would I do a thing like that? So you can hide somewhere else? Terrorize some other town in secret?” He held his arms out and motioned towards the lines of guards to either side of him. “Why would I let you go when I have you right where I want you? Right at the end of two dozen rifles. Why would I let you attack more innocent people when I can put an end to your rampage here and now?” He took a step closer. “Why the hell would I do that?” Several guards voiced their agreement.

“Just let her go! She hasn’t hurt anyone!” Lincoln replied as he tried to avoid contact with the edge of the knife at his throat.

Murphy was startled by his defence of Moira. “Are you mad? Have you forgotten about that knife at your throat? About her rampage through the streets? For God’s sake, you’re the one who condemned her in the first place!”

“I know, but I was wrong! She doesn’t want to hurt anyone.”

Murphy laughed. “Doesn’t want to hurt anyone. Ha! People have lost their lives thanks to her!” He pointed in Moira’s and Lincoln’s direction. “And here she is threatening you, and you say she doesn’t want to hurt anyone! Don’t make me laugh!” Once again several guards agreed with their commander.

Moira replied this time. “James killed those people, not me!”

Murphy interrupted her. “And you killed him, did you not?”

Moira continued. “I did, but I did it to protect this town and its people!”

“Bullshit! You’re a monster and you’ll always be one!” More approval rose from the guards as Ryan Quinn burst through the firing line.

“Everyone calm down.” He stood with his arms out, giving no notice to the rain soaking into his fine clothing. “There’s no need for someone to die tonight.”

His words encouraged her, but she was still weary of his intentions.

He turned to face Moira. “Look at yourself, Moira. Think about what you’re doing! Don’t make things any worse than they already are.”

She did know the effect Lincoln’s death could have. That was exactly why she threatened to kill him in the first place.

Moira didn’t relax. “You know what would happen if I kill him! Eamon is looking for a reason, and I’ll give it to him unless you let me walk out these doors!”

Lincoln chimed in. “I’ve heard that third time’s the charm.”

Moira whispered to him. “Shut it. You’re not helping!” She pushed the knife against his throat for emphasis.

“Sorry.” Lincoln winced.

The young voice of an anonymous guard replied. “Go ahead, we’re not afraid of Abalonia. We kicked their ass two times before, and we’ll happily do it again!” A couple of other young guards added to the first’s sentiment with taunts of their own.

“Quiet!”

Ryan silenced them instantly with a single word. “Let Lincoln go unharmed, and I will give you till the count of three to leave once the gates are open before we open fire.”

“What?” Murphy and a number of the guards standing at either side of him voiced their surprise. “If you let her go, who knows what she’ll do! Think of the people who will suffer for this! The other counties!”

Ryan snapped at him. “And that will be their problem to deal with! I will not have needless bloodshed in front of my great-great-grandfather’s memorial! This town is my family’s legacy! And I will not have it tarnished by having a war started here!”

The commander was shaken by Ryan’s outburst but remained silent. Ryan looked at Moira. “Do we have a deal?”

It wasn’t ideal, but she didn’t exactly have a lot of options, and this was probably the best chance she would get. She nodded behind Lincoln. “Deal … thank you.”

“Do not mistake this as an act of mercy. I am letting you go to spare Mr Clarke’s life. You are a beast, and you shall be dealt with as such!” His voice lacked any hint of compassion. “Everyone will be warned about you, and you will be hunted for the rest of your life.”

Moira expected as much, but it would take time for news to spread. As long as she kept ahead of it, she should be all right.

She kept Lincoln close to her. “I understand.”

“Good. Open the gates!” he addressed his men. “Get ready to fire on my mark!” He held three fingers out in front of him as the gates began swinging inwards and the firing squad took aim.

Adrenaline surged through her veins as she prepared herself.

She didn’t wait for him to start counting, as soon as the doors were wide enough, she bolted. Throwing the pistol to the ground, Moira kicked Lincoln forwards as she turned around with her knife gripped tight in her gloved hand. She ran for the safety of the forest, careful not to slip in the mud that riddled the road before her. The sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears drowned out Ryan reaching the count of zero. It drowned out the telltale snapping of muskets and the curses of the men whose weapons misfired. It drowned out the pounding of her feet as she fled.

Pain exploded in her side as a lucky round found its mark. She staggered, but she didn’t stop. She continued forwards as she disappeared into the forest, as she once again left her old life behind her.