Excerpt: Breaking the Bonds

“Run,” Serena hissed at Michal as the guards started towards the crowd.
She had watched the guards as they had walked into the southeastern corner of the square, just as Michal had tucked the final spinning knife back into its sheath. The guards had seen enough to know that the pair was performing, and to guess they had no licence.
Michal poured the coins from the hat into his pocket, “left, towards the pumpkin cart.” He gave her a push.
She flashed a smile at the remaining patrons, the crowd had no desire to stay and be questioned by the Duke’s forces. “Until we meet again,” she said before spinning in a flash of coloured skirts towards the northern alleyway.
The market was in full swing; carts of produce, house wares and trinkets lined the outer edges of the town square and formed four more or less straight lines in the centre. Serena risked a glance over her shoulder, the guards were trying to force their way through the centre of the square. As if by accident, carts and shoppers were moving in their way. There was hope.
She turned her attention back to her path, and stumbled over the display of pumpkins sending the round gourds rolling into the path of shoppers. “Sorry,” she shouted towards the vendor.
Michal tossed a few coins in the man’s direction and grabbed Serena’s arm. As they rounded the corner, she watched the pumpkin seller roll a few more of his wares towards the approaching guards.
The alley was lined with barrows. The vendors here were selling clothing, sausages, and small hand made toys. Michal stopped suddenly pulling Serena towards a barrow festooned with colourful scarves. He pulled a handful of cloth from the pile in the centre of the display.
“Ten pennies,” he said to the woman sitting on an upturned barrel.
“In a rush, are you?” She asked.
“Eleven,” Michal started to throw the coins to here.
“Your friends are coming,” the woman pointed to the commotion at the mouth of the alleyway. Serena could not see the guards yet, but she knew by the movement of the bodies that they were close.
“Damn it, how much? Before I have to steal them.”
“Take them, anyone who annoys the Dukes guards that much has earned a few scraps of cloth.”
Michal laughed and threw half the coins into the barrow. He handed a dark blue scarf to Serena motioning her to cover her strawberry blond curls. As they ran through the vendors, he wrapped a black scarf around his own black hair, then a long grey one around his waist. As he tied the cloth, he slowed to a walk, hissing to Serena to slow. Michal bent and started to limp. Serena took his arm and bent to whisper in his ear. “Great idea, mother.”
The two drew into a doorway and stood as though waiting for the commotion to pass. The guards finally pushed their way through the people at the entrance to the alley. Serena watched as they stood looking for evidence that the two had passed this way. She held her breath; all it would take is one vendor to take the side of the guards. She watched as the woman at the barrel of scarves waved the guards over. Serena prepared herself to start running again, but Michal’s grip on her arm tightened. “Wait, there’s time. Don’t bring attention to us until it’s the only option.”
“Oh, sirs,” the woman sobbed out in a loud voice. “Please, I’ve been robbed.”