Chapter Twenty-Three
I stifled a yelp and snaked my free arm across my body to reach for my mother’s dagger. But my assailant had been ready for the move. My hand was knocked away before I could reach the pommel of my weapon. I instinctively dropped into a roll, forcing my attacker to either release my arm or join me on the cobblestones.
The fingers on my arm slipped away.
I regained my feet a moment later in a crouch with my mother’s dagger drawn. My hood had fallen back during the fray. I narrowed my eyes in an attempt to make out any details in the shadows. I could sense someone else nearby, but I could not make out their features. I reached out with my other senses to compensate.
The fingers that had gripped my arm had been slender, but strong. Whoever had accosted me was either sm
