Vlad waited patiently in the shade.  He had sensed rather than seen a rider following him in the dusky shadows, and knew it was the assassin from Bryon.  He had countless enemies, but which one had put a price on his head this time?

The spot for the ambush was ideal.  The woods were thick and dense around the road, and after a sharp curve the road ran across a stream that required fording by travelers.

There was movement in the forest, and a rider came into view.  He moved cautiously, stopping his mount every few feet to listen and look.  Fortunately he scanned the trees and not the forest floor.

The two hunters listened for one another.  The forest was silent except for the babbling murmur of the running stream and the birds.  Vlad held his breath.

Sa...

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