At the very last moment, you swerve and vault a table full of goods, landing in the middle of the merchants. As everyone screams around you, you upend one of the tables, spilling colorful cloth onto the ground. You use the table as a shield and—thunk!—a crossbow arrow pierces it. You scurry through the square, knocking over tables, hurling anything you can into the path of the soldiers. You whirl around a corner into an alley.
Thundering footsteps can be heard from behind you. You pant heavily. You’re never going to outrun them.
You take a deep breath and leap up. You press your hands and feet against the opposite walls of the alley, suspended above the road. You don’t know how long you’ll be able to hold your position. Sweat beads up on your forehead.
“This way!” Soldiers charge into the alley.