throat.
Quickly he regained his balance and swung again. His sword clashed with that of the soldier and for a moment they wrestled for the upper hand. They separated again, both breathing heavily. Wolf stepped back and stumbled. Without looking down he knew he was standing on one of the many dead or injured. He did not want to know if the man was a renegade or soldier. Exhausted, Wolf staggered as he tried to regain his balance. He had to keep his wits about him or he would find himself lying in the mud alongside so many of his comrades.
Sensing the advantage was his, the soldier came at him again. Wolf ducked and heard the blade whistle through the air above his head. The momentum twisted the man too far around. He realised his mistake and tried to turn back, but it was too late. Wolf seized his chance, plunging his sword into the soldier’s side. With a sideways motion he ripped his blade free, blood spraying his legs as the body toppled face first into the mud.
Across the battlefield Wolf could see Saker fighting bravely against three soldiers at once. Even as Wolf ran to assist him one of the soldiers fell, the wooden shaft of an arrow protruding from his neck. Wolf rushed in to help Saker finish off the two remaining soldiers. Beside them, another soldier fell, slain by an arrow to the head.
“It’s Lark,” Saker panted, his face spattered with blood and gore. “He’s in the trees somewhere.”
Wolf turned and scanned the tree line, but could not spot Lark among the branches. Typical he should be hiding, safe out of harm’s way while the rest of them fought hand to hand, face to face. Another arrow thudded into the chest of a nearby soldier and Wolf was forced to grudgingly admit that Lark was an excellent shot for a coward.
“Wolf!” A voice cried out in warning and Wolf twisted instinctively, bringing his sword up as he turned. The soldier who had come up behind him gasped as Wolf’s blade entered his body. He shuddered once and was still.
“There’s too many,” Saker said. “I saw Tregaar fall. I think he’s dead. We have to surrender or we’ll die.”
Wolf glared at him. “If we surrender they’ll hang us and we die anyway. I’d rather die fighting.”
“If we give ourselves up now, maybe it will stop them looking for the camp.”
“The camp is lost without us anyway. I say we fight, to the death if necessary.”
“It’s not your choice,” Saker replied steadily. “You’re not our leader yet, Wolf.”
.10.
M agnosa walked slowly around the whore house wondering if she would ever see it again, this place she had called home for nigh on thirty turns. It had all happened so fast, Enola’s sudden decision to leave the city in search of Wolf, along with Magnosa’s own rash decision to accompany her and pass the running of the house over to Taola. Over the turns, Magnosa had come to love Enola as a daughter and she could not contemplate allowing her to leave with Hawk.
During the night Taola had come to her room with the other girls. It seemed they too had come to a decision. They wanted to leave the city with Magnosa and help the renegade cause. At first Magnosa had argued, but the girls stood their ground. If Magnosa would not permit them to travel with her and Enola, Taola had said firmly, they would set out on their own.
Eventually Magnosa agreed, hoping, perhaps, there would be safety in numbers. The girls excitedly ran back to their rooms to pack a few meagre belongings while Magnosa wondered if any one of them fully understood the magnitude of what they were about to do.
Outside, the girls were already aboard a hired wagon with young Hawk hidden beneath the seat. So long as he stayed silent and the guards on the city gates did not inspect their wagon too closely, she was confident they would get him out if the city undetected. And should they be asked why so many whores were leaving at one time then Magnosa had devised a story by way of explanation. Even so, when they
Quickly he regained his balance and swung again. His sword clashed with that of the soldier and for a moment they wrestled for the upper hand. They separated again, both breathing heavily. Wolf stepped back and stumbled. Without looking down he knew he was standing on one of the many dead or injured. He did not want to know if the man was a renegade or soldier. Exhausted, Wolf staggered as he tried to regain his balance. He had to keep his wits about him or he would find himself lying in the mud alongside so many of his comrades.
Sensing the advantage was his, the soldier came at him again. Wolf ducked and heard the blade whistle through the air above his head. The momentum twisted the man too far around. He realised his mistake and tried to turn back, but it was too late. Wolf seized his chance, plunging his sword into the soldier’s side. With a sideways motion he ripped his blade free, blood spraying his legs as the body toppled face first into the mud.
Across the battlefield Wolf could see Saker fighting bravely against three soldiers at once. Even as Wolf ran to assist him one of the soldiers fell, the wooden shaft of an arrow protruding from his neck. Wolf rushed in to help Saker finish off the two remaining soldiers. Beside them, another soldier fell, slain by an arrow to the head.
“It’s Lark,” Saker panted, his face spattered with blood and gore. “He’s in the trees somewhere.”
Wolf turned and scanned the tree line, but could not spot Lark among the branches. Typical he should be hiding, safe out of harm’s way while the rest of them fought hand to hand, face to face. Another arrow thudded into the chest of a nearby soldier and Wolf was forced to grudgingly admit that Lark was an excellent shot for a coward.
“Wolf!” A voice cried out in warning and Wolf twisted instinctively, bringing his sword up as he turned. The soldier who had come up behind him gasped as Wolf’s blade entered his body. He shuddered once and was still.
“There’s too many,” Saker said. “I saw Tregaar fall. I think he’s dead. We have to surrender or we’ll die.”
Wolf glared at him. “If we surrender they’ll hang us and we die anyway. I’d rather die fighting.”
“If we give ourselves up now, maybe it will stop them looking for the camp.”
“The camp is lost without us anyway. I say we fight, to the death if necessary.”
“It’s not your choice,” Saker replied steadily. “You’re not our leader yet, Wolf.”
.10.
M agnosa walked slowly around the whore house wondering if she would ever see it again, this place she had called home for nigh on thirty turns. It had all happened so fast, Enola’s sudden decision to leave the city in search of Wolf, along with Magnosa’s own rash decision to accompany her and pass the running of the house over to Taola. Over the turns, Magnosa had come to love Enola as a daughter and she could not contemplate allowing her to leave with Hawk.
During the night Taola had come to her room with the other girls. It seemed they too had come to a decision. They wanted to leave the city with Magnosa and help the renegade cause. At first Magnosa had argued, but the girls stood their ground. If Magnosa would not permit them to travel with her and Enola, Taola had said firmly, they would set out on their own.
Eventually Magnosa agreed, hoping, perhaps, there would be safety in numbers. The girls excitedly ran back to their rooms to pack a few meagre belongings while Magnosa wondered if any one of them fully understood the magnitude of what they were about to do.
Outside, the girls were already aboard a hired wagon with young Hawk hidden beneath the seat. So long as he stayed silent and the guards on the city gates did not inspect their wagon too closely, she was confident they would get him out if the city undetected. And should they be asked why so many whores were leaving at one time then Magnosa had devised a story by way of explanation. Even so, when they
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