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‘Your eyes will adjust.’
Silence, her own breath panting. ‘What's going on?’
‘Shhh…’ The gentle slide of metal on leather and wood as he raised his longsword.
She could make out faint streams of light now slanting down from between the slats. ‘Are you going to… murder me?’
‘No, but I'll stick whoever opens that trap.’
‘What's going on?’
‘Looks like the local Fist is rounding up hostages from all the first families.’
‘Hostages! Why?’
She could just make out the pale oval of his face studying her. ‘Not been paying attention to things, hey?’ He shrugged. ‘Well, why should you have, I suppose…’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Insurrection. Secession. Call it what you will. The Talian noble houses never accepted Kellanved's rule – certainly not Laseen's.’
‘My father
‘Stepfather.’
‘Yes, I'm a ward! But he might as well be my father! Is he safe? What about Jhem? Little Darian?’
‘They may all have been taken.’
Ghelel threw herself at the ladder she could now just see. He pulled her down. She punched and kicked him while he held her to him. As he had to the mare above, he made soft shushing noises. Eventually she relaxed in his arms. ‘Quiet now, m'Lady,’ he whispered. ‘Or they'll take you too.’
‘I'm not important.’
‘Yes you are.’
‘What-’
He put his finger to her mouth. She stilled. Listening, she kept her body motionless, but relaxed, not straining, worked to remain conscious of her breath which she kept deep, not shallowing – techniques Qui
A step above. A booted foot pressing down on straw. The scratching of a blade on wood. Qui
A pause of silence then boots retreating, distant muted talk. Qui
A nudge woke Ghelel to absolute darkness and she started, panicked. ‘Shhh,’ someone said from the dark and, remembering, she relaxed.
‘Gods, it's dark.’
‘Yes. Let's have a peek.’
She listened to him carefully ascending the ladder, push at the trapdoor. Starlight streamed down. Ghelel checked her sheathed weapons, adjusted her leather jerkin and trousers. Qui
Someone had ransacked the stable but most of the horses remained. The double doors hung open. A light shone from the kitchens of the main house. Ghelel strained to listen but heard only the wind brushing through trees. It was more quiet this night at the country house than she could ever remember. Qui
Weapons ready, Qui
Movement from all around: a scrape of gravel, a creak of leather armour. ‘Send the girl out,’ someone called, ‘Qui
‘I'll just go get her,’ and he hopped back inside, ducking. Crossbow bolts slammed into the timbers of the door, sending it swinging.
‘Cease fire, damn your hairless crotches! He's only one man!’
Hunched, Qui
‘If this fellow knows what he's doing this could get very ugly very quick. We'll have to make a run for it – out the back.’
Something crashed just inside the front of the barn then three flaming brands arced through the doors. Blue flames spread like animals darting across the straw-littered floor. ‘Damn,’ said Qui
‘Yes.’
‘Good. Now, we dive out then come up ru
He kicked open the rear door, waited an instant, then dived out, rolling. Ghelel followed without a thought as if this was just another exercise in all the years she'd spent training in swordplay and riding – there'd been little else for her to do as a mere ward. Something sang through the air above her, thudding into wood. Ahead, Qui
Shouts sounded behind. Boots stamped the ground. Qui
Further missiles whipped the air nearby. She put them out of her mind, concentrated on ru
Qui
Ghelel put everything she could into her speed but the soft uneven earth clung to her boots. The horsemen cut ahead of them. They turned their mounts side to side, swords bright in the cold light. Qui
Qui
‘Run, damn you!’ he yelled.
‘No.’ She thrust at the nearest; he parried, declined to counterattack. Damn them! They're holding us up. Hooves shook the ground from behind. She turned: a calvaryman, leaning sideways, blade raised. She thrust hers up crossways. The blow smashed her arm, her hilts slammed high on her chest and she was down.
Yelling came dimly through her ringing ears; rearing horses kicked up mud around her. Her breath steamed in the cold night air. She climbed to her feet, weaving, blinking. Qui
They burst out into low brush and the thick entangled branches of young pines. Qui