She struck the drum again, pounding out a signal, dropped the sticks, tugged at his cloak and they were off and running between the tents. No hope of hiding in shadows, they were forced into the open to avoid tent ropes and stakes.
Warbling rose in the distance, seeming to come from all around the camp.
He heard Reness grunt as they ran. He risked a glance to see her feral, satisfied smile.
Warriors boiled from every tent. From behind, Hanstau swore he heard Antas bellowing his rage.
Reness guided him, heading for the edge of the camp. He could see horses just beyond the last of the tents, a large herd. If they could—
A shout of recognition. Two warriors barred their path, weapons ready.
Reness didn’t change stride, didn’t make a sound. She moved forward, sword and dagger out and then somehow, she was past the warriors. The warriors fell back, cursing and shouting.
It wasn’t clear in the darkness but Hanstau smelled blood.
Reness didn’t stop.
Neither did he. He ran right past them, following her.
But there were more warriors now, he could hear them. His hood fell back as he ran, his breathing harsher and harsher in his ears. There were running footsteps behind him, a jerk on his cloak—
Even as he fell, he saw Reness turn, her eyes gleaming with rage and battle lust. She turned back and plunged into the warriors around them.
Hanstau rolled away, and then watched wide-eyed as Reness fought what had to be four, five warriors. Admiration rose, for she was a fine wild sight. But then fear washed over him. He struggled to rise. She’d be killed. No, no, he couldn’t let this happen, but there were so many—
His despair overwhelmed him, and he almost sobbed. His breath caught as he tried to beg them to stop, not to hurt her—
Light exploded around his boot. Hanstau froze in astonishment. Golden light. Golden power. He sucked in air and with breath came hope. He could—
An image came to him from the power, of warriors engulfed in flame, burning, writhing, agony…burn them?
NO. Hanstau rejected the horror he saw in his mind’s eye.No, no.He cast about for another target, anything but—
The tents. Burn the tents!
With a WHOOSH and a crackle, the tents did just that.
All of them.
All around them.
Two of the warriors stayed on Reness, another grabbed Hanstau’s shoulder from behind. The others ran off, yelling warnings, pulling down tents to smother the flames.
Reness was fighting hard, but these warriors were wary and experienced, moving to circle her like wolves. Hanstau’s captor had an arm around his neck, pulling him up. Hanstau felt him take a breath, ready to shout—
Hanstau jerked the dagger Reness had insisted he carry out of its scabbard. He stabbed blindly back at the warrior’s face. The blade hit bone, then slid into something softer.
His captor screamed.
Hanstau pushed harder, twisting his body away, twisting the dagger, turning to face his enemy.
His captor cried out again, the blade buried deep in his eye.
Hanstau yanked it out, intent on another strike, but the man collapsed at his feet.
Hanstau stood there, numb, breathing hard, staring down at the dying man.
“Hanstau,” Reness’s voice cut through the fog, and he blinked to see her at his side. The others were dead, and chaos reigned around them. “Come,” she said.
