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“What are you talking about?” the sheriff called back quickly. “That’s none of your concern. Just get us out of here.”
Kian frowned. That was an odd reaction, but the sheriff was scared.
“Is there anything explosive in the cargo?” he tried instead.
“No,” the deputy called back. “No, of course not. The sheriff would have it properly marked if there were, right?”
“Of course, Chigum,” the sheriff spluttered, like his deputy was an idiot.
Kian took off to catch Lyslee before she could unhitch the bear.
“What’s wrong, soldier?” she shouted to him.
“Get the cargo between the pit and the ridge,” he called back to her. “We’ve got archers.”
“Nine Hells,” she yelled, reattaching the bear’s harness. “Let’s go, Alloo.”
The bear let out an ear-splitting roar of excitement and they were off, leaving Kian to jog backward to stay out of the way.
“Kinsley,” he called to his mate.
By some miracle, she was still in the sled, the baby clutched to her chest, mercifully sleeping.
“There are archers on the ridge,” he called to her on his way back to the pit. “Stay where you are. Keep her safe. They won’t be able to shoot this far.”
She nodded, eyes wide.
Kian ran on toward the pit and the falling sled.
Something whistled through the air, and he ducked instinctively.
It hit the ground, clattering on the frozen lichen.
He cursed under his breath as the dragon roared in his chest.
It was hard not to shift when he wanted to stretch his wings or look over new territories. But right now, the instinct to protect Nova and Kinsley was almost more than he could manage.
Once the cargo was between them and the bandits, Lyslee unhooked the bear and tied it to the ropes connected to the sheriff’s sled. She shouted something to the bear in Grummish, and it began to pull.
More arrows were whistling through the air, but now some of them were Avril’s. The red-haired warrior stood on the back of the cargo sled and took her shots unhurriedly.
Kian reached down and tugged on the sled himself, adding his strength to the bear’s.
The thing felt too heavy at first, hopeless.
Then something slipped free, and it jerked back so suddenly that Kian had to throw himself out of the way.
“Don’t let the bear near the dogs,” the deputy cried out before he even leaped from the sled.
Lyslee guided Alloo far enough out that the others could work out a way to rescue the dogs. But there was a scream as Avril hit one of her targets, and the big bear went up on his back feet to see what it was.
Another arrow whistled through the air.
Alloo groaned and thrashed himself to the side, flinging Lyslee to the frozen ground beside him.
Avril screamed in fury and began loosing arrows like wild.
Kian ran to Lyslee’s side.
