followed by a second and then a third. The wooden tailor sign swung from its hinge and a mud puddle spiraled out with each quake, signaling a very large threat.
My breath caught in my throat and my skin tingled in warning as I scanned the treetops. The moon reflected off his grayish bald head, and I caught glimpses of a long bulbous nose the size of a pumpkin protruding from his face.
A troll.
He stepped out onto the road, dragging a downed evergreen behind him like a club.
The troll continued to march toward the town, not waylaid in the least by the first launch of arrows that came his way from Xander’s troops. They bounced off his skin, none finding purchase.
Xander signaled another volley, but all they did was irritate the troll. He lifted the evergreen tree by the top and swung the trunk and roots down on a laden wagon, letting out a roar. The music stopped, and the townspeople looked up in terror before scattering like cockroaches.
Why was the troll here? What had caused him to leave his cave and attack a village with no provocation? Did something drive him here?
My mind filled with questions that had no answers as Xander took his sword out and directed a two-sided attack. They were trying to keep him from entering the town and drive him back into the woods.
With a mighty swipe of his tree, the troll cleared a path through the left bank of troops and began to march straight into the town as if drawn there like a moth to flame.
A child ran in front of the troll and froze, her legs quaking as she stared up at the great monster. His club was heading straight for her head.
With lightning speed, Xander grabbed the girl around the waist, rolling with her out of the way as the tree embedded deep into the earth, but not without the branches scraping across the prince’s back.
Joining the fight, I whispered to the earth, causing the club to sink deep into the ground. The troll struggled to free his weapon from its grasp, roaring in frustration.
Xander made sure the girl was all right and with her mom before he turned to attack the troll with the rest of his troops. He ducked as a mighty fist swung above his head, then spun, using his sword to slice in an upward angle across the troll’s heel.
The troll let out a painful cry but did not fall, for the cut didn’t sever a tendon, nor stop him from advancing toward the inn. Feeling vindicated and a bit amused, I continued to watch as the troll picked up carts and smashed them, overturned vendor tables, and spent a good amount of time destroying the now-empty stage and each and every single instrument.
The portly owner of the Three-Headed Dragon stood outside his inn, his hands on his hips as he wagged a finger at the troll. “Naw, you don’t. Not again, ya hear? I’ve had enough of your destroying my inns.”
The troll roared loudly as people began to pour out of the inn and into the streets, and I finally understood how the inns were previously destroyed. I glanced up at the inn and feared for Pru, who I had yet to see leave the premises.
“No!” Pulling the cloak low over my face, I ran forward, my hands trembling as I called power to me. Clapping them together, I called forth a bolt of lightning from the sky, which struck the ground in front of the troll, startling him. Knowing a cave troll’s biggest fear was fire, I sent another lightning bolt to a cart filled with hay, setting it aflame.
“Keep going!” Xander yelled as his troops rushed forward. They grabbed the cart and pushed it toward the troll, who tried to dodge but fell backward into a house, crushing a corner of the roof down to the foundation.
Xander was at my side in an instant. “Can you drive him out of town?” he asked.
I nodded without looking or making eye contact, pulling my hood lower.
The wind blowing my cloak, I continued my mission, my head held low as I directed lightning like a composer, each melodious strike carefully calculated to drive the frightened troll back to the edge of town. He groaned at me, sounding disappointed at not being able to destroy the inn for a third time.
Pressure was building in my head, and I could feel the headache coming on, which meant if I wasn’t