extended arm, driving into the flesh beneath. Vaelin had time to glimpse Nortah loosing another arrow as he galloped closer, sending another Stahlhast tumbling to the ground, and then the rest were on him.
He parried a lance thrust, then pulled hard on his reins, causing his horse to rear. The animal didn’t lash out with its hooves as a warhorse would, but by rearing it woke an instinctive reaction in the mounts of the Stahlhast. Several reared in response, whilst others let out shrill whinnies of challenge. The resultant interruption to their riders’ assault was only momentary, but it was enough.
Vaelin palmed a throwing knife and cast it at the nearest Stahlhast, aiming for his face. The man’s reflexes proved keen and he managed to jerk his head aside, the knife careening off his iron helm, but it distracted him long enough for Nortah to close and hack him down with two well-placed strokes of his sword. Alum was close behind, leaping from the saddle as he rode into the midst of the Stahlhast, whirling in midair and landing with blood trailing from his spear.
Then the Scouts arrived in a tight charging mass, cutting down the remaining Stahlhast in a frenzy of slashing swords and stamping hooves. They went about the subsequent slaughter with grim but evident relish. The few remaining Stahlhast, still vainly trying to fight despite hopeless odds, fell to a flurry of crossbow bolts after which the Scouts dismounted, drawing daggers to finish any wounded.
Vaelin turned his horse away from the ugly spectacle, sheathing his sword and trotting towards the two figures still sitting on their ponies a short distance away.
The woman with the long white scarf offered him a demure, welcoming smile as he reined to a halt, dismounting to offer a bow, which she acknowledged with a small incline of her head. The stories of her beauty were clearly not exaggerated, although her features possessed a warm vitality very different from the doll-like mask of Governor Hushan’s third wife. However, Vaelin found himself sparing her little more than a glance before his gaze was drawn to the woman at her side.
She’s barely changed, he thought, drinking in the sight of her. The same dark eyes, the black curls of her hair tied into a neat, sensible ponytail. The same angry scowl that told of a deep and unwelcome judgement.
“Oh.” Sherin sighed in a tone of infinite weariness. “Go away. You’re spoiling everything.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Vaelin found his tongue incapable of forming words as she continued to stare at him, the judgement in her gaze cutting deep. “I . . .” he began, then promptly faltered to silence before trying again. “I thought you were in need of help . . .”
“Then you were misinformed.” Her gaze softened fractionally as it shifted to Sho Tsai reining to a halt nearby. He dismounted before striding forward to offer a deep, respectful bow to the Jade Princess.
“Blessing of Heaven,” he said before bowing to Sherin. “Good woman Unsa. I come on the orders of the Merchant King . . .”
“I’m sure you do,” Sherin cut in and Vaelin watched the captain do some faltering of his own. He also saw Sherin’s expression soften further as she took note of the hurt her tone provoked. “Your concern honours me, as always,” she said, slipping from the back of her pony and moving to clasp his hand. “But you shouldn’t have come.”
“How could I not?”
Watching their eyes meet, Vaelin suddenly knew himself to be the worst of fools. Come halfway across the world to save a woman who no longer knows me, he thought. He wondered if this had been the Messenger’s final barb, a last ugly jape before he slipped into the void. Vaelin’s gaze tracked from Sherin’s hand entwined with Sho Tsai’s to the mutual affection he saw shining in their eyes. She’s right; I was misinformed. He wanted me to see this.
He was therefore grateful for the distraction when the Jade Princess let out a laugh and leapt from the saddle, clapping and jumping in girlish delight as Erlin guided his horse through the carnage of the Stahlhast’s demise.
“Young wanderer,” she greeted him as he dismounted, throwing her arms around his waist and pressing herself close. “You came to see me again and it’s barely been two decades!”
Erlin winced at the strength of her embrace before laughing and gently easing her back. “Careful,” he said. “I’m not so young now.”
“Oh.” The Princess reached up to pluck at his greying