The Infinity Gate: Darkglass Mountain: Book Three - By Sara Douglass Page 0,76

away so that they all fell useless to the earth, but then came another volley, fifteen arrows this time; and then yet another volley, and then another, all aimed at different points to either side of her.

Axis saw Inardle panic. She didn’t know which way to turn and, in her hesitation, left herself open to the arrows.

Two of them thudded into her left wing, and Axis was now close enough to hear her cry of shock.

Inardle tumbled downward, then managed to regain some control of her flight.

Inardle! Get down to me! Axis cried. To me!

She heard and angled herself toward him. She was very close now, a moment away . . . more arrows flew around her.

One more hit her left wing, then one to her right.

Just before she hit him, Axis wrenched the horse about so that Inardle thudded into his back.

“Hang on as tight as you can,” Axis cried, then booted the by now terrified horse — stars alone knew how fast it could go with the double load — into a gallop.

If only he could get to that stand of low trees.

At the same time, he used the Song of Mirrors to cloak himself and Inardle and the horse in reflections.

With any luck these would be Bingaleal’s fighters coming along behind them, and would not realise the deception until Axis and Inardle had managed to reach the stand of trees.

There they might have a chance.

Several arrows thudded into the ground directly in front of the horse, making it swerve in fright. Axis felt himself being dragged to one side by an unbalanced Inardle, and for one terrible moment thought they would both fall to the ground, but at the last possible heartbeat, he managed to pull both of them upright.

The horse was now running wild with fear for the trees.

Stars, give them enough time to make it!

Axis heard the beat of wings directly behind them, even above the pounding of the horse’s hooves, and knew they were doomed. The Lealfast were not being deceived by the reflections.

He heard the twanging of bowstrings, then an instant later both he and Inardle cried out as they fell forward over the horse’s neck with the impact of an arrow.

Inardle had been clasping Axis about the shoulders, and the arrow had gone through her right hand and into Axis’ shoulder, pinning them together.

The pain and shock of impact was momentarily blinding. Axis had dropped the reins in shock, and now attempted to fumble for them again.

His right arm was almost useless.

The beating of Lealfast wings was directly overhead, he could hear them clearly, and Axis was sure they were dead with the next volley of arrows.

Then, stunningly, the scream of an eagle.

Axis couldn’t see, he was concentrating too hard on the ever-nearing line of trees, but he heard the thump, thump, thump of impact, and knew the eagle had careened through the group of Lealfast fighters.

Suddenly there was an almighty thud five or six paces to the right of the horse and Axis saw that two Lealfast fighters had hit the ground.

They were not moving.

I thank you, my friend! Axis said to the eagle, hoping it had survived its attack. The sound of Lealfast wings overhead had faded . . . the surviving fighters had likely scattered with the eagle’s attack and were now reforming.

The line of trees was finally very close, five or six heartbeats away, and Axis knew what he had to do.

It might kill them both — at best it had the potential to seriously injure them — but he had no choice. It was their only chance.

“Inardle,” he gasped. “When we reach the trees, we need to tumble off this horse and burrow as deep as we can under the shrubbery.”

“We can’t . . . the arrow —”

“I know about the damn arrow!” Axis said. “Listen, we have to do this any moment. Just do it! Understand?”

There was no more time for her to complain. The horse had plunged into the line of trees and shrubs and low branches were whipping and catching their legs and bodies.

“Axis!” Inardle wailed, and he felt her tilt to the right, he with her.

“Damn!” Axis had time to mutter before letting himself slide, giving the horse as hard a boot as he could as they crashed to the ground.

The impact was so painful Axis almost blacked out. He felt the arrow tear through the flesh of his shoulder as they tumbled over and over, and then suddenly Inardle’s hand was freed