Siege (The Warrior Chronicles, #5) - K.F. Breene Page 0,31
horse from carrying you, but your horse’s gash might slow him down.”
“Even slow, he’ll still be faster than the other horses.”
“Not mine.”
Shanti rolled her eyes.
At Cayan’s nod and his hacked-up sense of go through the overall mental link, Shanti leaned forward slightly. The Bastard pranced sideways. “Don’t make me look a fool in front of everyone, or I will never ride you again.” She softly touched her heels to his sides.
He lurched forward and started at a fast trot. The Shadow kicked their horses into motion directly after, following her out before the army would file in. The Shumas, who were best at mental communication with Shanti, would take up the rear until they could spread out more.
She directed her horse to the track that led down to the city, and noticed the wild growth on each side. If there were regular wagons coming through here bringing large amounts of supplies, wheels would’ve cut lanes and stripped away some of the vegetation. She hoped the absence made them correct in their earlier assessment of how many people were in that city.
She pulled the reins to slow her horse as she reached the crest of the hill. The Shadow tightened up their formation, allowing the army to do the same. Slower than she would’ve liked, she rode over the hill and quickly swept the area with her gaze.
The man at the open gate lounged, just like before. Minds in the city seemed dull, probably going about monotonous tasks. The few women were idle, spread out and in a state of boredom.
The city would not have heard the few cries of pain in the night, and neither would they have been warned. Last night’s small but expertly trained force had a different agenda to the people in this city. Not only that, but they were instructed to keep to themselves and let this contingent of Graygual die and rot on their own.
If that didn’t sound like Xandre, nothing did.
Shanti picked up the pace. Cayan’s power boiled through the merge with high intensity, ready to be unleashed. Her people’s power, tranquil, simmered just below, keeping adrenaline low until the battle began. She’d trained with endurance in mind since youth. She hoped they wouldn’t need it today.
The man at the gate looked in their direction. His body jerked upward, rigid. He ducked through the gate right before a bell started ringing.
Shanti felt the minds, slow to start, but rapidly turning frantic. Chaos bubbled within the walls, and people ran every which way in confusion and fear. A more analytical mind sparked. That had to be the officer.
With no time to lose, Shanti clutched at all the Inkna minds, low in power and mostly useless. She lashed out, striking with a piercing blow into their brain mass. Two shields went up, a feeble attempt to push her away. A surge of power answered them, Cayan’s Gift unfurling from containment with hard, raw force.
Minds near the walls became focused; they were probably nocking arrows and getting ready to shoot. Shanti slashed, taking them down as she drew closer. She threw her leg over the saddle and jumped, knowing her people would do better on foot. Hard ground punched her as she hit and rolled, bouncing up a moment later. Rohnan joined her, running. The rest fell in behind.
She took the gate at a sprint and gouged the minds waiting in the entryway. Their screaming greeted her as she barged through. Their bodies crumpled to the ground.
The city opened up into a dirty courtyard with grime covering the cracked and broken cobblestone. A haphazard gathering of men hastened to form a line, some only half dressed. Shanti sprinted into their number, stabbing one through the gut before any of them had even raised a blade. Rohnan’s staff slashed a chest and Kallon’s sword took out another.
Shanti flicked away a weak thrust before running the man through with her sword. She grabbed the front of his shirt and ripped him away as he died. Charging forward, she unlocked their Gifts from hers, still connected for communication, but now with everyone acting independently. Like arrows firing, the Warring Gifts unleashed, striking and cutting minds as they fought through. When the line was dead, they caught up to her, jogging through the city.
Dirt and grime covered walls. Weeds grew between the cracks. Garbage littered the ground. Shanti felt a group of men coming her way. She ignored the female in the house to the left, and kept her eyes moving.