Siege (The Warrior Chronicles, #5) - K.F. Breene Page 0,37
other.”
Another man fled the city through the gate. His sword was out but it didn’t look like he had much of an idea of what to do with it.
“Mine!” “Mine!” “Mine!” “I’ll get him!”
A slew of arrows flew out, all of them hitting their mark. Timken’s chest deflated as he shook his head.
Another blur of black caught Lucius’ eye away up left. The third cat, following the others.
He squinted into the glare of the sun as he passed out of a shadow and stared at that area. Wanting to be sure.
A Graygual burst from the city gate, followed by three more.
“Right!” “Left!” “On…the—” Arrows flew before the women could work their mouths to tell which man they had chosen. Enemy screeched and stumbled. One guy staggered into the wall and slid down, a line of red streaking the grime. More arrows flew, crashing into the falling Graygual. One arrow hit someone already dead.
“In a battle, this would waste arrows,” Timken boomed. “You need to think first.”
“Sorry, sir,” one of the women drawled.
Timken braced his hand on his thigh and spat, earning another look.
Lucius glanced out to the right, looking for the retreating feline, when the thunder of hooves came around the city.
“Hold your fire,” Timken said, staring off toward them.
Lucius scanned the trees again, not seeing any movement, before turning to the newcomers. He put up his hand to block the sun, realizing it was Leilius and Alena, pushing their horses hard. One of Alena’s arms came up and did an arc above her head. She waved it furiously.
“She’s yelling something.” The woman at the end of the line sat forward on her horse, as if that small lean would solve the problem of distance. “Can anyone hear her?”
Lucius found himself leaning, too, before doing a quick glance at the gate. No one emerged.
“Attack?” Trise cupped her ear. “It sounded like she said attack…”
Lucius kicked his horse forward, feeling a growing unease as the two galloped toward him. Another flash of movement caught his eye, another black blur. Unlike with the cats, his horse ignored it.
Warning washed over him. The world slowed down as implications froze his blood. He turned in time to see a knife flipping end over end. It stuck into the side of Timken’s neck with a moist smack. Surprise lit up his friend’s face. The next moment he was falling.
“Get down!” Lucius screamed, kicking his horse toward the thrower.
Another knife flew. Its blade glimmered in salute before digging itself into Anabell’s back.
“Move!” Lucius yelled in panic, slapping a horse on the butt as he passed. The animal whinnied and started forward, carrying the rider away.
A man in black popped out from behind a tree, knife at the ready. Lucius spurred his horse on, ready to try and deflect. The man’s arm went up.
“Mine!”
“I’ll get him!”
An arrow stuck the tree by the man’s shoulder. He turned sideways as another flew by, barely missing. The Graygual straightened to throw again, his body positioning and technique perfect. An arrow zipped by his arm, catching his tunic. The throw went wide.
“Up there!” Alena raced into their midst with her bow raised and ready. She reached back and pulled an arrow from her quiver, nocked, and sighted, all in a smooth, practiced movement. She released.
Bushes shook high on the hill as someone ran. The man in front of Lucius followed suit, leaving a smudge of blood on the bark as he bumped past.
“Haw!” Lucius shouted, kicking his horse to run. A glimpse of black emerged ahead, and disappeared just as quickly, the man running through a tangle of brush. Lucius was there a moment later, stomping down the foliage.
“Did you see where they went?” Alena called, out of breath.
Lucius hopped down off his horse. He heard the tread of hooves coming in his direction.
“Make sure that gate is covered,” he yelled, bending to the ground. No tracks marred the ground leading from this location.
“Mine!” someone shouted below.
Knife in hand, Lucius squinted into the trees, willing movement. Wanting to know which direction he should expect an attack from.
A horse crashed through the brush with Leilius on top, his knife out. “I don’t see anyone, sir.”
“That doesn’t mean they aren’t there.” Lucius scanned the area.
“If they cut trees like we did, thinning them out, this wouldn’t be so dense.”
Lucius spared a glance for the kid. It was an odd comment to make at that moment. He let it go. “Did Shanti send you to warn us?”