His face hit the grass. It was cool and very pleasant. His gaze was drawn to a nearby bush. He saw a fox crouched there, watching, waiting. Fresh pain seared through him as the Rigante dragged his knife clear. Jarik groaned and tried to rise. But there was no strength in his arms. He managed to roll onto his back. His head lolled. The Rigante was helping the girl to her feet. Then a cloud covered the moon.
And all was darkness.
Tae was still groggy from the blows she had received, but she stumbled after Connavar as he led her deeper into the woods. In the distance she could hear other raiders. Some of them were laughing. The sound cut through her dizziness, filling her with fear. Strange, she thought, I was not as frightened while they held me captive as I am now that I am free. That is something to think about at a later date, she told herself. Ahead Connavar had stopped behind a thick oak. She moved in close to him.
‘What now?’ she whispered.
‘We must thread our way through them. They do not yet know you have escaped. They will not be spread out. But I cannot get back to my pony. We will have to escape on foot.’ Sheathing his blades, Connavar led her to the left. The clouds were clearing above them and the moon appeared, shining brightly. Connavar cursed softly and dropped to his knees, pulling Tae down with him.
‘I see why they call you Demonblade,’ she whispered, recalling the speed with which he had despatched her captors.
‘No time for talking. Follow me.’ Dropping to his belly Connavar crawled into the nearby undergrowth. Tae slithered alongside him. ‘We’ll wait until they pass,’ he said.
A horn blared out behind them. Angry shouts followed. Tae did not need to be told they had found the bodies. She glanced at Connavar. He was tense, his face angry. She heard the sound of running feet, and was about to rise and flee when Connavar grabbed her. ‘Stay low,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘They will be looking for movement.’ He put his hand over her shoulder, drawing her in close. The bushes here were thin and small. Anyone gazing down must see them.
Several men ran by. One paused, almost above them.
‘What can you see?’ yelled a guttural voice.
‘Nothing.’
‘They can’t have got far. There’s been no sound of horses. Fan out and search the woods.’
The man close by ran off. Tae was still resisting the urge to run. Connavar spoke again, in a low whisper, his mouth close to her ear. ‘They are expecting us to flee, so their gazes will be high, looking for running figures. Best we stay low for a little while. Once the clouds return we’ll risk moving. Relax and rest.’
Relax? How could anyone relax with killers scouring the area? But Tae said nothing. The breeze picked up and she felt herself begin to tremble. Whether it was from the cold or the aftershock of the day’s events she did not know. Connavar moved in close, spreading his cloak over her and sharing his body heat. Tae closed her eyes, seeing again the savage blow that tore the life from her mother. Tears welled, but she fought them back. There would be a time for mourning. That time was not now.
The sounds made by the raiders were dwindling now and Tae felt Connavar stir beside her. He rose to his knees and gazed around the moonlit woods. Then he climbed to his feet, pulling Tae up with him. ‘We need to head west,’ he said. ‘They will expect us to make for the north and Seven Willows.’ She nodded and followed him. He moved swiftly ahead for a while, then took refuge behind another oak. As Tae came alongside he drew his dagger and handed it to her, hilt first. She took the weapon, and was amazed to find it fitted her hand perfectly. At first glance Connavar’s hands seemed so much larger than hers. She wondered how he could use such a small-hiked weapon.
Again he moved forward, dodging from tree to tree, scanning the woods as he ran.