He had been too preoccupied as he rode into the forest and a stone from a sling had hammered into his temple, toppling him from his horse semi-conscious. Even then, as the outlaws rushed him he had drawn his sword and killed one before they bore him down, hitting him with clubs and sticks. The last words he heard before darkness fell were, ‘He killed my brother. Don’t kill him – I want him alive.’
And here he was, less than four days out of Skoda, tied to a tree and moments away from a gruesome death. Frustration tore at him and he wrenched at the ropes, but they were expertly tied. His legs ached and his back burned.
The one-eyed outlaw stood up and walked to the tree, his face a mask of bitterness.
‘You pig-rutting barbarian – you killed my brother!’
Tenaka said nothing.
‘Well, you will pay for it. I shall cut you into tiny pieces, then cook your flesh on that fire and force you to eat it. How do you like that?’
Tenaka ignored him and the man’s fist lashed out. Tenaka tensed the muscles of his stomach just as the blow struck, but the pain was terrible. As his head sagged the man hit him in the side of the face.
‘Speak to me, Nadir dung!’ hissed the outlaw.
Tenaka spat blood to the ground and licked his swollen lip.
‘You will talk to me; before dawn I will have you singing a sweet song.’
‘Cut out his eyes, Baldur!’ said one of the outlaws.
‘No. I want him to see everything.’
‘Just one, then,’ urged the man.
‘Yes,’ said Baldur. ‘Maybe just one.’ He drew his dagger and moved forward. ‘How would you like that, Nadir? One of your eyes dangling from your cheek?’
A ghostly cry echoed into the night, high-pitched and eerie.
‘What in the seven Hells was that?’ said Baldur, spinning round. The others made the sign of the Protective Horn and reached for their weapons.
‘It sounded close,’ said one, a short man with a sandy beard.
‘Cat, maybe. Sounded like it could be a cat,’ said Baldur. ‘Build up the fire.’ Two men scurried forward, gathering up dry wood as Baldur turned back to Tenaka. ‘You ever heard that sound before,’ Nadir?’
Tenaka nodded.
‘Well, what is it?’
‘Forest demon,’ said Tenaka.
‘Don’t tell me that! I’ve lived in forests all my life.’
Tenaka shrugged.
‘Whatever it is, I don’t like it,’ said Baldur. ‘So you don’t die so slow. I’ll just open up your belly and you can bleed to death. Or maybe the forest demon will get you!’
His arm drew back . . .
A black feathered arrow appeared in his throat and for a moment he just stood there, as if stunned. Then he dropped his knife and slowly reached up to feel the shaft. His eyes widened, then his knees gave way and he pitched to the earth. A second arrow flashed across the clearing, taking the sandy-haired outlaw in the right eye. He fell screaming. The remaining three raced for the sanctuary of the forest, their weapons forgotten. For a while there was silence, then a little figure stepped from the trees with bow in hand.
She was wearing a tunic and troos in light brown leather, and a green burnoose covered her hair. A short, slender sword hung at her side.
‘How are you, Tenaka?’ asked Renya sweetly.
‘I am certainly happy to see you,’ he answered. ‘Loose me.’
‘Loose you?’ she said, squatting by the fire. ‘A big strong man like you. Come, now! Surely you don’t need a woman’s help?’
‘Now is the wrong time for this conversation, Renya. Untie me.’
‘And then do I come with you?’
‘Of course,’ he said, knowing he had no choice.
‘You’re sure I won’t be a hindrance?’
Tenaka gritted his teeth, struggling to control his anger as Renya walked round the tree and slashed the rawhide with her shortsword. Tenaka stumbled and fell as the ropes gave way and she helped him to the fire.
‘How did you find me?’
‘It wasn’t hard,’ she hedged. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Alive. Just! I shall have to be more careful once we cross the mountains.’